Shares of automotive manufacturer General Motors (NYSE:GM)
fell 5.9% in the afternoon session after UBS downgraded its rating from Buy to Neutral, signaling a more cautious outlook on the stock's near-term potential. The firm also lowered its price target from $64 to $51, citing reduced earnings expectations.
A discussion about why markets have misunderstood Trump’s tariff policy from the beginning and what deeper macroeconomic risks investors should actually be focused on.
Shares of smart home company SmartRent (NYSE:SMRT) fell 29.5% in the morning session after the company announced that sales for Q1 2025 would fall 18-20% compared to the previous year, raising concerns about weakening demand and competitive pressures which could negatively impact investor confidence and future growth prospects. Compounding the uncertainty, President and CEO Shane Paladin resigned, prompting the board to appoint Chairman John Dorman as interim CEO. The leadership transition, particularly during a period of financial underperformance, may deepen market anxiety regarding the stability of the business while the board searches for a permanent successor.
Shares of non-lethal weapons company Byrna (NASDAQ:BYRN)
jumped 10.5% in the afternoon session after the company reported impressive fourth quarter 2024 results, which blew past analysts' EBITDA expectations, while sales and EPS came in roughly in line. What stood out was the 57% jump in sales, a big leap that came from opening new stores in key cities and a big retail deal with Sportsman's which gave the company fresh ways to reach buyers. At the same time, Byrna made more products at lower cost, which helped raise its profit margin, and combined with the strong sales growth, EBITDA more than doubled.
Looking ahead, Byrna appeared ready to carry the momentum into the rest of the year, with the Compact Launcher launch, rising U.S.-based production capacity, and continued retail expansion likely to unlock further gains. Overall, this was a strong quarter marked by improved execution.
Benchmark analyst upgrades Western Digital (WDC) to Buy with $55 price target, citing attractive valuation, expected data center growth and AI opportunities.
Shares of electric vehicle pioneer Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) fell 10.7% in the afternoon session after Wall Street sentiment toward the company turned more bearish, with several analysts cutting their forecasts and price targets. UBS analyst Joseph Spak issued the most bearish outlook, slashing his price target to $19, implying a potential 30% downside. Spak warned that while lower 2025 earnings expectations were becoming consensus, the broader earnings trajectory for Tesla still appeared overly optimistic and remained vulnerable to further downward revisions after Q1 2025 earnings are released.
Similarly, Goldman Sachs lowered its price target from $275 to $260, reflecting growing near-term risks. The firm pointed to weakening auto demand, softer consumer sentiment, rising tariff-related costs, particularly within Tesla's Energy division, and increasing uncertainty around U.S. EV policy. Despite these headwinds, Goldman highlighted that the long-term potential from Tesla's AI-driven initiatives could serve as a meaningful offset, providing an avenue for future growth beyond its traditional automotive business.
Separately, stocks gave back some of the gains from the previous day as the White House clarified the tariffs on imports from China would add up to 145%, while the baseline 10% tariffs remained in place for all countries. This reminded investors that the global trade environment remained volatile, limiting the potential for sustained market gains.
Also President Trump said he was willing to accept pain in the short term, and was aware his policies could cause a recession, but he remained more mindful of a more severe case of economic depression (higher unemployment and prolonged downturn).
For investors, this suggested that the administration could prioritize long-term structural shifts over near-term economic stability, further increasing policy-driven risk in the markets.
Let's have a look at what is happening on the US markets one hour before the close of the markets on Thursday. Below you can find the top S&P500 gainers and losers in today's session.
Shares of automotive manufacturer Ford (NYSE:F)
fell 5.8% in the afternoon session after Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock, citing growing concerns over trade tariffs on imported vehicles and car parts, which are expected to pressure profit margins and disrupt supply chains across the industry. The firm added, "We downgrade Ford to Neutral from Buy to better reflect a more difficult cyclical dynamic including competition internationally, weaker consumer demand, and what we expect will be higher costs from tariffs.".
Shares of furniture company Lovesac (NASDAQ:LOVE)
jumped 19% in the pre-market session after the company reported impressive fourth quarter 2024 results which beat across the board on revenue, EBITDA, and EPS despite a choppy macro. While sales did drop 3.6% from last year, that was mostly because of weaker online and store demand, but adding more stores helped cushion that fall. With better margins and lean costs, earnings per share rose significantly and ahead of expectations.
Looking ahead, full-year sales and EBITDA guidance both topped Wall Street's expectations, suggesting confidence in the company's new product roadmap, including launches like the Sactionals Reclining Seat and EverCouch. Overall, we think this was a very strong quarter with some key metrics above expectations.
Shares of used automotive vehicle retailer Carmax (NYSE:KMX)
fell 19.8% in the morning session after the company reported underwhelming Q1 2025 (fiscal Q4 2025) results. Its EBITDA missed significantly and its EPS fell short of Wall Street's estimates. More troubling, the company suspended its long-term growth guidance, citing macroeconomic uncertainty, a move that signaled management's reduced visibility and confidence in the future growth trajectory. Overall, this quarter could have been better.
Because it can take a while for liquidity to return to normal after a period of outsized moves, it is important to remember that volatility begets volatility.
