Ten stocks roared higher on Wednesday, mimicking a rally in the broader market on expectations that more countries will strike a trade deal with the US.
Wall Street’s main indices all closed in the green territory, led by the Nasdaq with 0.94 percent, followed by the S&P 500 with 0.61 percent, and the Dow Jones at 0.49 percent.
In this article, we focused on the 10 best-performing mid-cap companies on the stock market, which were noticeably dominated by biotechnology and power sectors, and detailed the reasons behind their gains.
To come up with the list, we considered only the stocks with at least $2 billion in market capitalization and over 5 million shares in trading volume.
10. Riot Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:RIOT)
Riot Platforms saw its share prices increase by 5.79 percent on Wednesday to close at $12.24 apiece following an investment firm’s bullish recommendation for its stock, while tracking the all-time high rally of Bitcoin.
In a market note, Northland Securities reaffirmed its “buy” recommendation for Riot Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:RIOT) with a price target of $15. The figure marked a 22.5-percent upside from its latest closing price.
Meanwhile, Riot Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:RIOT) benefited from Bitcoin’s rally to an all-time high, with the cryptocurrency hitting its highest price of $111,907.49 amid growing institutional interest and a resurgence in retail demand.
Last month, Riot Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:RIOT) said it mined a total of 450 Bitcoins, a jump of 76 percent from the 255 in the same month last year, but lower by 12 percent from the 514 mined in May 2025.
In the same month, the company also sold 397 Bitcoins, pushing its total holdings to 19,273.
9. Sunrun Inc. (NASDAQ:RUN)
Sunrun bounced back on Wednesday from the previous day’s losses, jumping 6.76 percent to close at $10.51 as investors took heart from an investment firm’s upgraded rating on its stock.
In a market report, Jefferies raised its stock rating for Sunrun Inc. (NASDAQ:RUN) to “hold” from “underperform” previously, while setting a price target of $11, more than double the $5 prior. The new price target represented a 4.66 percent upside from its latest closing price.
According to Jefferies, its upward revision was based on the approval of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which maintained solar credits through 2027 and storage through 2035 after previously seeking to axe such credits.
Meanwhile, consumer credit 25D is set to expire by year-end, which Jefferies expects Sunrun Inc. (NASDAQ:RUN) to benefit from on expectations of more lease and power purchase agreements.
Jefferies, however, remained cautious about the US residential solar market in general, projecting it to decline by double digits by next year as the 25D expiration takes effect.
8. CleanSpark, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLSK)
CleanSpark extended its rally for a second day on Wednesday, adding 12.47 percent to close at $7.5 apiece as investor sentiment was fueled by Bitcoin prices rallying to a new all-time high.
On Wednesday, Bitcoin hit as high as $111,907.49 amid growing institutional interest and a resurgence in retail demand.
The rally spilled over to Bitcoin mining stocks, including CleanSpark, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLSK), Riot Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:RIOT), and Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:MSTR), among others.
Investor optimism was further supported by news reports that the Mountain City government has approved a rezoning request that could pave the way for the establishment of a Bitcoin mining facility.
With a 3-1 vote, the Mountain City Board of Mayor and Aldermen reportedly approved the rezoning request on a 50-acre site.
It can be recalled that CleanSpark, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLSK) was planning to construct a 30-megawatt Bitcoin mining facility in Mountain City.
7. Summit Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:SMMT)
Summit Therapeutics jumped by 7.61 percent on Wednesday, a second day, to close at $24.74 apiece as reports about a $15-billion partnership with AstraZeneca continued to excite investors.
In a report by Bloomberg last week, Summit Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:SMMT) was reportedly in talks with AstraZeneca to license its experimental lung cancer drug Ivonescimab.
The deal could include an upfront payment of several billion dollars to Summit Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:SMMT) on top of milestone payments later on.
However, a deal remains not guaranteed as Summit Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:SMMT) could still opt for a different licensing partner.
The negotiations followed Summit Therapeutics Inc.’s (NASDAQ:SMMT) $5-billion licensing deal with China-based Akeso in December 2022.
Ivonescimab is an investigational therapy that has yet to be approved by any regulatory authority other than China’s National Medical Products Administration.
6. Astera Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALAB)
Astera Labs jumped by 8.19 percent on Wednesday to end at $99.86 each as investors repositioned portfolios ahead of the release of its second quarter financial and operating performance.
In a statement, Astera Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALAB) said that it is scheduled to release earnings performance for the period on August 5, 2025, to be followed by a conference call at 4:30 PM Eastern Time.
Astera Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALAB) expects revenues for the second quarter to settle between $170 million and $175 million, with diluted earnings per share of $0.10 to $0.11.
In the first quarter of the year, the company swung to a net income of $31.8 million from a $93-million net loss in the same period last year. Revenues expanded by 144 percent to $159 million from $65 million year-on-year.
Astera Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALAB) is a semiconductor company providing solutions for cloud and AI infrastructures.
5. CRISPR Therapeutics AG (NASDAQ:CRSP)
Crispr Therapeutics rallied for a second day on Wednesday, adding 9.6 percent to close at $60.08 apiece, tracking the rally in the biotechnology sector and the broader market.
During the session, the biotechnology industry rose by 3.58 percent amid a flurry of developments in the sector. Meanwhile, Wall Street’s main indices all finished in the green territory.
Additionally, investors may have begun repositioning portfolios ahead of the release of second-quarter earnings results. Based on its historical reporting dates, CRISPR Therapeutics AG (NASDAQ:CRSP) will announce its financial and operating results in the first week of August.
In the first quarter of the year, CRISPR Therapeutics AG (NASDAQ:CRSP) widened its net loss by 17 percent to $136 million from $116 million previously.
Revenues, however, jumped by 71.6 percent to $865 million from $504 million year-on-year.
4. Bloom Energy Corporation (NYSE:BE)
Bloom Energy soared by 18.15 percent on Wednesday to finish at $28.71 apiece as investors cheered JPMorgan’s bullish rating revision for its stock.
In a market note, JPMorgan raised its stock rating for Bloom Energy Corporation (NYSE:BE) to “overweight” from “neutral” previously, with an 83-percent price target bump to $33 from $18 prior. The new figure marked a 14.9-percent upside from Bloom Energy Corporation’s (NYSE:BE) latest closing price.
According to JPMorgan, the upward revision was based on the reinstatement of federal tax credits for fuel cells under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, where the inclusion of fuel cells under the 48E investment tax credit should improve the company’s pricing power and drive higher demand.
With the inclusion, Bloom Energy Corporation (NYSE:BE) is expected to accelerate its revenues and margin growth beginning next year, with JPMorgan projecting EBITDA to $420 million on $2.21 billion revenues.
“We believe the tax credit should provide pricing power for [Bloom Energy Corporation (NYSE:BE)] in conversations with data centers, while also increasing demand from more price-sensitive (non-data center) customers,” the investment firm said.
3. The AES Corporation (NYSE:AES)
AES Corporation soared by 19.78 percent on Wednesday to close at $13.26 apiece as investors gobbled up shares following reports that it was exploring a sale.
According to a report by Bloomberg, The AES Corporation (NYSE:AES) is mulling over selling the company after receiving takeover interests from large investment companies, namely BlackRock’s (BLK) Global Infrastructure Partners unit and Brookfield Asset Management.
The potential sale followed The AES Corporation’s (NYSE:AES) loss of about half of its value over the past two years.
The power sector has seen a growing acquisition interest from large companies recently due to the increasing need for power to support the growing needs of the power-hungry Artificial Intelligence data centers.
This year alone, Blackstone’s infrastructure unit took over TXNM Energy, which provides electricity to New Mexico and Texas, for $11.5 billion through a combination of cash and debt.
2. Verona Pharma plc (NASDAQ:VRNA)
Verona Pharma surged by 20.62 percent on Wednesday to end at $104.77 per share following news that it was being acquired by US-based pharmaceutical company Merck for $10 billion.
In a statement, Merck said that it entered into a definitive agreement with Verona Pharma plc (NASDAQ:VRNA), under which the former, through its subsidiary, will acquire the company’s American Depositary Shares at a price of $107 apiece.
“This acquisition of Verona Pharma reflects the commitment we have to delivering innovative treatments to patients and our ability to execute on our science-led and value-driven business development strategy,” said Merck Chairman and CEO Robert Davis.
For his part, Verona Pharma plc (NASDAQ:VRNA) President and CEO David Zaccardelli said that the agreement “is the culmination of years of focus and determination by the Verona Pharma team advancing Ohtuvayre, the first novel inhaled mechanism for the maintenance treatment of COPD in two decades.”
“Since launching Ohtuvayre in August 2024, we have seen rapid and accelerating uptake in the US. We believe Merck’s commercial footprint and industry-leading clinical capabilities will help accelerate the potential of Ohtuvayre to reach more patients living with COPD. This agreement will enable the strong launch trajectory of this important medicine and provide value to Verona Pharma shareholders,” he noted.
1. Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ:PLUG)
Plug Power skyrocketed by 25.35 percent on Wednesday to end at $1.78 apiece following news that it deepened its partnership with a long-time US-based industrial gas company for the supply of liquid hydrogen through 2030.
In a statement, Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ:PLUG) said that it will continue to receive liquid hydrogen supply from its partner while immediately reducing the cost and collaborating on improved network efficiency.
“This expanded agreement supports our mission to build on our already robust and resilient hydrogen network in the US,” said Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ:PLUG) CEO Andy Marsh. “As we continue to scale our applications business and build long-term partnerships with customers, reliable supply and cost efficiency are critical.”
Plug is ramping up its generation network to ensure a reliable, domestically produced supply, with hydrogen plants currently operational in Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana. For this year alone, the company is looking to launch 40 new sites, anticipating continued growth in the industry in 2026 onwards.
While we acknowledge the potential of PLUG 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 PLUG 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 funds’ investor letters by entering your email below.
