A number of stocks jumped in the afternoon session after the major indices rebounded, as Fed Chair Jerome Powell delivered dovish remarks at the much-awaited Jackson Hole symposium. Powell suggested that with inflation risks moderating and unemployment remaining low, the Federal Reserve might consider a shift in its monetary policy stance, including potential interest rate cuts. This outlook eased market concerns about prolonged high interest rates and their impact on economic growth. The prospect of lower borrowing costs bolstered investor confidence, particularly in sectors that have lagged, leading to a broad rally across the market.
The Russell 2000 (^RUT) is home to many small-cap stocks, offering investors the chance to uncover hidden gems before the broader market catches on.
However, these companies often come with higher volatility and risk, as their smaller size makes them more vulnerable to economic downturns.
Stocks trading in the $1-10 range are generally smaller players with less risk than their penny stock counterparts.
But that doesn’t mean the underlying businesses are cheap, and we advise caution as many have questionable fundamentals.
A number of stocks fell in the afternoon session after a hotter-than-expected wholesale inflation report revived concerns about persistent inflation and tempered hopes for a Federal Reserve interest rate cut. The Producer Price Index (PPI) for July jumped 3.3% from a year earlier, surprising economists who had forecasted a 2.5% rate. This data revived concerns about persistent inflation and forced traders to reconsider the likelihood of a near-term interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve. High-growth technology stocks, which dominate the SaaS landscape, are particularly sensitive to interest rate fluctuations.
Leading edge card issuer Marqeta (NASDAQ: MQ) announced better-than-expected revenue in Q2 CY2025, with sales up 20.1% year on year to $150.4 million. Guidance for next quarter’s revenue was better than expected at $148.4 million at the midpoint, 1.8% above analysts’ estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.01 per share was significantly above analysts’ consensus estimates.
Leading edge card issuer Marqeta (NASDAQ: MQ) reported Q2 CY2025 results exceeding the market’s revenue expectations, with sales up 20.1% year on year to $150.4 million. Guidance for next quarter’s revenue was better than expected at $148.4 million at the midpoint, 1.8% above analysts’ estimates. Its GAAP loss of $0 per share was significantly above analysts’ consensus estimates.
A number of stocks fell in the morning session after the White House announced a new round of steep global tariffs, sparking concerns of a trade war and its impact on the U.S. and global economies. This move creates significant uncertainty for businesses and investors. The new tariffs, with rates of up to 41% on imports from 68 countries and the European Union, prompted a broad market sell-off, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq index showing notable weakness. Adding to the bearish sentiment was a weaker-than-expected July jobs report, which revealed that employers created only 73,000 jobs, far below economists' expectations. This combination of trade fears and signs of a slowing labor market has created a "risk-off" environment, leading investors to pull back from growth-oriented sectors like software and technology.
A number of stocks fell in the afternoon session after the Trump administration announced intentions to impose a 35% tariff on many goods imported from Canada.
A cash-heavy balance sheet is often a sign of strength, but not always.
Some companies avoid debt because they have weak business models, limited expansion opportunities, or inconsistent cash flow.
Generating cash is essential for any business, but not all cash-rich companies are great investments.
Some produce plenty of cash but fail to allocate it effectively, leading to missed opportunities.
Leading edge card issuer Marqeta (NASDAQ: MQ) reported Q1 CY2025 results beating Wall Street’s revenue expectations, with sales up 17.9% year on year to $139.1 million. On the other hand, next quarter’s revenue guidance of $140.3 million was less impressive, coming in 3.8% below analysts’ estimates. Its non-GAAP loss of $0 per share was 93.1% above analysts’ consensus estimates.
As the Q1 earnings season wraps, let’s dig into this quarter’s best and worst performers in the finance and hr software industry, including Marqeta (NASDAQ:MQ) and its peers.
Exciting developments are taking place for the stocks in this article.
They’ve all surged ahead of the broader market over the last month as catalysts such as new products and positive media coverage have propelled their returns.
Summary: JP Morgan analyst Tien-tsin Huang hosted 17 payments and processing firms at a conference. He had an Overweight rating for BILL Holdings and Fiserv, and upgraded Marqeta's rating. He projected strong growth potential for BILL and Fiserv, and praised Marqeta's modern platform.
Software is eating the world, and virtually no business is left untouched by it. Companies bringing it to life have been rewarded with explosive earnings growth and high valuation multiples,
but the latter has weighed on returns as the industry was flat over the past six months.
A consolation is that the S&P 500 hasn’t budged either.
Many small-cap stocks have limited Wall Street coverage, giving savvy investors the chance to act before everyone else catches on.
But the flip side is that these businesses have increased downside risk because they lack the scale and staying power of their larger competitors.
Stability is great, but low-volatility stocks may struggle to deliver market-beating returns over time as they sometimes underperform during bull markets.
