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: 186.030
Low
200.00
Averages
264.97
High
352.00
Current: 186.030
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 Reports Blowout Earnings but Stock Falls
- Impressive Earnings: Nvidia's fiscal 2026 fourth-quarter revenue surged 73% year-over-year, exceeding Wall Street expectations and demonstrating robust market demand, although the stock fell post-report, reflecting concerns over excessive AI infrastructure spending.
- Intensifying Competition: With competitors like Amazon and Alphabet launching more cost-effective AI chips, Nvidia faces increasing competition, particularly as Amazon's Tranium2 chips are fully subscribed at 1.4 million units, indicating market interest in alternatives.
- Market Concerns: Investors are worried about Nvidia's main clients overspending on AI infrastructure, which could lead to slowing sales and impact the company's long-term growth potential, despite strong performance in the short term.
- Strategic Positioning: Nvidia is launching processors based on its new Vera Rubin architecture, further solidifying its market dominance by vertically integrating its product ecosystem and establishing high barriers to entry against rival challenges.
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- Stock Pullback: Nvidia's stock has dipped about 1% at the start of 2026, trading near $185 and 11% below its all-time highs; however, the company's business continues to grow at record levels, indicating strong underlying fundamentals.
- Earnings Growth: In fiscal 2026, Nvidia reported earnings per share (EPS) of $4.90, a 67% year-over-year increase, with analysts forecasting EPS to rise to $8.25 in fiscal 2027 and $10.74 in fiscal 2028, reflecting a potential 120% growth in earnings power over two years.
- Revenue Performance: Nvidia generated $68.1 billion in revenue during Q4, marking a 73% year-over-year increase, and analysts predict the company will achieve 70% revenue growth in the coming year, further solidifying its market leadership.
- Market Opportunities: Despite challenges such as trade tensions with China and increased competition, Nvidia is well-positioned to capture demand in multi-trillion-dollar markets through AI infrastructure investments and emerging applications like autonomous systems and physical AI, showcasing a favorable risk-reward profile.
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- Realty Income's Resilience: Realty Income boasts 15,500 properties globally with a high occupancy rate of 98.9%, demonstrating stability under real estate market pressure, while its 5% dividend yield and diversification strategy ensure long-term growth potential.
- Walmart's Growth Potential: As the largest physical retailer, Walmart's stock has surged 183% over the past five years, outperforming Amazon and the S&P 500, with e-commerce growth of 24% year-over-year and a rapidly expanding membership program driving future growth.
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- Oil Price Surge Impacts Markets: WTI crude oil prices soared over 9% on Thursday due to fears surrounding the Iran conflict, leading the S&P 500 to drop 1.52%, the Dow Jones by 1.56%, and the Nasdaq 100 by 1.73%, indicating heightened market anxiety over rising inflation.
- Bank Stocks Under Pressure: Morgan Stanley and Cliffwater LLC capped withdrawals from their private credit funds amid high investor redemption requests, causing Ares Management to fall over 6% and Goldman Sachs to drop more than 4%, reflecting growing concerns about credit quality in the market.
- Mixed Economic Data: Initial jobless claims in the US fell to 213,000, better than the expected 215,000, indicating labor market strength; however, January building permits fell 5.4% to 1.376 million, suggesting potential slowdowns in future construction activity, which could dampen market confidence.
- International Tensions Affecting Outlook: Comments from Iran's Supreme Leader heightened concerns about ongoing tensions in the Middle East, with expectations that if the situation remains tense, global oil supply could decrease by 8 million barrels per day, further driving up oil prices and potentially leading to a global economic slowdown.
See More
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- Data Coordination Capability: Karp highlighted Palantir's platform's ability to effectively link combat data between the U.S. and Middle Eastern allies, particularly after Iranian airstrikes, underscoring its irreplaceable role in security coordination.
- Significant Commercial Growth: Palantir's commercial revenue surged 137% in the fourth quarter to $507 million, indicating rapid growth in its business beyond defense technology, further solidifying the company's market position.
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- Significant Revenue Growth: In 2025, Alphabet's revenue increased by 15% year-over-year to $402.8 billion, with Google Cloud outperforming at a 34% revenue growth to $58.7 billion, indicating strong demand for enterprise AI infrastructure.
- Successful Gemini Application: The launch of Gemini 3 positions Google's AI assistant on par with OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude, with CEO Sundar Pichai reporting 750 million monthly active users, enhancing user engagement significantly.
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- Impressive Earnings: Nvidia's fiscal 2026 fourth-quarter revenue surged 73% year-over-year, exceeding Wall Street expectations and demonstrating robust market demand, although the stock fell post-report, reflecting concerns over excessive AI infrastructure spending.
- Intensifying Competition: With competitors like Amazon and Alphabet launching more cost-effective AI chips, Nvidia faces increasing competition, particularly as Amazon's Tranium2 chips are fully subscribed at 1.4 million units, indicating market interest in alternatives.
- Market Concerns: Investors are worried about Nvidia's main clients overspending on AI infrastructure, which could lead to slowing sales and impact the company's long-term growth potential, despite strong performance in the short term.
- Strategic Positioning: Nvidia is launching processors based on its new Vera Rubin architecture, further solidifying its market dominance by vertically integrating its product ecosystem and establishing high barriers to entry against rival challenges.
See More
Nvidia Stock Pullback Amid Strong Fundamentals
- Stock Pullback: Nvidia's stock has dipped about 1% at the start of 2026, trading near $185 and 11% below its all-time highs; however, the company's business continues to grow at record levels, indicating strong underlying fundamentals.
- Earnings Growth: In fiscal 2026, Nvidia reported earnings per share (EPS) of $4.90, a 67% year-over-year increase, with analysts forecasting EPS to rise to $8.25 in fiscal 2027 and $10.74 in fiscal 2028, reflecting a potential 120% growth in earnings power over two years.
- Revenue Performance: Nvidia generated $68.1 billion in revenue during Q4, marking a 73% year-over-year increase, and analysts predict the company will achieve 70% revenue growth in the coming year, further solidifying its market leadership.
- Market Opportunities: Despite challenges such as trade tensions with China and increased competition, Nvidia is well-positioned to capture demand in multi-trillion-dollar markets through AI infrastructure investments and emerging applications like autonomous systems and physical AI, showcasing a favorable risk-reward profile.
See More
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- Coca-Cola's Stability: As a Dividend King, Coca-Cola has raised its dividend for 63 consecutive years, and while its current yield is 2.6%, its strong market performance and ownership of 32 billion-dollar brands provide significant resilience during economic fluctuations.
- Realty Income's Resilience: Realty Income boasts 15,500 properties globally with a high occupancy rate of 98.9%, demonstrating stability under real estate market pressure, while its 5% dividend yield and diversification strategy ensure long-term growth potential.
- Walmart's Growth Potential: As the largest physical retailer, Walmart's stock has surged 183% over the past five years, outperforming Amazon and the S&P 500, with e-commerce growth of 24% year-over-year and a rapidly expanding membership program driving future growth.
- Reliability of Dividend Kings: Walmart has raised its dividend for 53 years, and despite a low yield of 0.8% currently, its stable performance and strong market position make it a reliable source of passive income for investors.
See More
US Stocks Plummet as Oil Prices Surge Amid Iran Conflict
- Oil Price Surge Impacts Markets: WTI crude oil prices soared over 9% on Thursday due to fears surrounding the Iran conflict, leading the S&P 500 to drop 1.52%, the Dow Jones by 1.56%, and the Nasdaq 100 by 1.73%, indicating heightened market anxiety over rising inflation.
- Bank Stocks Under Pressure: Morgan Stanley and Cliffwater LLC capped withdrawals from their private credit funds amid high investor redemption requests, causing Ares Management to fall over 6% and Goldman Sachs to drop more than 4%, reflecting growing concerns about credit quality in the market.
- Mixed Economic Data: Initial jobless claims in the US fell to 213,000, better than the expected 215,000, indicating labor market strength; however, January building permits fell 5.4% to 1.376 million, suggesting potential slowdowns in future construction activity, which could dampen market confidence.
- International Tensions Affecting Outlook: Comments from Iran's Supreme Leader heightened concerns about ongoing tensions in the Middle East, with expectations that if the situation remains tense, global oil supply could decrease by 8 million barrels per day, further driving up oil prices and potentially leading to a global economic slowdown.
See More
Palantir CEO Claims AI Enhances U.S. Military Capabilities
- AI Military Advantage: Palantir CEO Alex Karp stated on CNBC that artificial intelligence is providing the U.S. and its allies with a unique combat edge in the escalating conflict in Iran and the Middle East, emphasizing that this revolution is a distinctly American phenomenon.
- Data Coordination Capability: Karp highlighted Palantir's platform's ability to effectively link combat data between the U.S. and Middle Eastern allies, particularly after Iranian airstrikes, underscoring its irreplaceable role in security coordination.
- Significant Commercial Growth: Palantir's commercial revenue surged 137% in the fourth quarter to $507 million, indicating rapid growth in its business beyond defense technology, further solidifying the company's market position.
- Strong Stock Performance: Palantir's shares have risen 12% this month, contrasting with a 1.6% decline in the overall Nasdaq, reflecting investor confidence in its future growth potential.
See More
Alphabet's Full-Stack AI Strategy Fuels Growth
- Full-Stack AI Advantage: Alphabet controls its entire AI stack, with projected capital expenditures of $175 billion to $185 billion by 2026, positioning itself to better manage costs and optimize technology, thereby solidifying its market leadership.
- Significant Revenue Growth: In 2025, Alphabet's revenue increased by 15% year-over-year to $402.8 billion, with Google Cloud outperforming at a 34% revenue growth to $58.7 billion, indicating strong demand for enterprise AI infrastructure.
- Successful Gemini Application: The launch of Gemini 3 positions Google's AI assistant on par with OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude, with CEO Sundar Pichai reporting 750 million monthly active users, enhancing user engagement significantly.
- Attractive Valuation for Investment: Although Alphabet's stock trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 28, lower than the Nasdaq-100's 36, its solid growth potential and risk management capabilities make it an ideal choice for investors.
See More
