Stock Market Movers: Dell, Spirit Aerosystems, NYCB, NetApp, Zscaler, SoundHound, Sweetgreen, and Others

Stock Market Movers: Dell, Spirit Aerosystems, NYCB, NetApp, Zscaler, SoundHound, Sweetgreen, and Others

Dell Technologies

posted better-than-expected fourth-quarter adjusted earnings and revenue as the maker of personal computers continues to see robust demand for artificial-intelligence servers. The company said its backlog of AI servers has now reached $2.9 billion, compared with $1.6 billion last quarter. Dell has shipped $1.5 billion of AI servers over the last two quarters, and said it has a pipeline of interest in AI servers that is “multiples” of the current backlog. Dell also said it was increasing its annual cash dividend 20% to $1.78 a share. Shares surged 27%.

Spirit Aerosystems

was rising 16% to $33.06 after The Wall Street Journal reported

Boeing

was in talks to acquire the troubled parts supplier.

Spirit

has hired bankers to explore strategic options and has had preliminary discussions with its former owner, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The talks may not result in a deal, the Journal emphasized.

New York Community Bancorp

plunged 24% after disclosing that fourth-quarter earnings would take a hit of $2.4 billion from a goodwill impairment charge, and separately that it had identified “material weaknesses” in its loan review process. The weaknesses, the bank said, resulted from ineffective oversight, risk assessment, and monitoring activities. The regional lender also announced CEO Thomas Cangemi would be stepping down after 27 years with the bank.

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NetApp

was rising 25% after issuing strong guidance for 2024. The data storage company said it expects adjusted profit in the year of $6.40 and $6.50 a share, compared with previous expectations of $6.05 to $6.25.

NetApp

forecast 2024 revenue of $6.185 billion to $6.335 billion.

Autodesk

posted fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $2.09 a share, better than Wall Street estimates, and revenue of $1.47 billion that also beat forecasts. The stock was rising 2.6%.

Autodesk

said it expects fiscal 2025 sales of $5.99 billion to $6.09 billion, higher than Wall Street forecasts of $5.96 billion. CEO Andrew Anagnost, in an interview with Barron’s, highlighted opportunities the design software company has with generative artificial intelligence.

Cybersecurity company

Zscaler

reported fiscal second-quarter adjusted profit that beat analysts’ estimates as revenue rose to $525 million from $388 million a year earlier.

Zscaler

expects third-quarter adjusted earnings of 64 cents to 65 cents a share on revenue of $536 million. Analysts had been calling for third-quarter earnings of 58 cents a share on revenue of $532 million. Zscaler shares, however, were falling 9.1%.

SoundHound AI
,

the artificial-intelligence voice technology company, narrowed its losses in the fourth quarter on a sales jump of 80%, boosted by a contribution from “pre-eminent AI chip company,” according to CEO Keyvan Mohajer, who wouldn’t disclose the customer’s name. That company is thought to be

Nvidia
.

The stock though was falling 11% as fourth-quarter sales of $17.1 million missed estimates of $17.7 million.

SoundHound

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also had forecast that it would be profitable in the quarter on the basis of adjusted Ebitda, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. But the company actually lost $3.7 million on that basis. 

Sweetgreen

was up 28% after the salad-restaurant chain issued first-quarter revenue guidance higher than analysts’ estimates. The company said it sees first-quarter revenue of $150 million to $154 million vesus analysts’ estimates of $147.8 million.

Elastic
,

the enterprise data software company, reported fiscal third-quarter adjusted earnings and sales that beat Wall Street estimates, and said it expects fourth-quarter sales of $328 million and $330 million, compared with expectations of $327 million. Shares declined 15%.

Fisker
,

the electric-vehicle start-up, reported weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter sales and issued a “going concern” warning with its update.

Fisker

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said it was in “negotiations with a large automaker for a potential transaction which could include an investment in Fisker, joint development of one or more electric vehicle platforms, and North America manufacturing.” The company also said it intends to reduce its workforce by about 15%. The stock fell 44% to 41 cents.

Write to Joe Woelfel at joseph.woelfel@barrons.com

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