Nvidia (NVDA)
US chip designer Nvidia became the third US company to reach a market valuation of more than $3 trillion (£2.4 trillion) on Wednesday, overtaking Apple ( AAPL ) to become the world’s second most valuable company .
Shares of Nvidia rose 5.2%, pushing its market capitalization to more than $3 trillion to become the world’s second-largest company behind Microsoft ( MSFT ).
Nvidia’s chips are powering much of the AI rush, which has seen it become a child of the AI boom, with demand for its processors from Google ( GOOG ), Microsoft and Facebook owner Meta ( META ) that exceeds the supply.
Shares of Nvidia — up nearly 150% so far this year — are also getting a boost from an upcoming move to split its stock 10-for-1 on Friday.
Read more: FTSE 100 LIVE: European shares creep higher as ECB expected to cut interest rates
Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at AJ Bell, said the stock split would “lower its share price and make it more affordable for investors who can’t afford to spend more than a grand per share, like and benefit employees who use some of their monthly salary packages to invest in the company.”
Lululemon (LULU)
Lululemon beat Wall Street revenue and earnings estimates but issued weak second-quarter guidance as it struggles with a slowdown in America, its biggest market.
The yoga pants maker also increased its share repurchase authorization by $1 billion, the second time in six months that the company has increased its returns to shareholders. Lululemon shares jumped 10% in premarket trading.
The company’s revenue rose 10% year over year to $2.2 billion in the quarter ended April 28, in line with forecasts. Top-line growth was driven by a 35% increase in revenue from international markets – including a nearly 50% increase in China – while in the Americas sales rose just 3%.
CEO Calvin McDonald defended the “strong momentum” the company is seeing in its international markets and hinted that it needs to do more work in America.
“We are pleased with the progress we are making to optimize our product assortment in the US,” said McDonald. “Looking forward, we continue to have a significant runway for growth and are confident in our team’s ability to deliver strongly.”
Fever-Tree (FEVR.L)
Premium drinks mixer brand Fever-Tree has reported growth in its markets in 2024 as it looks to capitalize on the key summer sales season, when more customers spend on cocktails such as mojitos and margaritas.
While no numbers or guidance were provided in a relatively brief trading update to accompany the company’s annual general meeting, management said it remained “comfortable” with full-year expectations.
The tonic maker said it has “strengthened its leading position in the category” in the UK, while “continuing to be the largest contributor of growth within the carbonated mixer category” in the US.
He said the brand has continued to “deliver top-line growth year to date.”
Read more: Darktrace and Vistry were promoted to the FTSE 100 after Ocado and St James Place collapsed
Last year, the company saw profits fall 23% despite sales rising 6%, but said it was “on track to double EBITDA” by 2024.
The rise in the metals market continues with gold reaching $2,381 amid speculation that the US Federal Reserve will cut rates.
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) indicated that the US economy continues to expand in its services sector, boosting the gold metal.
However, investors were caught by surprise after the announcement that a review has been launched by the trade body, which sets the global benchmark for gold prices, after doubts were raised about the purity of some precious metals from a supplier.
The London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) said it is looking into allegations involving Indonesian state-owned mine Aneka Tambang (Antam) over the purity of its gold products.
Aneka Tambang last week denied reports that there were 109 tonnes of counterfeit ANTAM gold circulating in the community in the period 2010-2021.
Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office has named six former general managers at Antam’s Precious Metals Processing and Refining Business Unit as suspects for alleged misuse of Antam’s sealing service.
The country is a major player in the global mining industry, but has faced criticism as more than half of all tropical deforestation directly attributable to industrial mining occurs in Indonesia, according to new research conducted at Clark University.
The LBMA, an industry body whose rules for gold refiners require them to source gold responsibly, said an incident review process (IRP) has been called to review the current circumstances.
Watch: Nvidia overtakes Apple as second most valuable firm
Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple AND Android.
