Stocks Fluctuate Near All-Time Highs, S&P 500 Slightly Declines
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 26 2025
0mins
Should l Buy NVDA?
The post-Christmas session saw stocks fluctuate near all-time highs and the indexes close little changed following a day of thin trading. While the S&P 500 saw a very small daily drop, it still closed with its best week in a month.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with this recap from The Fly.1. STOCK NEWS:Nvidialicensingand hiring top executives, including its CEO, in deal reported to be worth $20BTargetfacing pressure from activist investor Toms Capital,Biohavenannounced on Christmas Eve that its Phase 2 proof-of-concept study evaluating BHV-7000 for the treatment of major depressive disorderWALL STREET CALLS:Inhibikase Therapeuticswith a Buy at H.C. WainwrightCarter Bankshareswith a Buy at Freedom CapitalMDU Resourceswith a Hold at Freedom CapitalWalmartwith an Outperform at CICC3. AROUND THE WEB:Following the Trump administration's approval of a weapons sale to Taiwan, the Chinese government imposed sanctions on 20 U.S. defense companies and 10 of their executives, with targets including Northrop Grumman (NOC), Boeing'sdefense unit,A federal judge denied Masimo'srequest to block Apple Watchimports as part of its lawsuit over an earlier import ban related to patents covering blood-oxygen sensors,Hyattis developing collaborations with Chinese state-owned companies for joint-venture brands amid a slowdown in the region and an effort to expand outside Greater China to double properties in Asia,JPMorgan Chasein recent months has frozen accounts used by at least two fast-growing stablecoin startups, highlighting the risk that Cryptocurrency transactions pose for banks, which are required to know the people they do business with and the source of their cash,4. MOVERS:Coupanggained afterthe company identified the former employee responsible for the recent data leakNikerose after UBS said its recentfor the companyArcadia Biosciencesfell afterand resumption of its process of evaluating strategic alternativesMakers of wound-care products, including Organogenesis, declined after regional Medicare contractorsand tissue repair productsINDEXES:The Dow fell 0.04%, or 20.19, to 48,710.97, the Nasdaq slipped 0.09%, or 20.21, to 23,593.10, and the S&P 500 declined 0.03%, or 2.11, to 6,929.94.
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Analyst Views on NVDA
Wall Street analysts forecast NVDA stock price to rise
41 Analyst Rating
39 Buy
1 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 177.190
Low
200.00
Averages
264.97
High
352.00
Current: 177.190
Low
200.00
Averages
264.97
High
352.00
About NVDA
NVIDIA Corporation is a full-stack computing infrastructure company. The Company is engaged in accelerated computing to help solve the challenging computational problems. The Company’s segments include Compute & Networking and Graphics. The Compute & Networking segment includes its Data Center accelerated computing platforms and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and software; networking; automotive platforms and autonomous and electric vehicle solutions; Jetson for robotics and other embedded platforms, and DGX Cloud computing services. The Graphics segment includes GeForce GPUs for gaming and PCs, the GeForce NOW game streaming service and related infrastructure, and solutions for gaming platforms; Quadro/NVIDIA RTX GPUs for enterprise workstation graphics; virtual GPU software for cloud-based visual and virtual computing; automotive platforms for infotainment systems, and Omniverse Enterprise software for building and operating industrial AI and digital twin applications.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Nvidia Shares Decline Once More; New AI Chip May Provide a Boost.
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- New Product Potential: The introduction of a new artificial-intelligence processor may generate renewed interest and excitement for the company.
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- Significant Stock Drop: Despite the positive earnings report, Nvidia's stock experienced its largest drop in 10 months during Friday's trading, likely due to market concerns about the overall economic outlook and a reassessment of high valuations by investors.
- Impact of Dollar Weakness: As the US dollar weakens, investors are increasingly looking at the attractiveness of foreign stocks, with analysts suggesting opportunities outside of Nvidia in the AI sector to diversify investment risks and capture potential gains.
- Market Analysis Discussion: Main Street Research's Chief Investment Officer James Demmert discussed with Morning Brief host Julie Hyman how to effectively invest in the current market environment, emphasizing the importance of continued focus on the AI industry and diversified investment strategies.
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- Earnings Report Performance: Despite reporting a solid fourth-quarter revenue increase of 14% to $213.4 billion and operating income rising from $21.2 billion to $25 billion, the market's reaction to the high capex forecast caused the stock to remain down post-report.
- Market Environment Impact: The stock had already fallen 6% prior to the earnings report amidst a broader sell-off in tech stocks, reflecting investor fears regarding potential disruptions from AI technologies, even though Amazon, as an industry leader, is not directly exposed to these risks.
- Future Competitive Pressure: Amazon's aggressive investment in AI is necessary to maintain competitiveness; however, the $200 billion expenditure may not yield the expected profits, increasing uncertainty around future earnings.
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- Strong Performance: In Q4 2025, American Express reported a 10% year-over-year revenue increase to $19 billion, with earnings per share (EPS) rising 16% to $3.53, showcasing strong operational leverage and a solid foundation for future growth.
- Future Outlook: Management's guidance for 2026 EPS between $17.30 and $17.90 implies a robust year-over-year growth rate of approximately 14.4%, with a low payout ratio of 21.6% providing ample room for future dividend increases, enhancing investor confidence in sustained returns.
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U.S.-Iran Conflict Triggers Stock Market Turmoil
- Market Turmoil: The outbreak of the U.S.-Iran conflict led to significant volatility in the U.S. stock market on Monday, impacting investor sentiment and causing instability that could affect short-term investment decisions.
- Nvidia Stock Movement: As a major mover in the market, Nvidia's stock experienced notable fluctuations following the conflict news, reflecting the sensitivity of tech stocks to geopolitical tensions, which may impact its short-term performance.
- Earnings Impact: Credo and MongoDB saw substantial declines after their earnings reports, indicating a strong market reaction to their performance, which could raise concerns among investors regarding the future growth prospects of these companies.
- Investor Sentiment Shift: As the market reacts to the U.S.-Iran situation, investors may reassess their risk appetite, leading to a shift of funds towards safer assets, thereby affecting overall market liquidity.
See More
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- Stable Growth Rate: With an average annual growth rate of around 5%, Walmart's growth has been consistent, but it seems insufficient to justify a 170% increase in stock price over the past three years, leading to potential price corrections.
- High Valuation: Currently trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of 47, Walmart's valuation is considered extremely high for a blue-chip stock, prompting investors to carefully assess its future growth potential to determine if the current price is justified.
- Cautious Investment Advice: Despite Walmart's solid business performance, analysts recommend avoiding the stock at its current high valuation, suggesting that there are better value investment options available, which may affect Walmart's market performance.
See More
Nvidia Shares Decline Once More; New AI Chip May Provide a Boost.
- Earnings Performance: Nvidia was expected to continue its decline following disappointing earnings results.
- New Product Potential: The introduction of a new artificial-intelligence processor may generate renewed interest and excitement for the company.
See More
Nvidia Q4 Earnings Beat but Stock Drops
- Earnings Beat: Nvidia's fourth-quarter earnings exceeded market expectations, although specific figures were not disclosed, analysts believe this reflects the company's strong performance in the artificial intelligence sector, potentially attracting more investor interest.
- Significant Stock Drop: Despite the positive earnings report, Nvidia's stock experienced its largest drop in 10 months during Friday's trading, likely due to market concerns about the overall economic outlook and a reassessment of high valuations by investors.
- Impact of Dollar Weakness: As the US dollar weakens, investors are increasingly looking at the attractiveness of foreign stocks, with analysts suggesting opportunities outside of Nvidia in the AI sector to diversify investment risks and capture potential gains.
- Market Analysis Discussion: Main Street Research's Chief Investment Officer James Demmert discussed with Morning Brief host Julie Hyman how to effectively invest in the current market environment, emphasizing the importance of continued focus on the AI industry and diversified investment strategies.
See More
Amazon Stock Drops 12% Amid Capital Expenditure Concerns
- Capital Expenditure Forecast: Amazon's forecast of $200 billion in capital expenditures for 2023, significantly higher than its 'Magnificent Seven' peers, has raised investor concerns about future cash flow, leading to a stock price decline.
- Earnings Report Performance: Despite reporting a solid fourth-quarter revenue increase of 14% to $213.4 billion and operating income rising from $21.2 billion to $25 billion, the market's reaction to the high capex forecast caused the stock to remain down post-report.
- Market Environment Impact: The stock had already fallen 6% prior to the earnings report amidst a broader sell-off in tech stocks, reflecting investor fears regarding potential disruptions from AI technologies, even though Amazon, as an industry leader, is not directly exposed to these risks.
- Future Competitive Pressure: Amazon's aggressive investment in AI is necessary to maintain competitiveness; however, the $200 billion expenditure may not yield the expected profits, increasing uncertainty around future earnings.
See More
American Express Raises Quarterly Dividend by 16%
- Dividend Increase: American Express raised its quarterly dividend by 16% to $0.95 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 1.2%, which highlights its appeal as a dividend stock despite a 17% year-to-date decline in share price, indicating resilience amid market pressures.
- Strong Performance: In Q4 2025, American Express reported a 10% year-over-year revenue increase to $19 billion, with earnings per share (EPS) rising 16% to $3.53, showcasing strong operational leverage and a solid foundation for future growth.
- Future Outlook: Management's guidance for 2026 EPS between $17.30 and $17.90 implies a robust year-over-year growth rate of approximately 14.4%, with a low payout ratio of 21.6% providing ample room for future dividend increases, enhancing investor confidence in sustained returns.
- Capital Return: In 2025, American Express returned $7.6 billion to shareholders, including $2.3 billion in dividends and $5.3 billion in share repurchases, reflecting an aggressive capital return strategy, with a 7% reduction in share count since 2022, further supporting stock value.
See More
U.S.-Iran Conflict Triggers Stock Market Turmoil
- Market Turmoil: The outbreak of the U.S.-Iran conflict led to significant volatility in the U.S. stock market on Monday, impacting investor sentiment and causing instability that could affect short-term investment decisions.
- Nvidia Stock Movement: As a major mover in the market, Nvidia's stock experienced notable fluctuations following the conflict news, reflecting the sensitivity of tech stocks to geopolitical tensions, which may impact its short-term performance.
- Earnings Impact: Credo and MongoDB saw substantial declines after their earnings reports, indicating a strong market reaction to their performance, which could raise concerns among investors regarding the future growth prospects of these companies.
- Investor Sentiment Shift: As the market reacts to the U.S.-Iran situation, investors may reassess their risk appetite, leading to a shift of funds towards safer assets, thereby affecting overall market liquidity.
See More
Has Walmart's Stock Peaked?
- Earnings Beat Expectations: Walmart recently reported earnings that surpassed market expectations on both revenue and net income; however, the stock did not surge, indicating investor concerns about its high valuation, which could impact future investment decisions.
- Stable Growth Rate: With an average annual growth rate of around 5%, Walmart's growth has been consistent, but it seems insufficient to justify a 170% increase in stock price over the past three years, leading to potential price corrections.
- High Valuation: Currently trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of 47, Walmart's valuation is considered extremely high for a blue-chip stock, prompting investors to carefully assess its future growth potential to determine if the current price is justified.
- Cautious Investment Advice: Despite Walmart's solid business performance, analysts recommend avoiding the stock at its current high valuation, suggesting that there are better value investment options available, which may affect Walmart's market performance.
See More
