Core Insights - Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT) shares reached an all-time high as the hotel chain reported an increase in business demand [2][6] - The company reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.76, exceeding analysts' estimates, and a comparable revenue per available room (RevPAR) growth of 3.5% year-over-year [2][6] Business Performance - All segments contributed to RevPAR outperformance, with notable growth in leisure occupancy and continued improvement in business transient and group results [3] - Hilton anticipates favorable trends to persist into 2025, driven by increased business travel from large corporates and steady demand from small- and medium-sized businesses [4] Market Sentiment - CEO Christopher Nassetta noted that businesses are generally planning to travel more and are prepared to pay higher travel costs due to the current environment [5] - Hilton shares increased over 5% to approximately $271, with an intraday record of $273.78, marking a nearly 40% gain over the past year [5]

Key TakeawaysHershey beat profit and sales estimates as the chocolate maker's price hikes helped to offset the higher cost of cocoa.The company also cut selling, marketing, and administrative expenses.Hershey warned that the soaring price of cocoa will hurt full-year earnings. Shares of The Hershey Co. (HSY) advanced 5% Thursday when the chocolate maker reported better-than-anticipated results as price hikes helped offset the rising cost of cocoa. The company with brands including its namesake chocolate bar ...

KEY TAKEAWAYSFord shares are tumbling in Thursday morning after the automaker posted a downbeat outlook weighed on by losses in its electric vehicle business that offset higher-than-estimated quarterly results.Ford Model e, the company’s EV division, reported a 2024 EBIT loss of $5.1 billion.CEO Jim Farley said tariffs on Canada and Mexico would wipe out "billions of dollars of industry profits." Ford (F) shares are tumbling Thursday morning after the automaker posted a downbeat outlook weighed on by losses ...

Core Insights - Philip Morris International (PM) shares reached an all-time high following better-than-expected results and guidance driven by strong demand for non-smoking alternatives [1][5] - The company reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.55, with revenue increasing 7% year-over-year to $9.7 billion, surpassing Visible Alpha forecasts [1][5] Sales Performance - Sales of smoke-free products rose 9% to $3.9 billion, while sales of combustibles increased 6% to $5.8 billion [2] - Shipment volume grew 2% to 193.1 billion, with oral smoke-free products up 22% to 4.6 billion, heated tobacco products rising 5% to 35.7 billion, and cigarette sales increasing 1% to 152.8 billion [2] Management Commentary - CEO Jacek Olczak stated that the company has "strong momentum across all categories" and expressed confidence in its smoke-free transformation and brand portfolio to deliver value for shareholders [3] - The company anticipates full-year adjusted EPS between $7.04 and $7.17, exceeding the Visible Alpha estimate of $7.01 [3] Stock Performance - Shares of Philip Morris International increased by 7% to $140.16, previously reaching a record high of $146.77, and have gained over 50% in value over the past year [4]

Group 1 - Eli Lilly reported net income of $4.41 billion, or $4.88 per share, on revenue of $13.53 billion, which was slightly below analyst expectations of $4.52 billion in profit and $13.56 billion in revenue [1] - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $5.32 exceeded expectations of $5.11, indicating strong performance despite overall results being worse than expected [1] - Sales of weight-loss drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound reached $3.53 billion and $1.91 billion, respectively, falling short of expectations of $3.65 billion and $2.04 billion [2] Group 2 - Eli Lilly expects 2025 revenue to be between $58.0 billion and $61.0 billion, with EPS projected from $22.05 to $23.55, and adjusted EPS from $22.50 to $24.00, which aligns with or exceeds market expectations [2] - Following the earnings report, Eli Lilly shares rose more than 2%, reflecting positive market sentiment, while the stock has increased approximately 20% over the past year [3] - In contrast, rival Novo Nordisk's shares have declined about 25% in the past year, highlighting a competitive landscape in the weight-loss drug market [3]

KEY TAKEAWAYSQualcomm stock is falling 5% in premarket trading Thursday, a day after the company's lower-than-estimated licensing revenue offset record quarterly sales.The chipmaker reported fiscal 2025 first-quarter revenue and profit above Visible Alpha estimates. However, investors seemed to focus on Qualcomm's licensing revenue, which undershot forecasts. Qualcomm (QCOM) stock is falling 5% in premarket trading Thursday, a day after the company’s lower-than-estimated licensing revenue offset record quar ...

Key TakeawaysAmazon will be the first of America's major retailers to report fourth-quarter earnings when it posts results after markets close on Thursday.After a record-breaking holiday shopping season, analysts expect retailers to report strong sales.Consumer spending growth is expected to accelerate this year, but analysts warn tariffs and a stock market downturn could curb momentum. Amazon will kick off the earnings reporting season for major retailers this week, offering investors a snapshot of consume ...

Core Insights - Alphabet's shares experienced a significant decline due to weaker-than-expected cloud revenue overshadowing better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings [2][11] - The company plans to invest approximately $75 billion in capital expenditures in 2025, primarily focused on expanding artificial intelligence infrastructure, which raised investor concerns regarding the timing of returns on this investment [2][3] Financial Performance - Despite the recent drop, Alphabet's stock has increased by 33% over the past 12 months, outperforming the S&P 500 during the same period [3] - The stock fell nearly 8% to around $190 in late trading following the earnings report [3][11] Technical Analysis - Alphabet shares had been trading in a narrow ascending channel for seven weeks before breaking out above this pattern [5] - The relative strength index (RSI) crossed above the 60 threshold prior to the earnings report, indicating bullish momentum [5] Support and Resistance Levels - Key support levels to monitor include $190, $180, $168, and $160, with $190 being a critical level due to its alignment with the ascending channel's lower trendline and the 50-day moving average [7][11] - A failure to maintain the $190 level could lead to a decline towards $180, where buying interest may emerge [7] - The $201 area is identified as a crucial overhead level to watch for potential recovery efforts [11][12]

Key TakeawaysAdvanced Micro Devices shares plunged Wednesday after the chipmaker’s data center sales missed expectations.Analysts said AMD hasn’t shown how it can compete with Nvidia’s dominance in the AI chip market. However, some called the selloff an overreaction, pointing to the strength of the company's client CPU segment.  Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) shares plunged Wednesday and several analysts dropped their price targets after the chipmaker’s data center sales missed expectations.  Bank of America ...

Core Insights - Alphabet's shares fell nearly 8% amid concerns over weaker-than-expected cloud growth and increased spending on AI [2][6] - The company plans to invest up to $75 billion in capital expenditures this year, exceeding Wall Street's expectations by $15 billion [3] - Analysts have lowered their price targets for Alphabet, with UBS reducing it from $211 to $191 and JPMorgan from $232 to $220, citing the need for new products to justify the higher investment [3][4] Investment and Growth Potential - Despite the concerns, some analysts believe that the increased investment in AI could enhance growth by expanding Alphabet's cloud capacity [5] - Bank of America maintains a "buy" rating and a price target of $225, suggesting that Wall Street may be underestimating the benefits of AI for Google Search monetization in 2025 [5] - The lower price targets come in the context of competition from Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which claims to develop AI models at a fraction of the cost of American firms [4]