US Stocks Rebound as Meta's AI Plans Draw Attention
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 10 hours ago
0mins
Source: CNBC
- Market Rebound: US stocks rebounded on Thursday with the S&P 500 gaining nearly 1% and the Nasdaq rising over 1%, as investor concerns about escalating military conflict between the US and Iran eased, leading to lower bond yields and oil prices that supported equities.
- Meta's AI Plans: Meta Platforms plans to significantly ramp up its AI computing capacity next year, and while the market remains divided on its AI roadmap, the newly unveiled Muse Park 1.1 model is seen as its strongest for coding and agentic work, potentially opening new monetization avenues for the company.
- Cardinal Health Outlook: Cowen raised Cardinal Health's price target from $255 to $275, anticipating that its fiscal year 2027 earnings per share will exceed the consensus estimate of $12.04, although interest in healthcare stocks has waned in the market.
- FedEx New Initiative: FedEx launched FedEx Life Sciences to support the transportation of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, aiming to grow its healthcare business into a $10 billion market, and while this may overlap with Cardinal Health's operations, analysts believe it won't significantly disrupt their business.
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Analyst Views on HON
Wall Street analysts forecast HON stock price to rise
15 Analyst Rating
8 Buy
6 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 220.360
Low
195.00
Averages
235.07
High
262.00
Current: 220.360
Low
195.00
Averages
235.07
High
262.00
About HON
Honeywell International Inc. is a global, pure-play automation company. The Company serves the building, industrial, and process sectors with a portfolio of services, solutions, and products supported by its Honeywell Technologies Accelerator operating system and Honeywell Technologies Forge intelligence layer. It provides solutions in Building Automation, Process Automation and Technology and Industrial Automation segments across refineries, mines, plants, power grids, data centers, hospitals and others. Its Building Automation segment develops the products, software, solutions and technologies that enable building owners and occupants to ensure their facilities are safe and energy efficient. Its Process Automation and Technology segment provides end-to-end automation and technology solutions. Its industrial automation solutions that deliver sustainable and secure operations for customers in the refining, petrochemicals, life sciences, utilities and warehouse and logistics segments.
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.
- Earnings Guidance Upgrade: Honeywell raised its 2026 adjusted earnings per share forecast to $7.90-$8.30 following a one-for-two reverse stock split, significantly up from the previous $3.95-$4.15, indicating a strong improvement in profitability and boosting market confidence.
- Optimistic H2 Outlook: The company anticipates adjusted EPS for the second half to be $4.40-$4.70, a substantial increase from the prior $2.20-$2.35, reflecting robust business momentum that may attract more investor interest.
- Stable Sales Projections: Honeywell expects full-year sales between $19.9 billion and $20.2 billion, with H2 sales projected at $10.1 billion to $10.3 billion, demonstrating stable performance and ongoing revenue growth potential in the market.
- Impact of Share Reduction: The reverse stock split reduced Honeywell's outstanding shares from 634 million to 317 million, which not only enhances earnings per share metrics but may also improve investor perception of the stock, increasing its market appeal.
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- Market Rebound: US stocks rebounded on Thursday with the S&P 500 gaining nearly 1% and the Nasdaq rising over 1%, as investor concerns about escalating military conflict between the US and Iran eased, leading to lower bond yields and oil prices that supported equities.
- Meta's AI Plans: Meta Platforms plans to significantly ramp up its AI computing capacity next year, and while the market remains divided on its AI roadmap, the newly unveiled Muse Park 1.1 model is seen as its strongest for coding and agentic work, potentially opening new monetization avenues for the company.
- Cardinal Health Outlook: Cowen raised Cardinal Health's price target from $255 to $275, anticipating that its fiscal year 2027 earnings per share will exceed the consensus estimate of $12.04, although interest in healthcare stocks has waned in the market.
- FedEx New Initiative: FedEx launched FedEx Life Sciences to support the transportation of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, aiming to grow its healthcare business into a $10 billion market, and while this may overlap with Cardinal Health's operations, analysts believe it won't significantly disrupt their business.
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- Market Rebound: Following President Trump's suggestion that Iran may seek a deal, Wall Street saw a rebound with the Nasdaq Composite rising 0.9% and the S&P 500 gaining 0.6%, reflecting investor optimism about diplomatic resolutions to conflicts.
- Chip Sector Investment: Micron Technology's announcement of a $3 billion investment in the U.S. semiconductor supply chain led to a 7.5% surge in its stock, also boosting shares of AMD and Broadcom, indicating strong market confidence in the chip industry.
- Oil Price Fluctuations: Trump's comments on Iran caused the United States Oil Fund to drop 2.7%, erasing most of Wednesday's gains, although optimism about diplomatic solutions persists, geopolitical risks remain high.
- Honeywell's Continued Decline: Honeywell International's stock fell another 9.2% post-spinoff, totaling a 25% drop over three days, raising concerns about its future profitability in the market.
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- Oil Price Fluctuation: President Trump's suggestion that Iran is seeking to negotiate a new deal led to a sharp decline in oil prices, with the United States Oil Fund dropping 2.7%, nearly erasing Wednesday's gains, indicating that market optimism about a diplomatic resolution may be overly aggressive.
- Semiconductor Sector Recovery: Micron Technology's announcement of a $3 billion investment in the U.S. semiconductor supply chain resulted in a 7.5% stock price increase, while AMD and the iShares Semiconductor ETF rose by 7.2% and 5.2%, respectively, reflecting growing confidence in the profitability of hardware companies.
- Dow Jones Weak Performance: The Dow Jones Industrial Average only gained 0.3%, primarily dragged down by Honeywell International's continued decline, which has seen its stock drop approximately 25% over three trading sessions post-spinoff, indicating a poor market reaction to its updated earnings guidance.
- Market Sentiment Shift: Despite Trump's dovish comments bringing short-term optimism, ongoing military conflicts between the U.S. and Iran increase uncertainty about future trends, prompting investors to closely monitor the upcoming earnings season to assess industry outlooks.
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- Market Rebound: Stocks rose on Thursday despite heightened U.S.-Iran tensions and rising oil prices, showcasing market resilience, particularly in the tech sector where hardware and chip stocks like Micron surged 7.5%.
- Software Stocks Under Pressure: In stark contrast, software companies such as Salesforce saw a 2.5% decline after KeyBanc downgraded its rating from buy to hold, indicating a shift in capital flows that Jim Cramer attributes to the dynamics of artificial intelligence funding.
- Meta's AI Investment: Meta announced plans to manufacture its own AI chip, aiming to expand its computing capacity to 14 gigawatts next year; despite investor concerns over increased AI spending, Jim believes this reflects strong underlying demand rather than excess capacity.
- Honeywell Aerospace Performance: Shares of Honeywell Aerospace fell another 2% on Thursday, which Jim suggests may be typical volatility following a spin-off rather than a deterioration in business fundamentals, maintaining his strong conviction in the company's future prospects as shares approach a level he would consider adding to the Club's position.
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- EPS Guidance Boost: Honeywell's implementation of a 1-for-2 reverse stock split has doubled its adjusted EPS guidance to $7.90 to $8.30 for the full year and $4.40 to $4.70 for the second half, indicating a significant improvement in the company's profitability outlook.
- Stable Sales Outlook: The company has maintained its full-year sales forecast between $19.9 billion and $20.2 billion, with an expected organic growth of 2% to 3%, demonstrating Honeywell's stability and potential for continued growth in the market.
- Business Focus Transformation: Following the spinoff of its aerospace division, Honeywell Technologies is now concentrating on Building, Industrial, and Process Automation, under CEO Vimal Kapur's leadership, aiming to enhance its competitive edge in high-margin sectors.
- Positive Market Reaction: Honeywell Technologies' stock rose over 1% after updating its 2026 guidance, reflecting renewed investor interest and confidence in the company's evolution into a pure-play industrial automation firm.
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