Top Stock Movers: Dell, Kohl's, Zscaler, Workday, and Autodesk in Focus
In a dynamic trading session where the U.S. markets generally closed higher, with the Nasdaq, S&P 500, and Dow Jones Industrial Average all posting gains, several individual stocks stood out. This report delves into the performances of Dell Technologies, Kohl's Corp, Zscaler, Workday, and Autodesk, examining the factors that drew significant attention from both retail traders and institutional investors. Each company recently released quarterly financial results or made significant announcements that impacted their stock trajectories, reflecting diverse market reactions ranging from substantial surges to after-hours dips despite strong reports.
Dell Technologies experienced a slight dip in its stock during regular trading hours, closing at $125.92, before rebounding in after-hours trading. The company's third-quarter revenue of $27.01 billion, while slightly under analyst expectations, was coupled with adjusted earnings that surpassed forecasts, reaching $2.59 per share. A notable 11% year-over-year revenue growth was fueled by a 37% increase in server and networking revenues, hitting $10.1 billion, even as other segments faced declines. Dell also reported a robust $1.2 billion in operating cash flow and record AI server orders totaling $12.3 billion, leading to an optimistic revised outlook for both the fourth quarter and the full fiscal year.
Kohl’s Corp saw a remarkable surge in its shares, climbing 42.26% to close at $22.42. This significant movement followed the appointment of interim chief Michael Bender as the permanent CEO, marking the third leadership change for the retailer in three years. Despite a 2.8% year-over-year decline in third-quarter net sales to $3.4 billion and a 1.7% fall in comparable sales, the company managed to improve its gross margin by 51 basis points. Kohl's also raised its full-year guidance, citing an improved cash flow of $124 million and a 5% reduction in inventory, signaling a positive operational shift.
Zscaler, Inc. witnessed its stock increase by 3.35% during the day, reaching $289.73, only to slide nearly 8% in after-hours trading. This occurred despite the company's strong first-quarter performance, which exceeded expectations with $788.1 million in revenue and 96 cents in EPS. Deferred revenue saw a substantial 32% rise to $2.35 billion, and Annual Recurring Revenue grew by 25% to surpass $3.2 billion. Even with an upward revision of its fiscal 2026 EPS and revenue guidance, the stock's after-hours decline suggests investor concerns or profit-taking post-announcement.
Workday, Inc.'s stock experienced a 3.11% increase, closing at $233.69, but also saw a nearly 6.2% dip in after-hours trading. The company reported strong third-quarter results, beating estimates with $2.43 billion in revenue and $2.32 in EPS, largely driven by robust demand in its subscription services, which grew 14.6% to $2.24 billion. Workday also highlighted positive momentum in its AI portfolio, contributing to its strong financial performance, though investor sentiment appeared to cool after the initial positive reaction.
Autodesk Inc. shares rose by 1.58% to $294.43 during regular trading and further jumped by 6.14% to $312.50 in extended hours. The company delivered impressive third-quarter results, with an 18% increase in revenue to $1.85 billion and adjusted EPS of $2.67, both exceeding expectations. Autodesk revised its full-year earnings guidance upwards to $10.18–$10.25 per share and projected fourth-quarter revenue to reach up to $1.92 billion. The company attributed this strong performance and positive outlook to AI-driven automation, which is bolstering demand and supporting its successful subscription-based business model.