Stock market futures indicated a lower opening on Thursday, February 19, influenced by Walmart’s unexpected earnings outlook, alongside heightened tensions between the United States and Iran. Oil prices surged over 1% following significant gains from the previous day, with Brent crude trading above $71 a barrel and the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) exceeding $66.
Walmart’s shares remained largely unchanged after the retailer projected its full-year earnings within the range of $2.75 to $2.95 per share, which fell short of the consensus estimate of $2.96 according to LSEG data. Under the leadership of newly appointed CEO John Furner, this earnings guidance appears to serve as a means to reset market expectations amidst a backdrop of slow food inflation, recorded at just 1% in the fourth quarter. Additionally, Walmart announced a substantial $30 billion stock buyback program.
In corporate news, Boeing reported strong momentum, securing nearly 100 jet orders from three Vietnamese airlines, marking continued growth for the aerospace giant. As CEO Kelly Ortberg’s turnaround plan shows progress, analysts anticipate a significant earnings breakout from Boeing, suggesting that investors should consider getting in ahead of this potential upswing.
Deere also revealed an upward revision of its earnings forecast for 2026, now estimating profits between $4.5 billion and $5 billion, surpassing its previous range of $4 billion to $4.75 billion. This update reflects a rebound in its construction and small agriculture segments, resulting in a 6% increase in its share price.
eBay experienced a remarkable quarter and bolstered its first-quarter outlook, leading to a 6% gain in its stock price. The company announced a $1.2 billion acquisition of Depop, a secondhand fashion platform, from Etsy. Following this announcement, Goldman Sachs upgraded eBay’s rating from sell to hold, indicating a renewed interest in the company.
Needham upgraded Analog Devices to ‘buy’ from ‘hold’ following strong quarterly results. Oppenheimer also increased its price target for the chipmaker to $400, up from $350, indicating a potential upside of 15.5% from the previous close. The company’s strong performance in its data center business, which grew by 50% in 2025, has positioned it well within the industry.
In aviation news, American Airlines has opted for CFM International’s LEAP-1A engines to power its upcoming delivery of Airbus A321neo jets. CFM International is a joint venture owned by GE Aerospace and Safran, with these engines set to enhance the carrier’s fleet that was ordered approximately two years ago.
DoorDash shares rose more than 9% after they initially dropped in late trading due to fourth-quarter earnings and revenue results that fell below expectations. CEO Tony Xu pointed out the strong performance from Deliveroo, the British delivery service DoorDash acquired in 2025, despite the stock being down over 23% year to date.
Evercore included Dell on its “Tactical Outperform” list while maintaining a buy rating ahead of Dell’s upcoming quarterly earnings. However, analysts did revise their price target downward from $180 to $160, citing continued strong demand for both traditional hardware and AI computing.
Conversely, Wayfair’s shares fell over 11% despite the retailer reporting fourth-quarter results that surpassed expectations and indicated market share gains. Although its annual sales grew for the first time since 2020, the company still reported net losses. Wayfair’s guidance for the first quarter projected mid-single-digit revenue growth, slightly below the FactSet consensus of 6%.
Overall, the day promises significant developments as markets react to these corporate updates and macroeconomic factors.
