Weekly Roundup: Disney Falls on Earnings, Warner Bros. Discovery Draws Interest, Walmart Slides
On this episode of Stock Movers, we take a look at some of the biggest gainers and decliners of the week:- Disney (DIS) reported sales that fell short of Wall Street estimates and said a slate of big-budget films, including a new Avatar picture, will weigh on results for the first quarter of its new fiscal year. Shares of Disney fell 7.8% to $107.61 at the close in New York on Thursday following the earnings release. It was Disney's worst one-day loss since April. - Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shares bounced around this week on reports that Paramount, Comcast and Netflix were preparing bids for it. On Friday, the media conglomerate amended the contract of Chief Executive Officer David Zaslav to ensure his stock options remain eligible to vest even if it's sold. The change, announced in a regulatory filing Thursday, follows the company’s decision last month to consider strategic options including a possible sale. Shares rallied on Friday to close the week.- Walmart (WMT)'s Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillon recently spoke about the impact of artificial intelligence, saying it’s clear that the technology is going to change “literally every job.” That includes the very one he’s now passing along — a move that fits a tenure defined by staying a step ahead of change. Shares initially fell on the news.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-------- Â
3:52
--------
3:52
Nvidia Swings, Walmart Slides, Nike Falls
On this episode of Stock Movers:- Nvidia (NVDA) shares traded higher amid a broader relief rally in tech stocks and the S&P 500. The relief brought by the US shutdown’s end gave way to volatility this week as a host of Fed speakers threw cold water on bets for further policy easing. Hot areas favored by momentum traders such as artificial-intelligence whipsawed and Bitcoin was barely up for 2025.- Walmart (WMT)'s Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillon, who over a decade ushered the big-box behemoth into the Internet age, will retire in February. He’ll be replaced by US head John Furner — long viewed as the heir apparent. Furner, 51, takes over as Walmart faces a fast-moving shift toward artificial intelligence, an uneven US economy, and a rapidly changing global workforce. The company recently inked a partnership with OpenAI, which will allow shoppers to directly make purchases through ChatGPT. The retailer has said automation has helped it keep headcount steady at about 2 million employees globally. Investors were initially rattled by the change at the top, with the company’s shares sliding as much as 3.6% on Friday. - Nike (NKE) has ended an initiative that gave employees an extra week off each year to promote mental health and wellness. Nike’s annual “Wellness Week,” which started in 2021, had been held each August, with the world’s largest sportswear company powering down its corporate headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, to give staff more time to unwind. Chief People Officer Treasure Heinle told staff this week that the program was instituted as the world endured Covid-19, but the company is now in a “pivotal moment” that requires changes in how employees approach their work, according to a replay of the meeting reviewed by Bloomberg News. Shares of Nike fell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-------- Â
5:15
--------
5:15
Cidara Therapeutics Rises, Stubhub Sinks, Warner Brothers-Discovery Rises on News of Auction
On this episode of Stock Movers:- Cidara Therapeutics (CDTX) shares rise after Merck agreed to acquire Cidara Therapeutics for $221.50 a share in cash in a tender offer, for a total transaction value of about $9.2 billion. Merck is seeking deals to expand its portfolio of treatments as it prepares for patent losses that are expected to erode its sales over the next five years, including a patent expiration for Keytruda in 2028.- Stubhub shares tumble as much as 31% on Friday, with analysts surprised that the ticketing platform did not provide a forecast for the current quarter. This is the firm’s first quarterly report after going public in September. Bank of America downgraded the stock to neutral, as the call commentary and lack of 4Q guidance “added estimate uncertainty.”- Warner Brothers-Discovery (WBD) shares rise after WSJ report that Warner Bros. Discovery is holding an auction process, with Paramount, Comcast, and Netflix preparing bids, according to people familiar with the matter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-------- Â
4:03
--------
4:03
Merck Drops, Walmart Falls, Nvidia Shares Set for Decline Ahead of Earnings
On this episode of Stock Movers:- Merck (MRK) shares drop after the company agreed to acquire Cidara Therapeutics in a $9.2 billion deal, which is a biotech company developing a flu treatment. Merck will pay $221.50 a share in cash for Cidara in a tender offer, more the twice Thursday’s closing price.- Walmart (WMT) shares fall after Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said he will retire in February and be replaced by John Furner. Furner has been long viewed as an heir apparent for McMillon and runs the company’s largest business in the US.- Nvidia (NVDA) shares are little changed. It's set for 2 weeks of declines, the longest streak since early September. Nvidia earnings are next week and over the past year have often been a catalyst to sell; particularly 3-5 days after the event.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On this episode of Stock Movers:- Shares of biotech company Cidara Therapeutics (CDTX) surged as much as 106% in premarket trading after Merck agreed to buy the biotech for $221.50 per share in cash, for a total transaction value of about $9.2 billion. Merck is seeking deals to expand its portfolio of treatments as it prepares for patent losses that are expected to erode its sales by $18 billion over the next five years. In 2028, Merck faces a patent expiration for Keytruda, the best-selling drug in pharmaceutical history which accounted for almost half of the company’s revenue last year.- Stubhub (STUB) shares tumble as much as 20% in premarket trading on Friday as analysts note that it was surprising that the ticketing platform did not provide a forecast for the current quarter. This is the firm’s first quarterly report after going public in September. - Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shares rallied ahead of the US market open following a Wall Street Journal report that Paramount, Comcast and Netflix are preparing bids for the media giant. WBD amended the contract of Chief Executive Officer David Zaslav to ensure his stock options remain eligible to vest even if the media company is sold. The change, announced in a regulatory filing Thursday, follows the company’s decision last month to consider strategic options including a possible sale.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen for five-minute conversations on today's biggest winners and losers in the stock market. Subscribe for analysis on the companies making news on Wall Street.
Ireland