Major U.S. indices ended Thursday in the red, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipping 0.2% to 52,552.97. The S&P 500 declined 0.51% to 7,533.77, while the Nasdaq dropped 1.47% to 25,881.95.
Across U.S. equity markets, trading was mixed beneath the surface at midday, with gains in defensive and value stocks offsetting weakness in chipmakers and speculative technology shares, prompting a rotation into smaller-cap stocks.
These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors through the day:
Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX)
Netflix’s stock closed up 0.91% at $74.35, reaching an intraday high of $74.68 and a low of $72.94. The streaming giant’s shares are nearing critical lows, with a 52-week range of $127.75 to $70.86. In the after-hours session, the stock plumetted 9.05% to $67.62.
Netflix shares fell in after-hours trading after the company reported second-quarter revenue of $12.56 billion, narrowly missing estimates of $12.59 billion, although adjusted EPS of 80 cents beat the 79-cent consensus. The company also highlighted continued engagement growth, strong advertising momentum and projected more than $3 billion in ad revenue for 2026.
Looking ahead, Netflix guided third-quarter revenue of $12.86 billion and EPS of 82 cents, both below Wall Street expectations, while narrowing its full-year revenue outlook to $51.0 billion-$51.4 billion, around the low end of its previous range. The softer guidance appeared to weigh on investor sentiment.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp (NASDAQ:SPCX)
SpaceX shares fell 3.08% to close at $131.11, with a high of $137.76 and a low of $130.74. The stock’s 52-week range is $225.64 to $130.74. The shares declined 3.08% to $127.07 in extended trading.
The company’s growing presence in value-oriented portfolios is notable, as SpaceX has entered portfolios that blend profitability and cash generation measures. SpaceX has become a holding in 179 U.S.-listed ETFs, including several value-focused funds, reflecting how modern value investing has evolved beyond traditional low-valuation screens.
Meanwhile, SpaceX’s launch of its Starship mega rocket was aborted Thursday night after “some of the engines didn’t start,” CEO Elon Musk said on X, triggering an automatic launch abort.
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG)
Alphabet’s Class C stock dropped 4.43% to $353.81, with an intraday high of $374.35 and a low of $351.67. The 52-week range is $404.44 to $181.50.
Reports of delays in Google’s Gemini project have raised concerns about the company’s competitive position in AI.
Alcoa Corp. (NYSE:AA)
Alcoa’s shares decreased by 3.56%, closing at $46.85, with a high of $47.90 and a low of $46.39. The stock’s 52-week range is $84.38 to $28.11. The stock fell 2.8% to $45.54 in after-hours trading.
Alcoa shares fell in the after-hours session after the aluminum producer reported second-quarter earnings of $2.12 per share, missing Wall Street estimates of $2.25, although revenue of $3.97 billion edged past the $3.94 billion consensus. The earnings miss appeared to outweigh solid top-line performance.
During the quarter, aluminum production rose 5% sequentially and shipments increased 18%, while total third-party revenue climbed 24%. CEO William Oplinger also highlighted favorable aluminum prices and the company’s recently announced agreement with South32 as key strategic achievements.
Intuitive Surgical Inc. (NASDAQ:ISRG)
Intuitive Surgical’s stock rose 3.43% to $402.33, with a high of $405.50 and a low of $393.68. The 52-week range is $603.88 to $378.50. In extended trading, the stock fell sharply by 10.79% to $358.93.
The medical device maker reported second-quarter results that topped Wall Street expectations, with EPS of $2.80 beating the $2.50 consensus and revenue of $2.89 billion exceeding estimates of $2.82 billion.
The company also reported strong operating metrics, with combined da Vinci and Ion procedures up 16% year over year, 468 da Vinci systems placed during the quarter and continued growth in its installed base. CEO Dave Rosa said the results reflected the strength of the company’s portfolio across robotic surgery, lung diagnostics and digital solutions.
Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings indicate Netflix stock has a Momentum score in the 5th percentile and a Value score in the 19th percentile.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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