Shares in Walmart (WMT) were flat in pre-market trading after the retailer reported stronger than expected fourth quarter sales, driven by resilient grocery demand and rapid online growth, as newly appointed chief executive John Furner began his tenure with a cautious outlook for the year ahead.
Revenue rose 5.6% to $190.7bn (£141.7bn) in the quarter ended in January, slightly ahead of analyst estimates, according to Reuters. US comparable sales increased 4.6%, above forecasts of about 4.2%, helped by a 27% rise in US online sales.
Global e-commerce sales climbed 24% year on year, as the company continued to attract higher income households with faster delivery options and an expanded third party marketplace.
For the full year, revenue reached a record $713.2bn. However, the Financial Times noted that the figure was surpassed for the first time by Amazon (AMZN), which reported annual revenue of $716.9bn.
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Walmart’s shares have more than doubled over the past two years, lifting its market capitalisation above $1tn, as it benefited from inflation weary consumers trading down and from investments in automation and AI.
Quarterly operating profit rose 10.8% to $8.7bn, slightly below analyst expectations of $8.9bn, while net income fell 19.4% to $4.2bn, reflecting changes in the fair value of certain investments.
The group’s dominance in groceries, which account for about 60% of US sales, continued to underpin performance.
Shares in Super Micro Computer (SMCI) were the top trending ticker on Yahoo Finance on Friday morning after a strong quarterly earnings report and a series of analyst upgrades rekindled investor sentiment.
The San Jose-based provider of server and storage systems reported net revenue of $12.68bn and net profit of $400.56m for the quarter earlier this month, a performance that helped drive the latest rally in the shares.
Analysts moved the stock to a “strong buy” following the results, pointing to the company’s Data Center Building Block Solutions platform as a key driver of potential margin improvement and the principal rationale for owning the shares. The consensus rating on Wall Street for SMCI stands at “Moderate Buy”, with a mean price target of about $43, implying roughly 35% upside from current levels.
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Options traders also increased activity, with a surge in call buying as the stock climbed back above its 50 day moving average, a closely watched technical threshold for momentum investors. Trading volume reached 42.1 million shares, about 47% above the three month average of 28.6 million.
For the three months to December, the company posted revenue of $736m, ahead of analysts’ estimates of $594.9m. Adjusted EBITDA came in at a loss of $43m, narrower than the consensus forecast of a $47.5m loss and ahead of company guidance for a loss “in the high $40m to mid $50m”.
Opendoor (OPEN) exceeded its own operating targets during the quarter. The number of homes purchased rose 46% quarter on quarter, compared with management’s goal of at least 35% growth. The 1,978 homes sold in the period were almost 20% above Wall Street’s expectations.
“This quarter demonstrates we are executing on that plan,” said chief executive Kaz Nejatian. “These results reflect structural improvements in how we operate with more accurate pricing, faster inventory turns, and disciplined selection.”
Looking ahead, the company said it expects a first quarter adjusted EBITDA loss “in the low to mid $30m,” an improvement on the anticipated $37.7m deficit. However, its revenue outlook disappointed investors, with management projecting a decline of about 10% quarter on quarter, compared with analysts’ expectations of a sharp increase.
Shares in Klarna (KLAR) edged up 1% in pre-market trading after plunging 27% in the previous session, as the buy now pay later group reported a $273m net loss for 2025 and raised provisions for loans it expects customers will be unable to repay.
For the year to the end of December, the company swung to a net loss of $273m from a profit of $21m a year earlier, while total revenue increased to $3.5bn from $2.8bn.
In the fourth quarter, the Stockholm based group reported a net loss of $26m, compared with a profit of $40m in the same period last year. Revenue for the quarter rose 38% to $1.1bn, marking the company’s first billion dollar quarter and coming in above guidance. However, analysts had been expecting a fourth quarter loss closer to $10m.
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The shares had already halved since the Swedish group secured a $15bn valuation in a New York listing in September. Thursday’s 27% fall to $13.85 extended the post IPO decline to almost 68% and reduced its market value to $5.3bn. The company said it had set aside $250m for credit losses in the fourth quarter, up almost 60% from the same period in 2024.
Klarna primarily offers interest free consumer loans for retail purchases, allowing customers to pay in several instalments.
Shares in Anglo American (AAL.L) hovered around flat in London trading after the miner wrote down the value of its troubled De Beers unit by a further $2.3bn, weighing on annual earnings.
The mining group is seeking to sell De Beers amid weak demand from China and the rapid growth of synthetic diamonds. It reported impairments of $2.9bn in 2025 and $1.6bn the previous year in relation to the business.
Underlying group core earnings rose 2% to $6.4bn, as higher copper prices offset a 10% decline in production of the metal, reflecting lower grades and plant maintenance.
The final dividend was cut by 27% to 16 cents a share, bringing the total payout for the year to 23 cents a share, down 64%.
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Adam Vettese, market analyst for eToro, said: “Anglo American’s full year results tell a story of steady stabilisation for a miner in transition, showing gritty operational progress amid portfolio pruning, setting the stage for bigger ambitions via the advancing Teck (TECK) merger. Earnings from continuing operations edged up with EBITDA up 2%, powered by stellar 49% copper margins and 43% from premium iron ore, while nailing $1.8bn in cost savings and strong 107% cash conversion trimmed net debt to $8.6bn.
“That said, the group’s total earnings remain well below 2023 peaks after shedding coal and nickel, capex eats over $2.5bn in cash yearly, and fresh De Beers writedowns highlight past allocation missteps. These numbers now bridge to the Teck deal, post Canadian approval and shareholder backing, which will promise $800m synergies, a top-tier copper giant, and a Vancouver HQ to turbocharge growth.
“For investors, it’s a leveraged copper bet, though merger execution and commodity swings will decide the fate. Shares have opened positively this morning and could be primed for further upside if Teck seals smoothly in 12-18 months and copper rallies, although any China jitters could stall that.”
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