Check out the companies making headlines before the bell. Exxon Mobil — The energy giant reported a stronger-than-expected profit for the second quarter amid record production in Guyana and the Permian Basin. Earnings per share came in at $2.14, beating an LSEG forecast of $2.01 per share. Shares were up slightly in the premarket. Intel — Shares plunged 20% on the back of weaker-than-expected earnings and revenue for the second quarter. The company also announced it would lay off more than 15% of employees due to a $10 billion cost-cutting push. Snap – Shares of the Snapchat parent company sank 17% on disappointing guidance. For the third quarter, Snap expects adjusted earnings to range between $70 million and $100 million, versus a StreetAccount estimate of $110 million. Cloudflare — The IT company jumped 7% after raising its full-year outlook. The company guided full-year earnings in a range between 70 cents and 71 cents per share, higher than the 60 cents to 61 cents it had previously announced. Analysts surveyed by FactSet had estimated full-year earnings per share at 61 cents. Full-year revenue guidance also topped forecasts. Cloudflare also posted an adjusted earnings and revenue beat in the second quarter. DoorDash — The stock advanced 9% after the food delivery service posted second-quarter revenue of $2.63 billion, which exceeded the LSEG consensus of $2.54 billion. DoorDash also lifted the third-quarter guidance for its marketplace gross order value. Amazon — The e-commerce stock fell more than 8% following weaker-than-expected quarterly results. The company reported weaker-than-expected revenue for the second quarter and issued a disappointing forecast for the third quarter. Revenue in its cloud division increased 19% in the second quarter, beating analysts’ estimates , however. Block — The fintech company advanced more than 3% after posting an earnings beat in the second quarter. Block reported adjusted earnings of 93 cents per share, coming above an LSEG consensus estimate for 84 cents per share. Meanwhile, revenue of $6.16 billion missed analysts’ estimates for $6.28 billion. Clorox — The household goods stock rose 1.7%. Clorox issued fiscal full-year earnings guidance in a range between $6.55 and $6.80 per share, topping an LSEG forecast of $6.45 per share. Fiscal fourth-quarter adjusted earnings came in at $1.82 per share, while analysts had forecasted called for $1.56 per share. Apple — Shares of the iPhone maker ticked up 0.3%. The company beat analysts’ estimates on the top and bottom lines for the fiscal third quarter. Apple reported earnings of $1.40 per share while analysts surveyed by LSEG called for $1.35 per share. Revenue came in at $85.78 billion, also surpassing the Street’s estimates. Twilio — The cloud communications stock jumped 5% after Twilio beat quarterly expectations on the top and bottom lines. The company posted second quarter adjusted earnings of 87 cents per share on revenue of $1.08 billion. Analysts polled by LSEG had expected per-share earnings of 70 cents on revenue of $1.06 billion. Coinbase — The crypto exchange operator added 1.3%. In the second quarter, revenue came in at $1.45 billion, slightly above estimates of $1.40 billion, according to LSEG. Booking Holdings — Shares of the online travel company slipped more than 5% despite a top- and bottom-line beat in the second quarter. Booking guided third-quarter adjusted EBITDA between $3.25 billion and $3.35 billion, while analysts had estimated $3.58 billion, according to FactSet. GoDaddy — Shares jumped around 7% after the web hosting company increased its outlook for the full year. GoDaddy issued full-year revenue guidance between $4.525 billion and $4.565 billion, while analysts polled by FactSet had expected $4.53 billion. Coterra Energy — Shares pulled back 1.5% after Coterra Energy reported disappointing earnings results . The energy company announced adjusted second-quarter earnings of 37 cents per share, below the FactSet consensus estimate of 39 cents in earnings per share. Roku — The streaming device company added 2.3% after reporting a second-quarter loss of 24 cents per share postmarket Thursday, better than the 43 cents loss per share expected from analysts polled by LSEG. Revenue came in at $968 million, beating the $938 million consensus estimate. Atlassian — The software stock tumbled more than 12% after issuing weak guidance. Atlassian estimates fiscal first quarter revenue in a range of $1.149 billion and $1.157 billion, while analysts surveyed by LSEG had forecasted $1.16 billion. Full-year revenue growth was also guided lower-than-expected. Microchip Technology — The semiconductor stock fell 7%. Adjusted earnings in the fiscal first quarter topped analysts’ estimates, while revenue came in-line with forecasts. Meanwhile, forward earnings per share guidance of a range between 40 cents to 46 cents in the second quarter missed consensus calls for 59 cents earnings per share, according to FactSet. Management cited a challenging macro backdrop leading to an extended period of an inventory correction. — CNBC’s Sarah Min, Samantha Subin, Lisa Han and Michelle Fox contributed reporting
After last month’s excitement over stimulus plans, Chinese stocks now face mounting challenges as earnings have yet to pick up and heightened U.S. trade tensions loom. “Stock picking remains important with [the] headwind of tariffs, a weaker currency and persistent deflation,” Morgan Stanley chief China equity strategist Laura Wang and a team said in a report Thursday. For investment options, she referred to the firm’s survey of China stocks the investment bank’s analysts already cover. The firm screened for stocks that could outperform depending on which of three scenarios unfolded. Only the bear case accounted for significant U.S. tariffs and restrictions. The base and bull cases assumed the status quo in U.S.-China relations. The bear case also expects 1 trillion yuan, or $140 billion, in fiscal stimulus a year and MSCI China earnings per share growth of 3% this year and 5% next year. Morgan Stanley’s basket of bear case stocks only includes overweight-rated names with a dividend yield above 4% this year. They also have free cash flow yield above 4% from 2023 to 2025 and market capitalization above $2 billion, among other factors. The companies must not be on Morgan Stanley’s lists of stocks at a disadvantage from Republican policy and supply chain diversification. The only consumer name that made the list was Tingyi , a Hong Kong-listed company that owns instant noodles brand Master Kong. The company is also PepsiCo ‘s exclusive manufacturer and seller in China. Tingyi’s net profit in beverages rose nearly 26% in the first half of 2024 compared to a year ago, while that of instant noodles rose 5.4%. Morgan Stanley expects Tingyi’s earnings per share to grow 12% this year and 11% in 2025. Other Chinese companies that made Morgan Stanley’s bear case basket included two state-owned energy stocks: drilling company China Oilfield Services and Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation , which specializes in shipping oil and natural gas. Both stocks are listed in Hong Kong, as is the only industrials name on the bear case list, Sinotruk . The truck manufacturer is also state owned. Morgan Stanley expects China Oilfield Services can grow earnings per share by 41% this year and 33% next year, while Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation can see its earnings rise 33% this year, before slowing to 16% growth next year. Sinotruk earnings can grow 18% this year and 17% next year, according to Morgan Stanley estimates. MSCI China constituents are on track for their 13th straight quarter of earnings misses, despite recent improvements in economic data, Morgan Stanley’s Wang said. “We expect further earnings downward revisions amid lingering deflationary pressure and geopolitical uncertainties until more policy clarity emerges.” Asia equity fund managers have modestly increased their exposure to China since September’s stimulus announcements, Morningstar strategist Claire Liang said in a phone interview Friday. “But many managers have said whether this rally can continue will depend on whether the policies can see real results,” Liang said in Mandarin, which was translated by CNBC. Beyond stabilizing the economy, she said the managers are looking for whether corporate earnings can recover. China’s October data release on Friday underscored a slow economic recovery despite the latest barrage of stimulus announcements. Industrial production missed forecasts. Fixed asset investment grew more slowly than forecast as the drop in real estate investment steepened, albeit with new home sales narrowing their decline. Only retail sales beat expectations with 4.8% growth . For China’s export-heavy economy, the risk of U.S. tariffs has only risen over the past two weeks as the Republican Party has taken control of the U.S. Congress and President-elect Donald Trump has filled his cabinet with China hawks. Morgan Stanley’s U.S. policy team expects Trump to impose tariffs soon after he takes office, and potentially hit Europe and Mexico along with China imports. While China is better positioned than six years ago to stave off the effects of targeted tariffs, the analysts said global duties on U.S. imports would hit China as much as targeted tariffs did in 2018.
Elon Musk at the tenth Breakthrough Prize ceremony held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on April 13, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
The Hollywood Reporter | The Hollywood Reporter | Getty Images
On Saturday, Elon Musk shared who he is endorsing for Treasury secretary on X, a cabinet position President-elect Donald Trump has yet to announce his preference to fill.
Musk wrote that Howard Lutnick, Trump-Vance transition co-chair and CEO and chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald, BGC Group and Newmark Group chairman, will “actually enact change.”
Lutnick and Key Square Group founder and CEO Scott Bessent are reportedly top picks to run the Treasury Department.
Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, also included his thoughts on Bessent in his post on X.
“My view fwiw is that Bessent is a business-as-usual choice,” he wrote.
“Business-as-usual is driving America bankrupt so we need change one way or another,” he added.
Musk also stated it would be “interesting to hear more people weigh in on this for @realDonaldTrump to consider feedback.”
Howard Lutnick, chairman and chief executive officer of Cantor Fitzgerald LP, left, and Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., during a campaign event with former US President Donald Trump, not pictured, at Madison Square Garden in New York, US, on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
In a statement to Politico, Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt made it clear that the president-elect has not made any decisions regarding the position of Treasury secretary.
“President-elect Trump is making decisions on who will serve in his second administration,” Leavitt said in a statement. “Those decisions will be announced when they are made.”
Both Lutnick and Bessent have close ties to Trump. Lutnick and Trump have known each other for decades, and the CEO has even hosted a fundraiser for the president-elect.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that Lutnick has already been helping Trump review candidates for cabinet positions in his administration.
On the other hand, Bessent was a key economic advisor to the president-elect during his 2024 campaign. Bessent also received an endorsement from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, according to Semafor.
“He’s from South Carolina, I know him well, he’s highly qualified,” Graham said.
Money manager John Davi is positioning for challenges tied to President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff agenda.
Davi said he worries the new administration’s policies could be “very inflationary,” so he thinks it is important to choose investments carefully.
“Small-cap industrials make more sense than large-cap industrials,” the Astoria Portfolio Advisors CEO told CNBC’s “ETF Edge” this week.
Davi, who is also the firm’s chief investment officer, expects the red sweep will help push a pro-growth, pro-domestic policy agenda forward that will benefit small caps.
It appears Wall Street agrees so far. Since the presidential election, the Russell 2000 index, which tracks small-cap stocks, is up around 4% as of Friday’s close.
Davi, whose firm has $1.9 billion in assets under management, also likes staying domestic despite the tariff risks.
“We’re overweight the U.S. I think that’s the right playbook in the next few years until the midterms,” added Davi. “We have two years of where he [Trump] can control a lot of the narrative.”
But Davi plans to stay away from fixed income due to challenges tied to the growing budget deficit.
“Be careful if you own bonds for sure,” said Davi.