Is Avient Corporation (AVNT) the Best Russell 2000 Stock to Buy According to Wall Street Analysts?
Since President Trump announced new tariffs, the U.S. stock market has been steadily declining. The Wall Street Journal has estimated the loss to be around $6.6 trillion. Many large economies like China and the EU have started retaliating against these new rates, sparking a global trade war and making investors scramble to make sense of the chaos.
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Is this a buying opportunity or a trap? This is the question investors, market experts, and analysts are currently asking themselves. While social media is buzzing with calls to buy the dip, experts call the attempts to time the market a fool's errand. Predicting market moves is impossible without sheer luck, and when investors make their decisions by relying on such luck, they also inherit the huge risk accompanying it. Waiting on the sidelines can be painful, too, since some experts strongly believe that the best returns follow the most significant dips. To use the opportunity, however, investors need disciplined strategies backed by valuable information regarding the market and the stocks.
Combining the strategy with credible information, we have compiled a list of the 11 best Russell small-cap stocks that income-seeking investors may be interested in buying. Though mega-cap stocks dominate the headlines, small-cap companies in the Russell index also quietly steal the spotlight. These companies, often called America's economic backbone, are domestically focused, which prevents them from taking on the full impact of tariff crossfires. Also, thanks to their agility and growth potential, small caps have a history of outperforming large caps during early-cycle recoveries. The consecutive rate cuts by the Fed to counter recession risks this year could also favor these stocks since low borrowing cost leads to progress in the companies' expansion plans.
Understanding their potential, Wall Street analysts are combing through the Russell small-cap companies to find valuable stocks that incorporate resilience and growth. Amidst the growing uncertainties surrounding the mid-caps and even large-caps, small-caps in the Russell index, backed by the analysts' ratings, might prove to be a safer harbor for investors.
We have put together our list by following a few criteria. Primarily, all the stocks we have considered for our list are small caps and part of the Russell 2000. We have filtered out those stocks that do not have a strong Buy rating from the analysts. The criteria ensured that all the picks in our list have future growth potential, benefiting income-seeking investors. The average volume has been set at 100,000 to gather stocks with strong liquidity.
Additionally, we have included only those stocks with positive earnings per share (EPS) over the past five years, which provides a historical overview of the companies' growth. All the data in the article was taken from financial databases and analyst reports, with all information updated as of April 7, 2025. To rank the stocks, we used the hedge funds in the Insider Monkey database as of Q4 2024.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
A research engineer conducting a test of the strength of a new thermoplastic composite.
Headquartered in Ohio, a specialty materials company, Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) provides polymer solutions, colorants, and additives to a wide range of sectors, including healthcare, automotive, and packaging. The company was initially founded through the rebranding of PolyOne and the acquisition of Clariant's masterbatch business. Avient Corporation's (NYSE:AVNT) innovations are primarily focused on sustainability, resulting in products such as bio-based resins that are well-received among customers in the shift toward circular materials.
Though comparatively lower than any of the other entrants on our list, the company's EPS growth of 1.81% for the past five years remains positive and suggests a continued position in the market for specialty materials and sustainable polymer solutions. Even in challenging markets like Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) has achieved organic revenue growth in 2024. In Q4 2024, the company also announced a 5% increase in dividends, marking the 14th year of consecutive growth. The breakthrough innovation in its Dyneema portfolio provides the company with significant advancements in ballistic protection, which could be translated to achieve the 2025 guidance: adjusted EBITDA of $540 to $570 million.
The non-cash impairment charge, owing to the unimplemented S/4 Hana ERP system, amounted to $71 million, which brought down the value of the stock but caused the upside potential to rise to 75.88%. Additionally, with 28 hedge funds reflecting moderate confidence in this Russell 2000 stock, it has gained a Buy rating from analysts.
Overall, AVNT ranks 5th on our list of best Russell 2000 stocks to buy according to Wall Street analysts. While we acknowledge the potential of AVNT, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than AVNT but trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this .
READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
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Second quarter earnings season is winding down, and with most of the reports in, the results have been mostly positive. Data from FactSet published Friday showed that with 90% of the index having reported results, analysts expect S&P 500 companies to report an 11.8% jump in earnings per share during the second quarter. Companies had a lower expectation bar to clear coming into the quarter — analysts expected S&P 500 earnings to rise 5% in Q2, the slowest pace of earnings growth since Q4 2023 — amid President Trump's tariffs, stocks' lofty valuations, and uncertainty about the health of the US economy. Earnings this week include Circle (CRCL), AMC (AMC), Cava (CAVA), Cisco (CSCO), CoreWeave (CRWV), Deere (DE), On (ONON), and Oklo (OKLO). Here are the latest updates from corporate America. 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Tencent's revenue beats estimates in boost for AI ambitions Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Cava stock plummets after company misses some of Wall Street's marks, cuts guidance Cava (CAVA) missed Wall Street's mark for revenue and same-store sales growth in its second quarterly earnings report. The company's revenue came in at $280.62 million, below the $285.56 million Wall Street expected, per Bloomberg consensus estimates. Adjusted earnings beat by $0.03, coming in at $0.16. Same-store sales came in lower than expected, up 2.1%, driven by menu prices and product mix. Meanwhile, guest foot traffic was flat, far less than the 6.14% jump expected by the Street. In the release, CEO Brett Schulman called it a "fluid macroeconomic environment," adding that it "continued to grow market share" during the quarter. For the full year, the company expects same-store sales growth of 4% to 6%, down from the previously expected range of 6% to 8%. 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'While we are very optimistic with ... growth opportunities, we have also seen disruptions in federal contracts from efficiency efforts this quarter, most notably in programs that support the U.S. Army, as they seek to consolidate and modernize their data architecture and in turn, we have adjusted our full-year guidance this quarter to reflect these disruptions,' CEO Kevin McAleenan said in the earnings release. Listen to earnings call live on the stock page. Plug Power stock falls on earnings miss Primary hydrogen player Plug Power (PLUG) continues to grow its top line, but a larger-than-expected loss disappointed in the second quarter. Plug Power reported a $0.20 loss per share, a wider loss than the $0.15 per share Wall Street expected, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. 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The company also reported a narrower-than-expected loss per share of $0.01, compared to estimates of a loss of $0.06 per share. Reuters reports: Read more here. stock tanks following earnings (MNDY) stock fell as much as 20% after the project management software company missed earnings estimates. In the second quarter, reported earnings of $0.03 per share and revenue of $299 million. While revenue beat analyst expectations of $293 million, GAAP profits fell short, as Wall Street was looking for $0.20 per share, per S&P Global Market Intelligence. Investors have been looking for signs that economic uncertainty is pushing companies to pull back their spending on technology and software. The Israeli-based company's operating loss fell to $11.6 million from $1.8 million a year ago, and the operating margin fell to negative 4% from 1% last year. kept its full-year forecast roughly the same. It expects total revenue to grow about 26% to a range of $1.224 billion to $1.229 billion in 2025. 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Some other key updates from FactSet's senior earnings analyst John Butters: Read more here. Cisco forecasts higher-than-expected quarterly revenue on increased demand Cisco Systems (CSCO) reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.99 in the fiscal fourth quarter, barely beating estimates of $0.98. Revenue was $14.67 billion versus an estimate of $14.63 billion. Its fiscal first quarter forecast for revenue was also better than expected, as the AI boom boosted demand for networking equipment from cloud customers. However, Cisco stock fell 2% after hours. Reuters reports: Read more here Cisco Systems (CSCO) reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.99 in the fiscal fourth quarter, barely beating estimates of $0.98. Revenue was $14.67 billion versus an estimate of $14.63 billion. Its fiscal first quarter forecast for revenue was also better than expected, as the AI boom boosted demand for networking equipment from cloud customers. However, Cisco stock fell 2% after hours. Reuters reports: Read more here Brinker International stock pops as Chili's drives earnings beat Brinker International (EAT) stock jumped 9% in premarket trading on Wednesday after the restaurant group reported earnings and revenue that topped estimates, powered by another quarter of strong sales at Chili's. The company reported net income of $107 million, or $2.49 per share on an adjusted basis, on revenue of $1.46 billion in the fiscal fourth quarter. During the same period last year, Brinker posted net income of $57.3 million ($1.24 per share) on $1.2 billion in revenue. The results were also better than Wall Street expected. Estimates going into the report were for adjusted diluted earnings per share of $2.47 and revenue of $1.44 billion. Chili's was the standout this quarter, with 23.7% sales growth and 16% traffic growth. Comparable sales at Maggiano's declined 0.4%. "With that sustained momentum, along with a strong pipeline of initiatives, we are confident in our ability to grow sales and traffic throughout Fiscal 2026," CEO Kevin Hochman said in a statement. "Chili's is officially back, baby back!" Brinker expects fiscal 2026 revenue to be between $5.6 billion and $5.7 billion. It sees full-year earnings per share at $9.90 to $10.50. Brinker International (EAT) stock jumped 9% in premarket trading on Wednesday after the restaurant group reported earnings and revenue that topped estimates, powered by another quarter of strong sales at Chili's. The company reported net income of $107 million, or $2.49 per share on an adjusted basis, on revenue of $1.46 billion in the fiscal fourth quarter. During the same period last year, Brinker posted net income of $57.3 million ($1.24 per share) on $1.2 billion in revenue. The results were also better than Wall Street expected. Estimates going into the report were for adjusted diluted earnings per share of $2.47 and revenue of $1.44 billion. Chili's was the standout this quarter, with 23.7% sales growth and 16% traffic growth. Comparable sales at Maggiano's declined 0.4%. "With that sustained momentum, along with a strong pipeline of initiatives, we are confident in our ability to grow sales and traffic throughout Fiscal 2026," CEO Kevin Hochman said in a statement. "Chili's is officially back, baby back!" Brinker expects fiscal 2026 revenue to be between $5.6 billion and $5.7 billion. It sees full-year earnings per share at $9.90 to $10.50. Dutch Bros CEO says company in 'growth mode' as Starbucks turnaround stokes beverage competition Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports: Read more here. Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports: Read more here. Tencent's revenue beats estimates in boost for AI ambitions Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Cava stock plummets after company misses some of Wall Street's marks, cuts guidance Cava (CAVA) missed Wall Street's mark for revenue and same-store sales growth in its second quarterly earnings report. The company's revenue came in at $280.62 million, below the $285.56 million Wall Street expected, per Bloomberg consensus estimates. Adjusted earnings beat by $0.03, coming in at $0.16. Same-store sales came in lower than expected, up 2.1%, driven by menu prices and product mix. Meanwhile, guest foot traffic was flat, far less than the 6.14% jump expected by the Street. In the release, CEO Brett Schulman called it a "fluid macroeconomic environment," adding that it "continued to grow market share" during the quarter. For the full year, the company expects same-store sales growth of 4% to 6%, down from the previously expected range of 6% to 8%. Cava (CAVA) missed Wall Street's mark for revenue and same-store sales growth in its second quarterly earnings report. The company's revenue came in at $280.62 million, below the $285.56 million Wall Street expected, per Bloomberg consensus estimates. Adjusted earnings beat by $0.03, coming in at $0.16. Same-store sales came in lower than expected, up 2.1%, driven by menu prices and product mix. Meanwhile, guest foot traffic was flat, far less than the 6.14% jump expected by the Street. In the release, CEO Brett Schulman called it a "fluid macroeconomic environment," adding that it "continued to grow market share" during the quarter. For the full year, the company expects same-store sales growth of 4% to 6%, down from the previously expected range of 6% to 8%. CoreWeave Q2 revenue beats estimates, but results come up against high bar Nvidia (NVDA)-backed AI cloud company CoreWeave (CRWV) delivered solid revenue growth in its second quarterly report since going public, but its loss per share widened. The stock fell 6% in after-hours trading. Wall Street expected strong top-line numbers going into earnings, as robust AI demand, a deal with Core Scientific, and a $4 billion expansion deal with OpenAI ( fueled the quarter. Two of CoreWeave's key customers, Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META), also reaffirmed their spending plans going into the quarter in a bullish sign for AI demand. Here are some key figures CoreWeave reported versus estimates compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence: Revenue beat: $1.21 billion, versus $1.08 billion estimated and $395.4 million a year ago. Wider loss per share: $0.60 loss per share, compared to a $0.49 loss estimated. Operating expenses increased: $1.19 billion in the quarter, compared to $317 million a year ago. Lighter capital expenditures on property and equipment: $2.45 billion, compared to estimates of $3.54 billion. Revenue backlog increased: $30.1 billion, as of June 30. In the first quarter, the company's backlog was $25.9 billion. "Our strong second quarter performance demonstrates continued momentum across every dimension of our business," CEO and co-founder Michael Intrator said in the earnings release. "We are scaling rapidly as we look to meet the unprecedented demand for AI.' CoreWeave said it will provide forward-looking guidance on its earnings call at 5 p.m. ET. You can listen to that call live on the company's stock page. Read more here. Nvidia (NVDA)-backed AI cloud company CoreWeave (CRWV) delivered solid revenue growth in its second quarterly report since going public, but its loss per share widened. The stock fell 6% in after-hours trading. Wall Street expected strong top-line numbers going into earnings, as robust AI demand, a deal with Core Scientific, and a $4 billion expansion deal with OpenAI ( fueled the quarter. Two of CoreWeave's key customers, Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META), also reaffirmed their spending plans going into the quarter in a bullish sign for AI demand. Here are some key figures CoreWeave reported versus estimates compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence: Revenue beat: $1.21 billion, versus $1.08 billion estimated and $395.4 million a year ago. Wider loss per share: $0.60 loss per share, compared to a $0.49 loss estimated. Operating expenses increased: $1.19 billion in the quarter, compared to $317 million a year ago. Lighter capital expenditures on property and equipment: $2.45 billion, compared to estimates of $3.54 billion. Revenue backlog increased: $30.1 billion, as of June 30. In the first quarter, the company's backlog was $25.9 billion. "Our strong second quarter performance demonstrates continued momentum across every dimension of our business," CEO and co-founder Michael Intrator said in the earnings release. "We are scaling rapidly as we look to meet the unprecedented demand for AI.' CoreWeave said it will provide forward-looking guidance on its earnings call at 5 p.m. ET. You can listen to that call live on the company's stock page. Read more here. offers robotaxi production update as revenue surges Chinese robotaxi operator (PONY) reported revenue grew 76% year over year in the second quarter as the business scaled its autonomous vehicle production. The stock was up more than 1% in premarket trading but pared gains during the earnings call (you can listen to it live here). The Toyota-backed (TM) company began mass production of its two robotaxi models in June and July, respectively. Robotaxi revenue also surged over 300% to $1.5 million in the quarter. "Since mass production started two months ago, over 200 Gen-7 Robotaxi vehicles have rolled off the production line, putting us firmly on track to hit the year-end 1,000-vehicle target," CEO James Peng said in a statement. The company is still on its journey to profitability. For the quarter, it posted a net loss of $53.3 million (loss of $0.14 per share), compared to a loss of $30.9 million in the same period a year ago. Chinese robotaxi operator (PONY) reported revenue grew 76% year over year in the second quarter as the business scaled its autonomous vehicle production. The stock was up more than 1% in premarket trading but pared gains during the earnings call (you can listen to it live here). The Toyota-backed (TM) company began mass production of its two robotaxi models in June and July, respectively. Robotaxi revenue also surged over 300% to $1.5 million in the quarter. "Since mass production started two months ago, over 200 Gen-7 Robotaxi vehicles have rolled off the production line, putting us firmly on track to hit the year-end 1,000-vehicle target," CEO James Peng said in a statement. The company is still on its journey to profitability. For the quarter, it posted a net loss of $53.3 million (loss of $0.14 per share), compared to a loss of $30.9 million in the same period a year ago. Trading platform eToro beats profit estimates (Reuters) - Stock and crypto trading platform eToro beat Wall Street views for profit in the second quarter on Tuesday, as retail investors maintained a firm risk appetite despite broader macroeconomic uncertainty due to new tariffs. Shares of eToro rose in premarket trading after results. Retail trading activity has been strong this year, buoyed by gains in U.S. equity markets and renewed interest in high-risk assets such as cryptocurrencies and tech stocks. Read more here. (Reuters) - Stock and crypto trading platform eToro beat Wall Street views for profit in the second quarter on Tuesday, as retail investors maintained a firm risk appetite despite broader macroeconomic uncertainty due to new tariffs. Shares of eToro rose in premarket trading after results. Retail trading activity has been strong this year, buoyed by gains in U.S. equity markets and renewed interest in high-risk assets such as cryptocurrencies and tech stocks. Read more here. On stock jumps on sales beat, CEO weighs in on tariffs Footwear company On Holding (ONON) stock gained 7% in early trading after beating second quarter sales estimates and raising its full-year sales guidance. Net sales increased by 38.2% year over year on a constant currency basis, with revenue coming in at 749 million Swiss francs. The company reported a diluted loss per share of CHF 0.12, a loss of around $0.15. In 2025, net sales are expected to be up at least 31% year over year on a constant currency basis. Previously, the company guided for sales to be up at least 28%. On also expanded its adjusted EBITDA margin to 17%-17.5% from 16.5%-17.5% previously. "On has a very strong momentum across the world," CEO Martin Hoffmann told Yahoo Finance, "This is most visible in our growth of our DTC channel, which has seen 55% growth in the quarter." Investors were pleased with On's ability to mitigate the tariffs successfully on its key sourcing region, Vietnam. "Our industry has always been exposed to tariffs in the US," Hoffmann said. "This is nothing new for us. ... We have been paying around 20% of most of our imports, and now this number goes up to 40% for importations from Vietnam and 39% for Indonesia." Hoffmann said the company benefits from being a premium player, as consumers are willing to pay up for innovation. He added, "We are a premium brand and we want to be the most premium global sportswear brand. We keep on investing in quality, in our innovation, in our customer experiences, in sustainability, in social impact. ... The same is for price increases. We don't need additional price increases this year to mitigate the impact." Footwear company On Holding (ONON) stock gained 7% in early trading after beating second quarter sales estimates and raising its full-year sales guidance. Net sales increased by 38.2% year over year on a constant currency basis, with revenue coming in at 749 million Swiss francs. The company reported a diluted loss per share of CHF 0.12, a loss of around $0.15. In 2025, net sales are expected to be up at least 31% year over year on a constant currency basis. Previously, the company guided for sales to be up at least 28%. On also expanded its adjusted EBITDA margin to 17%-17.5% from 16.5%-17.5% previously. "On has a very strong momentum across the world," CEO Martin Hoffmann told Yahoo Finance, "This is most visible in our growth of our DTC channel, which has seen 55% growth in the quarter." Investors were pleased with On's ability to mitigate the tariffs successfully on its key sourcing region, Vietnam. "Our industry has always been exposed to tariffs in the US," Hoffmann said. "This is nothing new for us. ... We have been paying around 20% of most of our imports, and now this number goes up to 40% for importations from Vietnam and 39% for Indonesia." Hoffmann said the company benefits from being a premium player, as consumers are willing to pay up for innovation. He added, "We are a premium brand and we want to be the most premium global sportswear brand. We keep on investing in quality, in our innovation, in our customer experiences, in sustainability, in social impact. ... The same is for price increases. We don't need additional price increases this year to mitigate the impact." Circle revenue jumps in first results since blockbuster IPO (Reuters) - Circle (CRCL) posted higher revenue and reserve income on Tuesday in its maiden quarterly results since going public in June, driven by increased circulation of its USDC stablecoin and stronger subscription services. Shares rose more than 7% in premarket trading, solidifying the rally that has pushed the company's stock to more than five times its initial public offering price. Read more here. (Reuters) - Circle (CRCL) posted higher revenue and reserve income on Tuesday in its maiden quarterly results since going public in June, driven by increased circulation of its USDC stablecoin and stronger subscription services. Shares rose more than 7% in premarket trading, solidifying the rally that has pushed the company's stock to more than five times its initial public offering price. Read more here. Smithfield Foods lifts profit outlook after strong sales Smithfield Foods Inc. (SFD), stock fell 2% before the bell despite raising its profit expectations following a strong second-quarter. The largest pork producer in the US cited challenges stemming from tariffs imposed by President Trump on some of the biggest importers of the meat. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Smithfield Foods Inc. (SFD), stock fell 2% before the bell despite raising its profit expectations following a strong second-quarter. The largest pork producer in the US cited challenges stemming from tariffs imposed by President Trump on some of the biggest importers of the meat. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Tencent Music beats quarterly revenue estimates Reuters reports: Tencent Music Entertainment (TME) surpassed second-quarter revenue expectations on Tuesday, driven by stronger subscriber growth and rising engagement with long-form audio content such as podcasts and audiobooks. The company's New York stock rose 3% before the bell on Tuesday. Read more here. Reuters reports: Tencent Music Entertainment (TME) surpassed second-quarter revenue expectations on Tuesday, driven by stronger subscriber growth and rising engagement with long-form audio content such as podcasts and audiobooks. The company's New York stock rose 3% before the bell on Tuesday. Read more here. Oklo stock has rallied 230% this year, but it's slipping on Q2 results Shares of nuclear energy company Oklo (OKLO) fell after the closing bell on Monday as second quarter results failed to meet Wall Street's lofty expectations. The advanced fission company reported a net loss of $34.5 million in Q2, or $0.18 per share, compared to a loss of $0.27 per share during the same period last year. All the same, Wall Street analysts were hoping for an $0.11 per share loss. Oklo stock went into earnings as an outperformer. Year to date, shares are up 238%, compared to an 8% rise in the S&P 500 (^GSPC), as several tailwinds have fueled the stock's rise. These include President Trump's executive orders supportive of the nuclear industry, a wave of demand for artificial intelligence and data centers, and several deals Oklo inked during the year. Shares of nuclear energy company Oklo (OKLO) fell after the closing bell on Monday as second quarter results failed to meet Wall Street's lofty expectations. The advanced fission company reported a net loss of $34.5 million in Q2, or $0.18 per share, compared to a loss of $0.27 per share during the same period last year. All the same, Wall Street analysts were hoping for an $0.11 per share loss. Oklo stock went into earnings as an outperformer. Year to date, shares are up 238%, compared to an 8% rise in the S&P 500 (^GSPC), as several tailwinds have fueled the stock's rise. These include President Trump's executive orders supportive of the nuclear industry, a wave of demand for artificial intelligence and data centers, and several deals Oklo inked during the year. stock sells off as losses accelerate (BBAI) stock tumbled 20% after the company reported a wide earnings and revenue miss and lowered its revenue guidance. Here's what the AI software firm reported compared to estimates, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence: BigBear, which provides software to the US government, noted that Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts weighed on the business. 'While we are very optimistic with ... growth opportunities, we have also seen disruptions in federal contracts from efficiency efforts this quarter, most notably in programs that support the U.S. Army, as they seek to consolidate and modernize their data architecture and in turn, we have adjusted our full-year guidance this quarter to reflect these disruptions,' CEO Kevin McAleenan said in the earnings release. Listen to earnings call live on the stock page. (BBAI) stock tumbled 20% after the company reported a wide earnings and revenue miss and lowered its revenue guidance. Here's what the AI software firm reported compared to estimates, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence: BigBear, which provides software to the US government, noted that Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts weighed on the business. 'While we are very optimistic with ... growth opportunities, we have also seen disruptions in federal contracts from efficiency efforts this quarter, most notably in programs that support the U.S. Army, as they seek to consolidate and modernize their data architecture and in turn, we have adjusted our full-year guidance this quarter to reflect these disruptions,' CEO Kevin McAleenan said in the earnings release. Listen to earnings call live on the stock page. Plug Power stock falls on earnings miss Primary hydrogen player Plug Power (PLUG) continues to grow its top line, but a larger-than-expected loss disappointed in the second quarter. Plug Power reported a $0.20 loss per share, a wider loss than the $0.15 per share Wall Street expected, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. The company posted $174 million in revenue, a 21% increase year over year, above estimates for $157 million, and on the high end of its previous forecast for between $140 million and $180 million in Q2 revenue. The company's gross margin remained negative at -31%, though it marked an improvement from the -92% margin in the same quarter a year ago. Plug Power said it expects to achieve breakeven in its gross margin run rate in Q4 2025. Plug also held $140 million in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents at the end of the quarter. The stock fell more than 5% in after-hours trading. Year to date, the stock is down 25%, though investors grew more bullish on the stock in July following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Plug Power called "a major policy win." The tax and spending law extended the hydrogen production tax credit, providing a 30% credit on fuel cell purchases and more certainty to the industry. Listen to the earnings call live here. Primary hydrogen player Plug Power (PLUG) continues to grow its top line, but a larger-than-expected loss disappointed in the second quarter. Plug Power reported a $0.20 loss per share, a wider loss than the $0.15 per share Wall Street expected, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. The company posted $174 million in revenue, a 21% increase year over year, above estimates for $157 million, and on the high end of its previous forecast for between $140 million and $180 million in Q2 revenue. The company's gross margin remained negative at -31%, though it marked an improvement from the -92% margin in the same quarter a year ago. Plug Power said it expects to achieve breakeven in its gross margin run rate in Q4 2025. Plug also held $140 million in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents at the end of the quarter. The stock fell more than 5% in after-hours trading. Year to date, the stock is down 25%, though investors grew more bullish on the stock in July following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Plug Power called "a major policy win." The tax and spending law extended the hydrogen production tax credit, providing a 30% credit on fuel cell purchases and more certainty to the industry. Listen to the earnings call live here. stock falls 24% on sales miss, CEO health struggles Inc. (AI) stock tumbled as much as 30% after the software company reported a steep sales miss that it attributed to its founder's health issues. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Inc. (AI) stock tumbled as much as 30% after the software company reported a steep sales miss that it attributed to its founder's health issues. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Micron raises forecast, stock pops Micron Technology (MU) stock rose around 4% in early trading on Monday after the semiconductor company raised its forecast for fourth-quarter revenue and adjusted profit, citing surging demand for its memory chips used in artificial intelligence infrastructure. Micron is expected to reported fiscal fourth quarter earnings on Sept. 24. Read more here. Micron Technology (MU) stock rose around 4% in early trading on Monday after the semiconductor company raised its forecast for fourth-quarter revenue and adjusted profit, citing surging demand for its memory chips used in artificial intelligence infrastructure. Micron is expected to reported fiscal fourth quarter earnings on Sept. 24. Read more here. AMC tops revenue estimates as blockbuster titles boost theater attendance AMC (AMC) stock jumped 8.8% in premarket trading after the movie theater chain reported attendance in the second quarter grew nearly 26% as blockbusters drew in moviegoers. The company also reported a narrower-than-expected loss per share of $0.01, compared to estimates of a loss of $0.06 per share. Reuters reports: Read more here. AMC (AMC) stock jumped 8.8% in premarket trading after the movie theater chain reported attendance in the second quarter grew nearly 26% as blockbusters drew in moviegoers. The company also reported a narrower-than-expected loss per share of $0.01, compared to estimates of a loss of $0.06 per share. Reuters reports: Read more here. stock tanks following earnings (MNDY) stock fell as much as 20% after the project management software company missed earnings estimates. In the second quarter, reported earnings of $0.03 per share and revenue of $299 million. While revenue beat analyst expectations of $293 million, GAAP profits fell short, as Wall Street was looking for $0.20 per share, per S&P Global Market Intelligence. Investors have been looking for signs that economic uncertainty is pushing companies to pull back their spending on technology and software. The Israeli-based company's operating loss fell to $11.6 million from $1.8 million a year ago, and the operating margin fell to negative 4% from 1% last year. kept its full-year forecast roughly the same. It expects total revenue to grow about 26% to a range of $1.224 billion to $1.229 billion in 2025. 'This quarter demonstrated our relentless focus on driving highly efficient growth at scale, and I'm energized by the momentum in our business and the opportunities we see ahead,' CFO Eliran Glazer said in the earnings release. 'As we navigate the shifting landscape, we remain focused on the factors we can control — executing on our innovation roadmap, bolstering our go-to-market efforts to serve customers of all sizes, driving best-in-class operational efficiencies, and delivering products people love.' (MNDY) stock fell as much as 20% after the project management software company missed earnings estimates. In the second quarter, reported earnings of $0.03 per share and revenue of $299 million. While revenue beat analyst expectations of $293 million, GAAP profits fell short, as Wall Street was looking for $0.20 per share, per S&P Global Market Intelligence. Investors have been looking for signs that economic uncertainty is pushing companies to pull back their spending on technology and software. The Israeli-based company's operating loss fell to $11.6 million from $1.8 million a year ago, and the operating margin fell to negative 4% from 1% last year. kept its full-year forecast roughly the same. It expects total revenue to grow about 26% to a range of $1.224 billion to $1.229 billion in 2025. 'This quarter demonstrated our relentless focus on driving highly efficient growth at scale, and I'm energized by the momentum in our business and the opportunities we see ahead,' CFO Eliran Glazer said in the earnings release. 'As we navigate the shifting landscape, we remain focused on the factors we can control — executing on our innovation roadmap, bolstering our go-to-market efforts to serve customers of all sizes, driving best-in-class operational efficiencies, and delivering products people love.' Earnings have been mostly solid According to FactSet's tally, 90% of S&P 500 companies have reported second quarter earnings so far, meaning the end of earnings season is in sight (though certainly not complete until Nvidia's (NVDA) report on Aug. 27). It's been a good earnings season: More than 8 in 10 companies have reported both a positive earnings per share surprise and a positive revenue surprise. Some other key updates from FactSet's senior earnings analyst John Butters: Read more here. According to FactSet's tally, 90% of S&P 500 companies have reported second quarter earnings so far, meaning the end of earnings season is in sight (though certainly not complete until Nvidia's (NVDA) report on Aug. 27). It's been a good earnings season: More than 8 in 10 companies have reported both a positive earnings per share surprise and a positive revenue surprise. Some other key updates from FactSet's senior earnings analyst John Butters: Read more here. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
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18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump warns of make-or-break chance with Putin as pressure mounts
Pressure mounted ahead of a landmark summit in Alaska between the United States and Russia, as Donald Trump warned that Vladimir Putin had only one chance but Moscow pressed ahead with major battlefield gains in Ukraine. Putin and Trump will meet Friday at an air base in the far-northern US state, the first time the Russian leader has been permitted on Western soil since his February 2022 invasion of Ukraine which has killed tens of thousands of people. With such high stakes, all sides were pushing hard in the hours before the meeting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has refused to surrender territory to Russia, spoke by telephone Wednesday with Trump, as did European leaders who voiced confidence afterward that the US leader would seek a ceasefire rather than concessions by Kyiv. Trump himself sent mixed messages, saying that he could quickly organize a three-way summit afterward with both Zelensky and Putin but also warning of his impatience with Putin. "There may be no second meeting because, if I feel that it's not appropriate to have it because I didn't get the answers that we have to have, then we are not going to have a second meeting," Trump told reporters. Russia, Trump said, would face "severe consequences" if it does not halt its offensive. But Trump said: "If the first one goes okay, we'll have a quick second one," involving both Putin and Zelensky. Putin pitched the meeting after Trump threatened sanctions on Russia. Trump has already ramped up tariffs on India, which has become a key buyer of Russian energy. Zelensky, after being berated by Trump at a February meeting in the White House, has publicly supported US diplomacy but made clear his deep skepticism. "I have told my colleagues -- the US president and our European friends -- that Putin definitely does not want peace," Zelensky said. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who welcomed Zelensky in Berlin, said Ukraine is ready to negotiate "on territorial issues" but stressed that legal recognition of Russian occupations "would not be up for debate." NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte declared: "The ball is now in Putin's court." - Talks at Cold War base - Trump will meet Putin on Friday at Elmendorf Air Force Base, a major US military hub in Alaska's most populous city of Anchorage that played a key role in monitoring the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Off the base, on the rainy streets of Anchorage, there were few signs that the world's eyes would soon be on the city, other than an influx of media who have booked up virtually all rooms. The US Treasury Department announced that it would temporarily ease sanctions on the visiting senior Russian officials, who normally would struggle to carry out simple transactions, such as withdrawing cash in Western countries. The most visible sign of the impending summit was in Ukraine itself. According to an AFP analysis of battlefield data from the US-based Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces made their biggest 24-hour advance into Ukraine in more than a year on Tuesday. The Russian army took or claimed 110 square kilometers (42.5 square miles) on August 12 compared with the previous day. Ukrainian soldiers in Kramatorsk, an eastern city about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the front, said they had low expectations for Trump's meeting with Putin. Artem, a 30-year-old serviceman, said the war would likely continue for "a long time." "Putin is massing an army, his army is growing, he is stockpiling weapons, he is pulling the wool over our eyes." Trump has long voiced admiration for Putin and had vowed to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours of returning to the White House. But he has since voiced frustration as Putin ignores his pleas for a ceasefire and presses ahead with attacks on Ukraine. burs-sct/sla
