Happy Thursday, Zingernation! It’s always been important for middle schoolers to stay on trend. When I was in 7th grade, the thin line between me and the uncool kids table was divided by a mere Livestrong bracelet.

But compared to kids these days, I had it easy. First, it was Hydroflasks. (Sksksksk.) Then, of course, Stanley. (A big enough deal to get some unfortunate Target employees fired just days ago.) But now the cool kids are already onto a new brand: Owala.

Granted, Hydroflask and Stanley are making things easy for the newcomer, cannibalizing each other over claims that Stanley cups contain lead. Just when you thought America couldn’t get any more divided.

Today’s Price Action:

$SPY: +1.31%
$QQQ: +1.18%
$DIA: +.98%

Also, check out the app that makes investing in real estate easy.

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TODAY’S MOST VOLATILE STOCKS

ONE TOP MOVER

Amazon Stock Rises After Strong Earnings Report

Briefly: Well, I guess the Zoomers buying stuff on TikTok Shop didn’t cut into Amazon’s earnings too much after all.

What Happened: Amazon reported strong earnings, beating on EPS and revenue estimates.

Zoom In: Q4 revenue increased 14% year-over-year to $170 billion, which beat the consensus estimate of $166.21 billion. The company reported quarterly earnings of $1 per share, which beat analyst estimates of $0.80 per share.

Zoom Out: Amazon has now topped analyst top- and bottom-line estimates for five straight quarters, dating back to Q4 2022.

So What? Investors and traders appeared bullish heading into Amazon’s report, with the stock closing up more than 2% in today’s regular session. The company reported after the bell, then share prices jumped another 5%.

What Next: Read the full breakdown here.

PRESENTED BY GROUNDFLOOR

Is Fractional Real Estate Investing The Future Of Gen Z Portfolios?

At 20% of the U.S. population, Generation Z is beginning to reshape the world of finance, shifting away from traditional investments and toward alternatives like real estate, artwork and cryptocurrencies. 

This shift is primarily driven by their financial realities: living paycheck-to-paycheck and seeking financial independence rather than more traditional markers of wealth. 

Groundfloor is tapping into this trend by offering fractional real estate investments, aligning with Gen Z's preference for accessible, technology-driven options.

For more insights into Groundfloor’s role in advancing alternative investments, visit their website. Benzinga readers earn a free $50 credit.

FIVE MOVERS

Meta stock shot higher by more than 12% after the company announced strong earnings and the first dividend in its history.

Regional banking names, as well as the $KRE index that tracks them, took a massive hit, trading down on fears regarding $NYCB.

Altria shares moved higher today after the company reported strong earnings and announced a $1 billion stock buyback.

SunPower stock was a ray of sunshine today, closing up more than 20% after the company provided a financing update.

AMD stock bounced back in today’s session, following bullish coverage from analysts and strong "buy the dip” activity.

ONE TRADE IDEA FOR TOMORROW

Analyst Shares Outside-The-Box Way To Invest In AI Boom

Briefly: You’re probably sick of hearing about how to ride the AI wave by buying $NVDA and $MSFT. So here’s how to ride the AI wave by… not doing that.

So Basically: Analyst Marc Chaikin joined Benzinga’s PreMarket Prep and shared an outside-the-box way to trade the AI boom: IT providers.

So Then: Chaikin said that, as consulting companies help other companies implement AI tech into their operations, IT companies will benefit greatly.

Quoted: “I think the play in AI in addition to chips […] are IT service companies. They’re just indicative of who’s going to benefit now.”

So What? Specifically, Chaikin said he likes Accenture ($ACN) and IBM ($IBM) as his two IT names.

What Next: Check out the other trade ideas Chaikin shared here.

PRESENTED BY GROUNDFLOOR

Is Fractional Real Estate Investing The Future Of Gen Z Portfolios?

At 20% of the U.S. population, Generation Z is beginning to reshape the world of finance, shifting away from traditional investments and toward alternatives like real estate, artwork and cryptocurrencies. 

This shift is primarily driven by their financial realities: living paycheck-to-paycheck and seeking financial independence rather than more traditional markers of wealth. 

Groundfloor is tapping into this trend by offering fractional real estate investments, aligning with Gen Z's preference for accessible, technology-driven options.

For more insights into Groundfloor’s role in advancing alternative investments, visit their website. Benzinga readers earn a free $50 credit.