Ten stocks soared higher on Wednesday, mirroring a broader market rally, as investors took path from a combination of earnings performance and bullish analyst outlooks, among others. Of the said firms, seven hit new record highs.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones led gains by 1.21 percent, followed by the Nasdaq, up 1.18 percent, and the S&P 500 by 1.16 percent.
Indices aside, we spotlight the 10 big names that led Wednesday’s charge and detail the reasons behind their gains.
To come up with the list, we focused exclusively on stocks with a $2 billion market capitalization and 5 million shares in trading volume.
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels
10. Interactive Brokers Group Inc. (NASDAQ:IBKR)
Interactive Brokers Group soared to a new all-time high of $76.37 on Wednesday, up 6.8 percent, as investors took heart from the company’s strong earnings performance in the full year 2025, alongside a price target upgrade from Barclays.
At market close, the stock pared gains to finish the day just up by 6 percent at $75.80 apiece.
In its updated earnings report, Interactive Brokers Group Inc. (NASDAQ:IBKR) said that net income attributable to shareholders last year expanded by 30 percent to $984 million from $755 million in 2024, while total net revenues surged by 20 percent to $6.205 billion from $5.185 billion year-on-year, thanks to a 6 percent jump in interest income.
For the fourth quarter alone, attributable net income jumped by 31 percent to $284 million from $217 million in the same period a year earlier, while total net revenues jumped by 18.4 percent to $1.643 billion from $1.387 billion.
Of the total revenues, commissions amounted to $582 million, or up 22 percent year-on-year on the back of higher customer trading volumes.
Net interest income, on the other hand, increased by 20 percent to $966 million on higher average customer margin loans and customer credit balances and stronger securities lending activity.
Following the results, investment firm Barclays raised its price target for Interactive Brokers Group Inc. (NASDAQ:IBKR) to $83 from $82 previously, while maintaining a “buy” recommendation.
Meanwhile, Interactive Brokers Group Inc. (NASDAQ:IBKR) announced on the same day that its board of directors approved the distribution of a $0.08 quarterly dividend to all common shareholders as of February 27 record, payable on March 13, 2026.
9. iQIYI Inc. (NASDAQ:IQ)
iQIYI snapped a five-day losing streak on Wednesday, jumping by as much as 9.3 percent at intra-day trading to hit $2.1 apiece, as investors resorted to bargain-hunting to take advantage of the previous sessions’ dip, while digesting its its search for the next chief finance officer (CFO).
At market close, the stock pared gains to finish just 4.69 percent higher at $2.01 apiece.
This followed the immediate resignation of Jun Wang from his role as the Finance head on Tuesday amid personal reasons. He will be temporarily replaced by incumbent Finance Senior Vice President Ying Zeng while the company conducts an executive search of candidates for the position.
Wang would continue to serve as an advisor to iQIYI Inc. (NASDAQ:IQ) until May 31, 2026 to ensure a smooth transition.
“I am grateful to Jun for his dedicated service. Jun’s expertise and leadership have been instrumental in significantly strengthening our capital structure and establishing a more resilient financial foundation to support future value creation,” said iQIYI Inc. (NASDAQ:IQ) CEO Yu Gong.
Meanwhile, Zeng has been with the company since February 2017 and has served as the SVP for Finance since January 2022.
Prior to iQIYI Inc. (NASDAQ:IQ), she also served as deputy director of budget control and financial analysis at Baidu Inc. between June 2011 and February 2017. From June 2003 to May 2011, she served as a financial manager of eLong, Inc.
8. Citizens Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:CFG)
Citizens Financial rallied to a new all-time high of $64.27 on Wednesday, up 7.4 percent, as investors cheered its strong earnings performance in the fourth quarter and full year 2025.
At market close, the stock trimmed gains to finish just 7.11 percent higher at $64.06 apiece.
In an updated report, Citizens Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:CFG) said that net income available to shareholders jumped by 23 percent to $1.688 billion from $1.372 billion in 2024.
Meanwhile, total revenues increased by 5.6 percent to $8.247 billion from $7.809 billion, with net interest income contributing the bulk at $5.853 billion, up 3.9 percent from $5.633 billion year-on-year.
For the fourth quarter alone, net income income available to shareholders surged by 33 percent to $489 million from $367 million, while total revenues jumped by 39 percent to $2.157 billion from $1.986 billion.
Of the total revenues, net interest income surged by 8.85 percent to $1.537 billion from $1.412 billion, reflecting higher net interest margins.
“We are pleased to report good fourth quarter and full year results that reflect strong execution of our key growth initiatives and continued improvement in our net interest margin,” said Citizens Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:CFG) Chairman and CEO Bruce Van Saun.
Following the results, Citizens Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:CFG) declared the distribution of $0.46 dividends to all common shareholders as of February 4 record, payable on February 18, 2026.
7. EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT)
EQT Corporation extended its winning streak to a third straight day on Wednesday, jumping by as much as 7 percent to $55.14 at intra-day trading as investors took path from an investment firm’s “buy” recommendation ahead of its earnings results.
At market close, the stock trimmed gains to finish the day just up by 6.51 percent at $54.83 apiece.
In a market report, UBS reiterated its recommendation and a $76 price target on shares of EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT) on optimism that it would report a positive earnings performance in the fourth quarter of 2025.
EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT) is expected to release its financial and operating highlights in the second week of February 2026. Final date has yet to be announced.
Additionally, UBS was confident that EQT Corporation’s (NYSE:EQT) debt level would fall below the $7.5 billion as projected by the company, and is expected to support its debt standing moving forward.
UBS noted lower natural gas prices in recent weeks due to weather-driven Henry Hub price weakness, but said that the energy firm has demonstrated relatively low price volatility as compared with its peers.
6. Teck Resources Ltd. (NYSE:TECK)
Teck Resources rebounded by as much as 7.5 percent at intra-day trading on Wednesday to hit a new 52-week high of $54, as investors took heart from strong production operations that fell within expectations, alongside a reaffirmed growth outlook for 2026.
At market close, the stock trimmed gains to end the day just up by 5.56 percent at $53 apiece.
In an updated report, Teck Resources Ltd. (NYSE:TECK) said that annual zinc in concentrate production stood at 565,000 tons, hitting the higher end of its guidance of 525,000 to 575,000, with bulk of the resources coming from the Red Dog zinc mine in Alaska.
Copper production, on the other hand, hit 453,500 tons, within the guidance range of 415,000 to 465,000 tons, bulk of which was produced from its Quebrada Blanca site and Highland Valley Copper.
In the fourth quarter alone, copper produced ended at 134,100 tons, higher than the 118,600 copper sold, primarily due to a short-term build-up in inventory at Quebrada Blanca as a result of weather and sea conditions in December, which delayed shipments into early 2026.
Meanwhile, refined zinc was at 229,900 tons, also hitting the higher end of its previous outlook of 190,000 to 230,000 tons, as Teck Resources Ltd. (NYSE:TECK) focuses on processing residues over maximizing refined zinc production.
Official results are scheduled to be announced on February 18, 2026.
For 2026, Teck Resources Ltd. (NYSE:TECK) reaffirmed its copper production guidance of 95,000 to 105,000 tons for its Antamina site.
5. Transocean Ltd. (NYSE:RIG)
Transocean climbed to a new 52-week high of $4.72 on Wednesday, up 9.76 percent, as investors cheered the successful first phase of drilling exploration on ConocoPhilips’ Otway Basin project offshore Victoria, Australia.
At market close, the stock trimmed gains to end the day just up by 7.67 percent at $4.63 apiece.
In an updated report, ConocoPhilips confirmed the completion of the first phase which saw significant gas approximately 160 meters above the primary target. The program has utilized Transocean Ltd.’s (NYSE:RIG) Equinox semi-submersible drilling rig.
ConocoPhilips said that it would now move to the next phase of the program, albeit the second phase will no longer be operated by Transocean Ltd. (NYSE:RIG).
In other news earlier this month, the listed drilling services company announced that it recently bagged a $168 million contract for two of its rigs.
Transocean Ltd. (NYSE:RIG) said that its Deepwater Mykonos secured the first contract in Brazil, covering a 302-day campaign which is expected to start in the third quarter of 2026 and contribute approximately $120 million in backlog.
In Norway, three one-well options have been exercised for the Transocean Enabler, covering 105 days of work which is an extension of the rig’s current drilling operations. The Norway project alone is projected to rake in $48 million in backlog.
4. Western Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:WDC)
Western Digital soared to a new all-time high of $244.90 on Wednesday, up 9.8 percent, after earning higher price targets and reaffirming bullish outlooks from two investment companies.
At market close, the stock trimmed gains to finish the day just up by 8.49 percent at $241.90 apiece.
In its market report, Rosenblatt raised its price target for the data storage maker by 64 percent to $275 from $165, while reaffirming a “buy” recommendation.
The revision was based on a more optimistic business outlook for Western Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:WDC), saying that the latter’s build-to-order strategy is expected to provide greater visibility while limiting inventory builds and optimizing manufacturing capacity.
For its part, Bank of America raised its price target for Western Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:WDC) by 30 percent to $257 from $197 previously, while reaffirming its “buy” recommendation, on expectations that the latter would post strong revenue, margins, and earnings per share at its earnings call next Thursday, January 29.
Additionally, BofA said that it anticipates stable prices for Western Digital Corp.’s (NASDAQ:WDC) products as demand continues to outpace supply.
Western Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:WDC) is also set to hold the Innovation Day on February 3, where it would showcase key innovations designed to support the growing demand for data storage by our customers in the AI-driven data economy.
3. Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:INTC)
Intel Corp. rallied to a new 52-week high on Wednesday, as investors loaded portfolios ahead of the results of its earnings performance for the full year and fourth quarter periods of 2025.
At intra-day trading, the stock jumped to its highest price of $54.41, up 12 percent, before trimming gains to end the session just up by 11.74 percent at $54.26 apiece.
Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:INTC) is scheduled to announce its financial and operating highlights after market close on Thursday, January 22. A conference call will be held to elaborate on the results.
For the fourth quarter of the year, Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:INTC) expects to generate between $12.8 billion and $13.8 billion in GAAP revenues and diluted loss per share of $0.14.
Its guidance excludes contributions from Altera following the sale of its majority interest in the third quarter of 2025.
Earlier this month, Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:INTC) earned an “overweight” rating and a $60 price target from KeyBanc on the back of stronger-than-expected data center demand and tighter memory supply in the semiconductor industry.
Additionally, KeyBanc said that it also took into account the company’s improving manufacturing yields, noting that Intel’s 18A process is now more than 60 percent and good enough to ramp up Panther Lake.
2. Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA)
Moderna surged to a new 52-week high of $50 on Wednesday, a 16 percent jump, as investors took heart from the strong results of its clinical study for Intismeran Autogene in Combination With KEYTRUDA(R) in patients with high-risk melanoma.
At market close, the stock pared gains to end the session just up by 15.84 percent at $49.81 apiece.
In an updated report, Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) said that the median five-year follow-up data from the Phase 2b study showed that the therapy reduced death risks of patients by 49 percent as compared to Keytruda alone.
Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) and Merck plan to present further data from follow up analyses of primary and secondary endpoints at an upcoming medical meeting.
In collaboration with Merck, the Phase 3 clinical trial for adjuvant melanoma (INTerpath-001, NCT05933577) is fully enrolled.
Two non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) Phase 3 studies—evaluating adjuvant treatment in patients with completely resected NSCLC and adjuvant treatment for patients with resectable NSCLC after receiving neoadjuvant KEYTRUDA plus platinum-based chemotherapy—are enrolling.
“The randomized Phase 2 study for adjuvant renal cell carcinoma is fully enrolled. Randomized Phase 2 studies for patients with resected muscle invasive and resected non-muscle invasive bladder cancer are enrolling, a Phase 2 study of first-line treatment for patients with metastatic melanoma and a Phase 2 study of first-line treatment for patients with metastatic squamous NSCLC are also enrolling,” Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) said.
1. Lucid Group Inc. (NASDAQ:LCID)
Lucid Group soared by as much as 19.6 percent on Wednesday to hit $11.64 at intra-day trading, as investors took heart from its planned manufacturing expansion in Saudi Arabia.
At market close, the stock trimmed gains to finish up by 17.88 percent at $11.47 apiece.
In a statement, Rockwell Automation said that it sealed a deal with Lucid Group Inc. (NASDAQ:LCID) for the deployment of its enterprise software solutions, including its FactoryTalk manufacturing execution system (MES) software, to manage and optimize production operations across the latter’s general assembly, paint, stamping, body, and powertrain operations.
The FactoryTalk MES platform would also provide Lucid Group Inc. (NASDAQ:LCID) with real-time visibility, traceability, and control across its operations, helping enable production of the company’s future midsize vehicles.
“Lucid’s adoption of FactoryTalk MES is a strategic move that will deliver measurable outcomes in operational efficiency, quality, and scalability,” said Rockwell Automation country head for Saudi Arabia Ahmad Haydar.
“Our software will help Lucid meet its ambitious production goals while ensuring seamless integration with global supply chains and compliance with local standards,” he added.
In other news, Lucid Group Inc. (NASDAQ:LCID) is set to announce the results of its earnings performance for the full year and fourth quarter of 2025, after market close on February 24, 2026.
While we acknowledge the potential of LCID to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than LCID and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.
Disclosure: None. Insider Monkey focuses on uncovering the best investment ideas of hedge funds and insiders. Please subscribe to our free daily e-newsletter to get the latest investment ideas from hedge fund investor letters by entering your email below.
