Shares of solar tracker company Nextracker (NASDAQ:NXT)
jumped 10.7% in the afternoon session after an upgrade from Guggenheim to 'Buy' from 'Neutral,' citing favorable new guidance from the IRS on clean-energy tax credits. The investment bank set a $74 price target on the stock, representing about 22% upside from its prior close. The upgrade was driven by new guidance from the U.S. Treasury and IRS regarding clean-energy tax incentives. Specifically, updated "safe-harbor" rules now clarify that racking installation—a core part of Nextracker's business—qualifies as physical work for tax credit purposes. Analysts at Guggenheim view this as a significant positive development for solar tracker suppliers. The news was well-received by the market, sending Nextracker shares to an all-time high and lifting other solar stocks as the guidance was seen as broadly better than feared.
Shares of HR software provider Paycom (NYSE:PAYC) jumped 3.3% in the afternoon session after the stock gained on M&A speculation within the human resources software sector, following a report that private equity firm Thoma Bravo is in talks to acquire competitor Dayforce.
Shares of fantasy sports and betting company DraftKings (NASDAQ:DKNG)
jumped 3.1% in the morning session after the company secured a direct mobile sports betting license to operate in Missouri.
Shares of fast-food chain Jack in the Box (NASDAQ:JACK)
fell 3.6% in the afternoon session after the stock continued to pull back as the company reported second-quarter 2025 financial results that missed revenue expectations, alongside a significant drop in same-store sales.
Shares of smart home company SmartRent (NYSE:SMRT) jumped 15.5% in the afternoon session amid continued positive momentum after its CEO, Frank Martell, disclosed a significant stock purchase and the company received an analyst upgrade. The move was primarily fueled by a significant insider stock purchase and a positive analyst rating change. On August 15th, CEO Frank Martell acquired 120,000 shares at an average price of $1.35 per share, a transaction valued at $162,000.
Shares of digital infrastructure provider Applied Digital (NASDAQ:APLD) jumped 15.6% in the afternoon session after the company announced plans for a new $3 billion AI data center campus and received a significant price target increase from analysts.
Shares of residential solar energy company Sunrun (NASDAQ:RUN) jumped 10.4% in the afternoon session after RBC Capital upgraded the stock to 'Outperform' from 'Sector Perform,' citing greater certainty around federal solar tax credits.
Shares of secondhand luxury marketplace The RealReal (NASDAQ: REAL)
jumped 3% in the afternoon session after investor optimism continued to build following the company's impressive second-quarter 2025 earnings report released earlier in the month.
Shares of social network operator Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META)
fell 3.1% in the morning session after The Information reported that the company is planning its fourth overhaul of its artificial intelligence operations in six months. This report likely raised concerns among investors about the stability and direction of the company's AI strategy. The news comes after a period of significant growth for Meta, driven in large part by optimism surrounding its AI initiatives.
Shares of telecommunications infrastructure company Lumen Technologies (NYSE:LUMN) jumped 4.5% in the afternoon session after the company announced the appointment of a former Microsoft AI executive to a key leadership role, coupled with a significant stock purchase by its Chief Financial Officer. The network services provider appointed Sean Alexander, a founding executive of Microsoft AI, as Senior Vice President of Connected Ecosystems. In this new role, Alexander is tasked with building a team to drive customer co-innovation, strategic partnerships, and new revenue streams. This strategic hire suggests a stronger focus on high-growth areas like AI.
Shares of tanking company Scorpio Tankers (NYSE:STNG) jumped 4.7% in the afternoon session after the stock continued to rally as the company reported second-quarter 2025 earnings that surpassed analysts' expectations on both the top and bottom lines. The company posted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.53, handily beating the consensus forecast of $1.05. Revenue also came in strong at $230.2 million, surpassing the anticipated $218.9 million. This robust performance demonstrates operational strength and comes at a time when freight rates in certain segments, like the LR2 tanker market in the Middle East, have recently weakened. Scorpio's results were supported by its strategic advantages, including maintaining one of the youngest fleets in the industry and a strong balance sheet, with its net debt considered safe. Following the strong report, several analysts have revised their future earnings expectations upward.
Shares of HR and payroll software provider Paylocity (NASDAQ:PCTY) jumped 3.3% in the afternoon session after private equity firm Thoma Bravo lined up a bid to acquire one of its competitors, Dayforce (DAY).
Shares of human capital management software company Dayforce (NYSE:DAY) jumped 27.6% in the afternoon session after reports emerged that the company is in advanced talks to be acquired by private equity firm Thoma Bravo. The news, first reported by Bloomberg, suggests a deal to take the Minneapolis-based human resources software provider private could be announced within the next few weeks. While a sale price wasn't disclosed, some reports valued the potential transaction at over $9 billion. The rally sent Dayforce shares on track for their biggest-ever one-day gain since going public in April 2018, making the stock a top performer in the S&P 500 index.
Shares of social club operator Soho House (NYSE:SHCO)
jumped 15.3% in the afternoon session after it agreed to be taken private in a deal with an enterprise value of approximately $2.7 billion.
Shares of voice AI technology company SoundHound AI (NASDAQ:SOUN) fell 4.8% in the afternoon session after investor sentiment soured on the company's valuation and lack of a clear path to profitability, compounded by a recent analyst downgrade.
Shares of healthcare tech company GoodRx (NASDAQ:GDRX)
jumped 40.2% in the afternoon session after the company announced a collaboration with pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk to offer the popular medications Ozempic and Wegovy for $499 per month to eligible self-paying customers.
Shares of global electronics contract manufacturer Kimball Electronics (NYSE:KE)
jumped 7.6% in the afternoon session after the company's stock continues to show strong momentum following a recent earnings report that significantly beat expectations.
Shares of fintech mortgage provider Rocket Companies (NYSE:RKT) fell 3.3% in the afternoon session after its real estate brokerage subsidiary, Redfin, released a report indicating a significant slowdown in the July 2025 U.S. housing market. The report, published August 18, highlighted that homes took an average of 43 days to sell in July, the longest period for that month since 2015, due to high costs and economic uncertainty. The data also revealed a 1.1% month-over-month drop in pending home sales and the highest rate of canceled home-purchase agreements since 2017. This negative data compounded existing investor concerns about the challenging housing market, which were recently flagged by Morgan Stanley. The bank resumed coverage on the stock with an 'Equalweight' rating, citing an elevated valuation and ongoing headwinds in the mortgage sector.
Shares of healthcare services company Astrana Health
jumped 3% in the afternoon session after continued positive momentum as the company reported second-quarter revenue that beat expectations and significantly raised its full-year sales forecast, driving shares up as much as 34%.
Shares of self defense company AXON (NASDAQ:AXON)
jumped 4% in the afternoon session after investment firm TD Cowen reiterated its 'Buy' rating and $925 price target on the stock, citing confidence in the company's growth prospects.
Shares of cash-back rewards platform Ibotta (NYSE:IBTA) jumped 9.7% in the afternoon session after rebounding from a steep sell-off the previous week, as investors appeared to buy the dip in what could be a technical bounce or short squeeze.
Shares of fertility benefits company Progyny (NASDAQ:PGNY)
jumped 3.1% in the afternoon session after continued positive momentum as the company reported stronger-than-expected second-quarter results and raised its full-year 2025 revenue and earnings guidance.
The USD/JPY outlook points to a stronger dollar as traders await the outcome of a meeting between Trump and Zelensky. At the same time, market participants were gearing up for the Jackson Hole symposium.
Applied Materials dropped sharply during the week ending August 15th triggered by a combination of disappointing guidance, analyst downgrades, and broader industry concerns.
Foxconn's earnings show a shift from consumer electronics to AI servers, impacting ETFs. Apple's decline, Taiwan's role in AI production and niche ETFs are affected.
