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Five Stocks Making Waves as Markets Hold Steady Ahead of Fed Decision

MarketDash Editorial Team
5 hours ago
Markets treaded water Tuesday as investors positioned for the Federal Reserve's upcoming rate decision, but beneath the surface calm, GameStop missed revenue targets despite a Bitcoin boost, JPMorgan took a hit on rate concerns, and GE Vernova surged after doubling its dividend and raising long-term targets.

Markets took a breather Tuesday as traders positioned ahead of this week's Federal Reserve meeting. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped almost 0.4% to 47,560.29, while the S&P 500 edged down 0.09% to 6,840.51. The Nasdaq managed a modest 0.1% gain to 23,576.48. Major indexes are consolidating near recent highs after a strong year-end run for value names.

But while the broader market held relatively steady, several individual stocks grabbed attention with earnings reports and strategic updates that tell different stories about where we are in the economic cycle. Here's what moved the needle for retail investors today.

GameStop Misses Revenue But Sits on Bitcoin Treasure

GameStop Corp. (GME) stock slipped 1.03% during regular trading to close at $23.11, bouncing between an intraday high of $24.00 and a low of $23.10. The video game retailer now trades within its 52-week range of $19.93 to $35.81. In after-hours trading, shares dropped nearly 5.7% to $21.80 after the company released quarterly results.

The numbers tell a familiar story for GameStop. Third-quarter revenue came in at $821 million, missing analyst estimates and falling 4.5% year-over-year. Hardware and software sales both declined, though collectibles jumped. The bright spot? Adjusted earnings of 24 cents per share beat expectations, and operating income swung to $41.3 million from a loss a year ago.

What's fascinating is the company's balance sheet. GameStop ended the quarter with $8.8 billion in cash and securities, including $519.4 million in Bitcoin (BTC). That's a substantial crypto position for a legacy video game retailer. True to form, the company once again skipped hosting an earnings call, leaving investors to parse the numbers without management commentary.

JPMorgan Falls as Rate Decision Looms

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) had a rough day, with shares falling 4.67% to end at $300.51. The stock moved between an intraday high of $318.80 and a low of $300.02, leaving the banking giant below its recent 52-week high of $322.25 but still well above a 52-week low of $202.16.

The selloff wasn't driven by company-specific news but rather by investor positioning ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting. Here's the tension: JPMorgan is pushing forward with a vast security and resiliency initiative while also positioning itself for renewed deal-making and capital markets activity. How the Fed moves on rates creates a tradeoff between net interest margins—which benefit from higher rates—and a potential rebound in fee-driven businesses like investment banking, which tend to thrive when rates come down and deal activity picks up.

Investors are essentially trying to figure out which growth phase matters more for the bank's next chapter, and today they decided to de-risk before getting clarity from the Fed.

AeroVironment Beats Revenue, Whiffs on Earnings

AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) eased 0.37% during regular hours to finish at $281.42, after touching an intraday high of $291.50 and a low of $278.50. Shares are consolidating well off a 52-week peak of $417.86 but still trading multiple times above a 52-week low of $102.25. The stock declined 3.9% to $270.50 in after-hours trading after earnings hit the tape.

The drone and tactical systems maker posted second-quarter revenue of $472.5 million, beating analyst estimates. But adjusted earnings per share came in at just 44 cents, well below the expected 78 cents. That's a significant miss, and management compounded concerns by cutting the company's fiscal 2026 EPS outlook while only slightly raising revenue guidance. Investors don't love it when you can grow the top line but can't translate that into bottom-line results.

GE Vernova Powers Higher on Ambitious Targets

GE Vernova Inc. (GEV) shares added 0.55% during the regular session to close at $625.30, trading between $636.88 at the session high and $613.20 at the low. The newly public energy technology company sits closer to the upper end of its 52-week band between $252.25 and $677.29. In extended trading, the stock surged 6.3% to $664.50.

The after-hours pop came after GE Vernova delivered an upbeat multi-year investor update. The company doubled its dividend, laid out revenue targets stretching through 2028, and emphasized a growing backlog in gas turbines, grid solutions and related services. CEO Scott Strazik framed electrification, automation and advanced power equipment as the backbone of a long-cycle value creation story.

The specifics are impressive. GE Vernova said its 2025 revenue outlook of $36 billion to $37 billion is tracking toward the high end, and issued 2026 guidance of $41 billion to $42 billion. The company now expects 2028 revenue to reach $52 billion, up substantially from a prior $45 billion forecast. The company reported 18 gigawatts of gas turbine contracts so far this quarter and projected its backlog to grow from $135 billion to $200 billion by 2028.

GE Vernova also raised its cumulative 2025-2028 free cash flow outlook to at least $22 billion. The board boosted the share buyback plan to $10 billion and declared a 50-cent quarterly dividend for early 2026. This is the kind of capital return and visibility that gets investors excited about industrial stocks again.

Cracker Barrel Struggles to Turn Around

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (CBRL) stock rose 1.43% to end at $27 after swinging between an intraday high of $28.21 and a low of $26.82. The restaurant chain is trading just above its 52-week low of $25.62 and far below a 52-week high of $71.93. The stock fell nearly 8% to $24.85 in the after-hours session following earnings.

The casual dining operator posted first-quarter revenue of $797.19 million and an adjusted loss of 74 cents per share, both missing expectations. Sales fell 5.7% from last year amid weaker restaurant and retail performance. Comparable restaurant and retail sales both declined, which is exactly what you don't want to see when you're trying to turn around a legacy brand.

CEO Julie Masino pointed to menu, marketing and cost-saving initiatives following a controversial rebranding effort, but she also cut the company's fiscal 2026 revenue outlook to $3.2 billion to $3.3 billion. The company declared a 25-cent quarterly dividend, but traders are clearly watching for signs that operational changes can eventually stabilize traffic and margins. So far, those signs aren't materializing.

It's worth noting that the broader casual dining space remains challenging, with consumers pulling back on discretionary spending and competition remaining intense. Cracker Barrel's struggles reflect broader sector headwinds as much as company-specific issues.

Back to News

Five Stocks Making Waves as Markets Hold Steady Ahead of Fed Decision

MarketDash Editorial Team
5 hours ago
Markets treaded water Tuesday as investors positioned for the Federal Reserve's upcoming rate decision, but beneath the surface calm, GameStop missed revenue targets despite a Bitcoin boost, JPMorgan took a hit on rate concerns, and GE Vernova surged after doubling its dividend and raising long-term targets.

Markets took a breather Tuesday as traders positioned ahead of this week's Federal Reserve meeting. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped almost 0.4% to 47,560.29, while the S&P 500 edged down 0.09% to 6,840.51. The Nasdaq managed a modest 0.1% gain to 23,576.48. Major indexes are consolidating near recent highs after a strong year-end run for value names.

But while the broader market held relatively steady, several individual stocks grabbed attention with earnings reports and strategic updates that tell different stories about where we are in the economic cycle. Here's what moved the needle for retail investors today.

GameStop Misses Revenue But Sits on Bitcoin Treasure

GameStop Corp. (GME) stock slipped 1.03% during regular trading to close at $23.11, bouncing between an intraday high of $24.00 and a low of $23.10. The video game retailer now trades within its 52-week range of $19.93 to $35.81. In after-hours trading, shares dropped nearly 5.7% to $21.80 after the company released quarterly results.

The numbers tell a familiar story for GameStop. Third-quarter revenue came in at $821 million, missing analyst estimates and falling 4.5% year-over-year. Hardware and software sales both declined, though collectibles jumped. The bright spot? Adjusted earnings of 24 cents per share beat expectations, and operating income swung to $41.3 million from a loss a year ago.

What's fascinating is the company's balance sheet. GameStop ended the quarter with $8.8 billion in cash and securities, including $519.4 million in Bitcoin (BTC). That's a substantial crypto position for a legacy video game retailer. True to form, the company once again skipped hosting an earnings call, leaving investors to parse the numbers without management commentary.

JPMorgan Falls as Rate Decision Looms

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) had a rough day, with shares falling 4.67% to end at $300.51. The stock moved between an intraday high of $318.80 and a low of $300.02, leaving the banking giant below its recent 52-week high of $322.25 but still well above a 52-week low of $202.16.

The selloff wasn't driven by company-specific news but rather by investor positioning ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting. Here's the tension: JPMorgan is pushing forward with a vast security and resiliency initiative while also positioning itself for renewed deal-making and capital markets activity. How the Fed moves on rates creates a tradeoff between net interest margins—which benefit from higher rates—and a potential rebound in fee-driven businesses like investment banking, which tend to thrive when rates come down and deal activity picks up.

Investors are essentially trying to figure out which growth phase matters more for the bank's next chapter, and today they decided to de-risk before getting clarity from the Fed.

AeroVironment Beats Revenue, Whiffs on Earnings

AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) eased 0.37% during regular hours to finish at $281.42, after touching an intraday high of $291.50 and a low of $278.50. Shares are consolidating well off a 52-week peak of $417.86 but still trading multiple times above a 52-week low of $102.25. The stock declined 3.9% to $270.50 in after-hours trading after earnings hit the tape.

The drone and tactical systems maker posted second-quarter revenue of $472.5 million, beating analyst estimates. But adjusted earnings per share came in at just 44 cents, well below the expected 78 cents. That's a significant miss, and management compounded concerns by cutting the company's fiscal 2026 EPS outlook while only slightly raising revenue guidance. Investors don't love it when you can grow the top line but can't translate that into bottom-line results.

GE Vernova Powers Higher on Ambitious Targets

GE Vernova Inc. (GEV) shares added 0.55% during the regular session to close at $625.30, trading between $636.88 at the session high and $613.20 at the low. The newly public energy technology company sits closer to the upper end of its 52-week band between $252.25 and $677.29. In extended trading, the stock surged 6.3% to $664.50.

The after-hours pop came after GE Vernova delivered an upbeat multi-year investor update. The company doubled its dividend, laid out revenue targets stretching through 2028, and emphasized a growing backlog in gas turbines, grid solutions and related services. CEO Scott Strazik framed electrification, automation and advanced power equipment as the backbone of a long-cycle value creation story.

The specifics are impressive. GE Vernova said its 2025 revenue outlook of $36 billion to $37 billion is tracking toward the high end, and issued 2026 guidance of $41 billion to $42 billion. The company now expects 2028 revenue to reach $52 billion, up substantially from a prior $45 billion forecast. The company reported 18 gigawatts of gas turbine contracts so far this quarter and projected its backlog to grow from $135 billion to $200 billion by 2028.

GE Vernova also raised its cumulative 2025-2028 free cash flow outlook to at least $22 billion. The board boosted the share buyback plan to $10 billion and declared a 50-cent quarterly dividend for early 2026. This is the kind of capital return and visibility that gets investors excited about industrial stocks again.

Cracker Barrel Struggles to Turn Around

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (CBRL) stock rose 1.43% to end at $27 after swinging between an intraday high of $28.21 and a low of $26.82. The restaurant chain is trading just above its 52-week low of $25.62 and far below a 52-week high of $71.93. The stock fell nearly 8% to $24.85 in the after-hours session following earnings.

The casual dining operator posted first-quarter revenue of $797.19 million and an adjusted loss of 74 cents per share, both missing expectations. Sales fell 5.7% from last year amid weaker restaurant and retail performance. Comparable restaurant and retail sales both declined, which is exactly what you don't want to see when you're trying to turn around a legacy brand.

CEO Julie Masino pointed to menu, marketing and cost-saving initiatives following a controversial rebranding effort, but she also cut the company's fiscal 2026 revenue outlook to $3.2 billion to $3.3 billion. The company declared a 25-cent quarterly dividend, but traders are clearly watching for signs that operational changes can eventually stabilize traffic and margins. So far, those signs aren't materializing.

It's worth noting that the broader casual dining space remains challenging, with consumers pulling back on discretionary spending and competition remaining intense. Cracker Barrel's struggles reflect broader sector headwinds as much as company-specific issues.