U.S. stock futures traded modestly higher on Thursday as market participants absorbed another round of corporate earnings and the repercussions from a strong monthly jobs report. Several individual names registered sizable premarket swings after companies released quarterly results or disclosed other material developments.
Below are some of the most active premarket stock movers and the factors cited for their moves:
- Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) - Shares fell 7.1% after the networking equipment maker reported quarterly adjusted gross margin that came in below market estimates. The company said it is dealing with the impact of a global memory price increase, a factor that pressured its profitability metrics.
- McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) - The restaurant operator added 0.4% after exceeding estimates for fourth-quarter global comparable sales and profit. The company cited meal deals and strong marketing promotions for drawing budget-conscious U.S. diners, while demand remained steady in Australia and the U.K.
- Restaurant Brands (NYSE:QSR) - Shares rose 2.3% after reporting fourth-quarter comparable sales above analyst expectations, supported by resilient traffic trends at Burger King and Tim Hortons.
- Applovin (NASDAQ:APP) - The mobile marketing platform’s stock dropped 7.1% despite posting fourth-quarter results that topped expectations. The firm has lost nearly a third of its market value in the first six weeks of the year and has faced renewed selling pressure following Google’s rollout of its Genie 3 update, which intensified concerns about disruption in mobile advertising technology and gaming.
- Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) - The chipmaking-equipment supplier fell 1.2% after the U.S. Department of Commerce announced a $252 million settlement with the company related to illegal exports of equipment to China.
- Crocs (NASDAQ:CROX) - Shares jumped 13% after the footwear maker beat fourth-quarter earnings expectations and issued a stronger-than-expected profit outlook for fiscal 2026.
- Tripadvisor (NASDAQ:TRIP) - The online travel company’s stock slid 4.2% after missing fourth-quarter earnings and revenue estimates amid what the company described as a competitive operating environment.
- Zoetis (NYSE:ZTS) - Shares gained 5.1% after the animal health company reported fourth-quarter revenue up 3%, beating expectations, and provided robust guidance for full-year 2026.
- Icon (NASDAQ:ICLR) - The healthcare-services company dropped 33% after announcing an ongoing internal investigation into certain accounting practices and controls.
- Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX) - Shares rallied 15% after the biotechnology firm said it plans to advance its oral obesity drug candidate into Phase 3 in the third quarter of this year.
The moves underscore a market environment where earnings beats do not always translate into positive price reaction, and where regulatory or accounting developments can trigger outsized declines. Technology hardware, advertising technology and travel-related stocks were among the names most affected in premarket trading.