Ten stocks capped off the trading week boasting strong gains, bucking a mixed broader market, as investors took heart from a series of industry developments and positive company-specific news, among others. Of the 10 stocks, three companies hit new record highs.
Meanwhile, only the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 finished in the green during the day, up 0.28 percent and 0.03 percent, respectively. The Dow Jones dropped by 0.48 percent.
In this article, we identify the 10 top-performing stocks on Friday 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. IREN Ltd. (NASDAQ:IREN)
IREN snapped a three-day losing streak on Friday, jumping 8.46 percent to close at $56.68 apiece as investors repositioned portfolios ahead of the results of its earnings performance for the second quarter of fiscal year 2026.
According to the company, it is scheduled to release its financial and operating highlights after market close on Thursday, February 5.
For the fiscal period, IREN Ltd. (NASDAQ:IREN) is targeting to register $3.4 billion in annualized revenue and expand to 140,000 GPUs to support the expansion of artificial intelligence.
“Our announced expansion to 140k GPUs represents only 16 percent of our 3GW grid-connected power portfolio, providing ample capacity to continue scaling IREN’s AI Cloud platform and drive long-term value creation,” IREN Ltd. (NASDAQ:IREN) co-founder and co-CEO Daniel Roberts earlier said.
“We secured several new multi-year contracts, including a landmark partnership with Microsoft, which solidifies IREN’s position as a leading AI Cloud Service Provider and expands our reach into new hyperscale customer segments,” he added.
9. Hycroft Mining Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:HYMC)
Hycroft soared to a new four-year record on Friday, as investors continued to load up portfolios amid silver and gold’s climb to new all-time highs.
At intra-day trading, Hycroft Mining Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:HYMC) jumped to its highest price of $51.47 before paring gains to end the day just up by 8.48 percent at $50.65 apiece. This as spot prices of silver cracked past the $103 level, while gold ran to as high as $4,988, or just $12 shy of the $5,000 territory.
The rally in precious metals and mining stocks remains boosted by geopolitical tensions between the world’s largest economy and the European Union despite both parties already recalling previously announced tariff plans, as investors stayed cautious amid a volatile and unpredictable US president.
Meanwhile, Hycroft Mining Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:HYMC) announced earlier that it had found the highest grades of silver in the Vortex Silver System at its Nevada site, and that drilling results in all depths and directions show continuity of resources.
Hycroft Mining Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:HYMC) is a US-based gold and silver producer exploring and developing one of the world’s largest precious metals deposits in Nevada.
8. Applied Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:APLD)
Applied Digital snapped a three-day losing streak on Friday, nearly hitting its all-time high, as investors repositioned portfolios after kicking off with the construction of its new 430-megawatt data center in Dallas, Texas.
At intra-day trading, the stock hit its highest price of $39—just $1.2 shy of its all-time high of $40.20—before trimming gains to end the day just up by 8.49 percent at $37.69 apiece.
In a statement on the same day, Applied Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:APLD) said that it has broken ground for Delta Forge 1, an AI factory campus that is capable of supporting 430 MW of total utility power and up to 300 MW of critical IT load.
The facility will feature two 150-MW facilities on a 500-acre land area.
Once fully operational, Applied Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:APLD) expects to generate more than 200 jobs, in addition to long-term contractors.
“Delta Forge 1 represents the next stage of Applied Digital’s growth, as we continue to deliver AI infrastructure through disciplined execution,” Applied Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:APLD) Chairman and CEO Wes Cummins said.
“AI Factories succeed or fail based on how effectively power, cooling and operations are integrated. We believe this campus will be built to scale alongside hyperscale demand while delivering operational certainty for customers and lasting value for the communities where we operate,” he added.
7. Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC)
Ericsson rallied to a new three-year high on Friday, as investors took heart from a strong earnings performance last year and a planned buyback program amounting to 15 billion Swedish krona in a bid to boost investor value.
At intra-day trading, the stock jumped to its highest price of $10.53 before trimming gains to end the session just up by 8.87 percent at $10.43 apiece.
In an updated report, Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) said that it grew its net income for the full-year period by more than 7,000 percent to 28.7 billion Swedish krona from only 400 million Swedish krona in 2024.
Net sales, on the other hand, dipped by 4.5 percent to 236.7 billion Swedish krona from 247.9 billion Swedish krona year-on-year.
In the fourth quarter alone, Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) grew its net profit by 76 percent to 8.6 billion Swedish krona from 4.9 billion Swedish krona in the same period in 2024, while net sales dipped by 5 percent to 69.3 billion Swedish krona from 72.9 billion Swedish krona.
Looking ahead, Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) announced plans to repurchase 15 billion Swedish krona worth of its shares, which will begin upon the publication of its earnings report for the first quarter of 2026.
6. USA Rare Earth Inc. (NASDAQ:USAR)
USA Rare Earth extended its winning streak to a 5th consecutive day on Friday, jumping 9.07 percent to close at $24.77 apiece as investors continued to load up positions amid progress on the development of its Round Top Rare Earth Project in Sierra Blanca, Texas.
In a statement on Thursday, USA Rare Earth Inc. (NASDAQ:USAR) said that it tapped Fluor and WSP as its Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) partners to advance the Definitive Feasibility Study for the said site.
The first phase of the study is targeted to be completed using results from its solvent extraction (SX) pilot work, which is currently underway at its facility in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.
At the same time, USA Rare Earth Inc. (NASDAQ:USAR) plans to operate its demonstration plant in Wheat Ridge, Colorado for at least 2,000 continuous hours, with operations currently expected to conclude in October 2026.
In parallel, USA Rare Earth Inc. (NASDAQ:USAR) expects to carry out confirmatory and geotechnical drilling at Round Top in the first half of 2026, along with a heap leach optimization study, to support mine design and engineering.
“Fluor and WSP are key partners with the experience and expertise required to move Round Top toward commercial delivery,” said Alex Moyes, PhD, Vice President of Mining & Processing at USA Rare Earth.
“Their teams know how to deliver complex mining and processing projects, and that matters as we work to bring a secure, domestic supply of heavy rare earth elements, inclusive of yttrium, into production, along with critical technology metals such as hafnium, zirconium, and gallium. This is another step toward strengthening the US rare earth value chain at a time when reliability and resilience are increasingly important.”
5. TeraWulf Inc. (NASDAQ:WULF)
TeraWulf snapped a three-day losing streak on Friday, jumping 9.54 percent to close at $14.12 apiece and mimicking the rally in technology stocks as investor sentiment was fueled by the easing tensions between the United States and Europe.
TeraWulf Inc. (NASDAQ:WULF) rallied alongside its counterparts, namely Applied Digital Corp. and IREN Ltd., as investors poured funds back into stocks riding the AI wave, supported by the sector’s rapid growth and strong demand.
Meanwhile, investment firm Needham & Company recently reaffirmed its “buy” recommendation and $21 price target for TeraWulf Inc. (NASDAQ:WULF). The figure still marked a 48.7 percent upside from its latest closing price.
Apart from Needham, the data center operator also received an upgraded rating of “outperform” from Keefe, Bruyette, and Woods (KBW), versus “market perform” previously. It issued a new price target of $24, up from $9.50 prior, amid the market’s underestimation of its gradual pivot to high-performance computing services from Bitcoin mining.
According to KBW, it expects TeraWulf Inc. (NASDAQ:WULF) to drive a massive 505 percent CAGR in its EBITDA through 2027 from its existing lease agreements.
4. Americas Gold and Silver Corporation (NYSEAmerican:USAS)
Americas Gold and Silver soared to another 52-week record on Friday, as investors continued to load up portfolios in mining stocks amid precious metals’ surge to new all-time highs.
At intra-day trading, Americas Gold and Silver Corporation (NYSEAmerican:USAS) jumped to its highest price of $9.41 before paring gains to end the day just up by 9.55 percent at $9.29 apiece.
This followed silver spot prices’ jump to the $103 territory, while gold rallied to as high as $4,988—just $12 shy of the $5,000 territory.
The rally in precious metals and mining stocks remains boosted by geopolitical tensions between the world’s largest economy and the European Union despite both parties already recalling previously announced tariff plans, as investors stayed cautious amid a volatile and unpredictable US president.
Further fueling sentiment were news earlier that Americas Gold and Silver Corporation (NYSEAmerican:USAS) hit a record silver production of 2.65 million ounces, up 52 percent from 1.74 million ounces in 2024.
Its Cosala operations in Mexico alone achieved a new annual production record of 1.19 million ounces, driven by a record quarter output of 463,000 ounces for the fourth quarter of 2025.
“We capped off a highly successful and transformative 2025 with a 52 percent increase in attributable silver production to 2.65 million ounces—achieved in a robust and rising silver price environment that significantly amplifies the revenue and cash flow benefits of our expanded output,” said Chairman and CEO Paul Andre Huet.
3. Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ:CRML)
Critical Metals rallied for a second day on Friday, jumping 11.70 percent to close at $20.62 apiece as investors took heart from developments from its potential expansion in Saudi Arabia.
In a regulatory filing, Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ:CRML) said that it inked a memorandum of understanding with Tariq Abdel Hadi Abdullah Al-Qahtani & Brothers Company (TQB) for the establishment of one or more joint ventures for the development and operations of a processing plant and a refining facility in Saudi Arabia.
The mining firm said that rare earth resources would come from its Tanbreez Green Rare Earth Mine in Greenland, which is 42-percent owned by the listed firm.
“The company has now entered into four non-binding term sheets for the offtake of rare-earth concentrate extracted from the Tanbreez Project. There can be no guarantee that the company will enter into binding agreements with TQB, or the other term sheet counterparties, on terms favorable to the company or at all,” it said.
In recent news, Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ:CRML) attracted investor attention amid the United States’ aggressive plan to take over the Nordic country to boost its rare earths production.
It can be recalled that the US has been setting its sights on a potential acquisition of Greenland, a country with massive resources of critical minerals, in line with Trump’s plan to boost domestic production and reduce rare earths dependence on China.
While the initiative earned the ire of European leaders, it sparked rosy prospects for Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ:CRML), which is currently underway with the development of the Tanbreez Rare Earth project.
2. TMC the metals company Inc. (NASDAQ:TMC)
TMC the metals company rallied for a third straight day on Friday, surging 13.46 percent to close at $9.44 apiece following news that it sought the approval of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for its planned exploration in the international waters of the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ).
In a statement, TMC the metals company Inc. (NASDAQ:TMC) said that the submission was aimed at securing an exploration license and a commercial recovery permit for polymetallic nodules, which would cover around 65,000-square kilometers of area in the CCZ, versus a 25,000-km² of recovery permit application in April 2025.
“This new application represents the culmination of more than a decade of disciplined scientific, engineering, and environmental work. It translates years of exploration, testing, and data collection into a single, comprehensive submission for a defined, expanded, and game-changing critical minerals project, with more than 800 million estimated tonnes of nodules containing high-grade nickel, copper, cobalt and manganese—representing a metal grade of approximately 3.2% for nickel equivalent and 7% copper equivalent,” said TMC the metals company Inc. (NASDAQ:TMC) Chairman and CEO Gerard Barron.
“We believe it demonstrates both the maturity of our project and our readiness to proceed to commercial operations under the U.S. regulatory framework,” he added.
1. EquipmentShare.com Inc. (NASDAQ:EQPT)
EquipmentShare soared by 32.90 percent in its first day as a publicly listed company, suggesting strong investor interest for its business that supported the successful raising of $747.3 million in fresh funds.
During the session, EquipmentShare.com Inc. (NASDAQ:EQPT) opened the day at $28.50, jumped to its highest price of $33, then trimmed gains to end the day just up by 32.90 percent at $32.56 apiece. It priced its initial public offering at $24.50.
Founded in 2015 by brothers Jabbok and Willy Schlacks, EquipmentShare.com Inc. (NASDAQ:EQPT) is engaged in construction equipment rental, sales, and technology services, connecting workers and construction equipment and materials across jobsites.
The IPO came at a time of strong investor interest in the property industry, thanks to lower interest rates, and ahead of the Federal Reserve’s next open market committee meeting, where economists are expecting an interest rate cut.
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