Ten stocks boasted a strong performance on Wednesday, outperforming Wall Street’s major indices, thanks to company-specific developments that significantly bolstered buying appetite.
The stocks grew between 7 and 38 percent, while Wall Street’s main indices eked out only marginal gains during the day.
In this article, we focus on the companies that led Wednesday’s charge and break down the reasons behind their gains.
To come up with the list, we considered the stocks with at least $2 billion in market capitalization and 5 million shares in trading volume.
A man in black suit holding a tablet looks at stock market data on a monitor. Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels
10. Albemarle Corp, (NYSE:ALB)
Albemarle Corp. rallied for a second day on Wednesday, adding 7.54 percent to close at $87.68 apiece as investors took path from an investment company’s rating upgrade for its stock.
In a market note on Tuesday, UBS raised its price target for Albemarle Corp, (NYSE:ALB) to $89 from $62 previously, marking a 9.16-percent upside potential from its closing price of $81.53 on the same day. It also upgraded its rating for the stock to “neutral” from “sell” previously.
According to UBS, its revision reflected optimism over China’s ongoing intervention in the stabilization of lithium supply, which it sees would bolster prices by 20 percent in 2026.
For next year, UBS said it expects some 100,000 metric tons of net lithium supply to be slashed as a result of site closures and reduced production initiatives at 10 sites in China. He said this could cut oversupply by around 6 percent and support a price surge to around $12 to $13 per kg, as compared with the $10 per kg it predicted previously.
With that said, UBS said its outlook for Albemarle Corp, (NYSE:ALB) has become more balanced now, but with a higher chance of moving higher in the future.
9. American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE:AEO)
American Eagle snapped a two-day losing streak on Wednesday, adding 8.54 percent to finish at $13.22 apiece as investors cheered its newly announced partnership with National Football League (NFL) star tight end and now Taylor Swift’s fiancee, Travis Kelce.
On Tuesday, American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE:AEO) officially launched a limited edition product collaboration with Travis Kelce through his own brand, Tru Kolors, after more than a year in the making.
“American Eagle and Travis Kelce were destined to collaborate. An iconic brand teaming up with one of the greatest athletes of our generation—that’s what I call a win,” said American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE:AEO) President Jennifer Foyle.
Launching in two drops on Wednesday and on September 24, the collection features more than 90 pieces priced between $14.95 and $179.95. The collection includes vintage-inspired t-shirts, jackets, sweaters, polo shirts, and utility cargos, among others.
The AE x Tru Kolors by Travis Kelce campaign will debut to consumers across the globe through a series of ad placements across all social media platforms, among others.
8. PureCycle Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:PCT)
PureCycle extended its rally to a second day on Wednesday, jumping 9.26 percent to close at $14.86 apiece as investors turned optimistic about the potential implications of a newly secured certification to its sales.
In a statement, PureCycle Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:PCT) said it successfully received a Post-Consumer Resin (PCR) certification for its primary grade of PureFive resin, HPP15-100, from the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR).
The grade was said to be of high interest to consumers looking for a one-pellet solution that can work in applications where it has historically been difficult to introduce recycled content.
The certification, on the other hand, could bolster the chances for PureCycle Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:PCT) to become a preferred supplier to customers that require certified recycled content.
“[It is] great to have this certification that validates the source of our recycled content. A reliable, transparent market for post-consumer material is a critical step in building a circular economy and reducing plastic waste,” said PureCycle Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:PCT) CEO Dustin Olson.
“We’ve seen an increasing demand from our customers for third-party certifications, such as APRs, and we expect this certification to assist in the ongoing commercialization of our PureFive resin,” he added.
7. Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LUMN)
Lumen Technologies climbed by 12.37 percent on Wednesday to close at $5.27 apiece as investors cheered its newly sealed partnership with Pac-12 Enterprises to reinvent a new era in sports broadcasting.
In a statement, Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) said it was tapped by Pac-12 Enterprises for its Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) technology, which would support the latter’s sports broadcasting in a faster, more flexible, and cheaper way.
With Lumen Technologies, Inc.’s (NYSE:LUMN) NaaS, Pac-12 Enterprises will be able to produce hundreds of games this year with the flexibility to scale bandwidth on demand in minutes, lower production costs, and deliver seamless, high-quality broadcasts with fewer people on the ground.
“Live sports broadcasts demand flawless execution – near zero delay, rock-solid reliability, and the power to spin up bandwidth instantly, ensuring fans get a front-row experience with every game, no matter where they are,” said Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) Chief Technology and Product Officer Dave Ward.
“With our Network-as-a-Service platform, Pac 12 Enterprises can instantly dial up bandwidth – delivering the speed, reliability, and control that modern productions demand,” he added.
6. Aspen Insurance Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:AHL)
Aspen Insurance surged by 13.72 percent on Wednesday to finish at $36.63 apiece following news that it was set to be acquired by a Japan-based insurance giant for $3.5 billion.
In a statement, Aspen Insurance Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:AHL) said that it entered into a definitive agreement with a wholly owned subsidiary of Sompo International Holdings Ltd. for an all-cash merger transaction, under which the latter will acquire all of its issued and outstanding shares at a price of $37.50 apiece.
The purchase price marks a premium of 35.6 percent to Aspen Insurance Holdings Ltd.’s (NYSE:AHL) share price of $27.66 on August 19, 2025, and 24.6 percent to its 30-day volume-weighted average price as of August 19, 2025.
The transaction was both approved by the two parties’ board of directors and is expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to closing conditions, including the approvals of antitrust watchdogs, insurance regulators, and shareholders.
“Sompo is a highly regarded brand and through this process it has become clear that they represent a long-term owner for Aspen that respects our business and shares our values and ethos. This transaction represents an excellent outcome for Aspen and our shareholders, while Sompo’s scale and capital strength will create significant opportunities for our customers, trading partners and colleagues,” said Aspen Insurance Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:AHL) Executive Chairman and CEO James Shea.
5. nCino, Inc. (NASDAQ:NCNO)
nCino grew its share price by 13.94 percent on Wednesday to end at $32.69 apiece after beating its revenue guidance for the second quarter and raising its growth outlook for the full fiscal year of 2026.
In its updated report, banking solutions provider nCino, Inc. (NASDAQ:NCNO) said revenues in the second quarter jumped by 12 percent to $148.8 million from $132.4 million in the same period last year and exceeded its earlier guidance of $142 million to $144 million, thanks to higher subscription revenues during the period.
Net loss, however, remained higher by 37.7 percent at $15.2 million versus $11.04 million in the same comparable period.
Following the results, nCino, Inc. (NASDAQ:NCNO) raised its growth outlook across all key metrics for the full fiscal period, with revenues now targeted to hit $585 million to $589 million, versus the $578.5 million to $582.5 million expected previously.
Subscription revenues were also increased to a range of $513.5 million to $517.5 million, from the $507 million to $511 million prior.
For the third quarter alone, revenues were pegged at $146 million to $148 million, while subscription revenues were targeted at $127.5 million to $129.5 million.
4. Coty Inc. (NYSE:COTY)
Coty snapped a two-day losing streak on Wednesday, surging 13.82 percent to close at $4.2 apiece as investors mirrored an insider buying transaction made recently.
In a regulatory filing, Coty Inc. (NYSE:COTY) said its chief executive officer (CEO) Sue Nabi and chief people and purpose officer Priya Srinivasan bought 260,000 and 30,000 shares, respectively, on August 22.
Nabi acquired the stocks at a price of $3.916 apiece, while Srinivasan purchased the shares at $3.84.
Following the transaction, Nabi’s ownership in the company increased to more than 32.1 million shares.
In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025, Coty Inc. (NYSE:COTY) narrowed its net loss attributable to shareholders by 28 percent to $72.1 million from $100.2 million in the same period last year. Net revenues were lower by 8 percent at $1.25 billion versus $1.36 billion year-on-year.
For the full fiscal year, Coty Inc. (NYSE:COTY) swung to a net loss attributable to shareholders of $381.1 million from an attributable net income of $76.2 million. Net revenues decreased by 3.4 percent to $5.89 billion from $6.1 billion year-on-year.
3. EchoStar Corp. (NASDAQ:SATS)
EchoStar extended its winning streak to a fourth consecutive day on Wednesday, jumping 15.51 percent to close at $58.76 apiece as investors continued to gobble up shares following its $23 billion sale of wireless spectrum licenses to AT&T, effectively resolving one of its biggest regulatory hurdles that once feared would put the company into bankruptcy.
In a statement, EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ:SATS) said it entered into a definitive agreement with AT&T for the sale of its 3.45 GHz and 600 MHz spectrum licenses—a total of 50 MHz of nationwide spectrum—as part of its resolution to its battle with the Federal Communications Commission.
In addition, EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ:SATS) and AT&T amended their network services agreement to create a hybrid mobile network operator (MNO) relationship.
The license sale will enable rapid deployment of the purchased spectrum to US consumers across the country, with AT&T given the option to lease the spectrum, pending the closing of the spectrum sale.
Through Boost Mobile’s hybrid MNO infrastructure, subscribers will continue to receive service through its cloud-native 5G core, primarily connected to AT&T’s nationwide network.
Boost Mobile users will also retain access to T-Mobile’s network, while AT&T will provide the main coverage. However, Boost Mobile’s radio access network will be gradually decommissioned as part of the transition.
Following the announcement, EchoStar Corp. (NASDAQ:SATS) shares already spiked up by 97 percent in just the past two trading days.
2. Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC (NASDAQ:PSNY)
Polestar surged for a second straight day on Wednesday, jumping 17.12 percent to close at $1.3 apiece as investors reacted positively to news that the European Union was expediting efforts to remove tariffs on US industrial goods in a bid to meet trade conditions jointly approved with President Donald Trump.
The move sparked optimism among investors for European firms, including Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC (NASDAQ:PSNY), with the removal of tariffs on US industrial goods among the US conditions for it to lower auto taxes being imposed on European carmakers.
Once met, the US will effectively reduce its tariffs on European cars from 27.5 percent to the baseline 15 percent.
Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC (NASDAQ:PSNY) is a Swedish company that also operates and sells in the US.
In recent news, it grew its retail sales volume by 38 percent in the second quarter of the year to 18,049 from 13,072 in the same period last year, putting its first half sales volume to 30,319, or a 51-percent jump from 20,047 in the same period last year.
1. MongoDB, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDB)
MongoDB soared by 37.96 percent on Wednesday to close at $295.70 apiece as investor sentiment was bolstered by its impressive earnings performance in the second quarter of the year and a higher price target from an investment firm.
In an updated report, MongoDB, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDB) said net loss narrowed by 13.76 percent to $47 million from $54.5 million in the same period last year. Revenues increased by 23.7 percent to $591 million from $478 million.
In the first half, net loss narrowed by 37 percent to $84.67 million from $135 million, while revenues grew by 22.7 percent to $1.14 billion from $929 million in the same comparable period.
Following the results, MongoDB, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDB) earned a higher price target of $265 from Macquarie, versus the $230 previously. However, the investment firm remained neutral for its stock.
According to Macquarie, MongoDB, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:MDB) strategic shift in its go-to-market approach appears to be gaining ground, as it now focuses on strategic accounts and winning higher-quality workloads.
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