Micron, Alibaba, Lithium Americas, Iberdrola, and JD Sports

Memory chipmaker Micron Technology (MU) reported fiscal fourth quarter results after the bell on Tuesday that topped Wall Street estimates.

Micron posted income of $11.3bn (£8.38bn) for the quarter, forward of the $11.15 billion anticipated by analysts polled by Bloomberg. Adjusted earnings per share of $3.03 additionally beat forecasts of $2.84.

The firm’s steering for its fiscal first quarter was additionally forward of expectations. Micron guided for first quarter income between $12.2bn and $12.8bn, greater than the $11.9bn anticipated by analysts tracked by Bloomberg. The chipmaker stated it expects first quarter adjusted earnings per share to fall to between $3.60 and $3.90, forward of the $3.05 projected.

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Micron shares rose 1% in pre-market buying and selling on Wednesday and proceed to commerce close to all-time highs, having risen practically 98% year-to-date.

Deutsche Bank (DBK.DE) director of fairness analysis Melissa Weathers stated in a word on Wednesday that “Micron’s [August-quarter] print and outlook cleared a very high bar, in our view, with the star of the show being stellar gross margins.

“This margin momentum is predicted to maintain into 2026, as the corporate advantages from a number of tailwinds (provide tightness driving ASPs [average selling price] increased, stable value controls, and wealthy combine).”

Shares in Alibaba (9988.HK, BABA) popped on Wednesday after the Chinese tech big revealed plans to raise its spending on AI.

Alibaba’s Hong Kong-listed shares rose more than 8% in Wednesday’s session, while its New York-listed shares gained nearly 10% in pre-market trading.

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Bloomberg reported that Eddie Wu, CEO of Alibaba, stated that the corporate would quickly add to its deliberate 380 billion yuan (£39.57bn) spending on AI fashions and infrastructure over the following three years.

“The trade’s improvement velocity far exceeded what we anticipated, and the trade’s demand for AI infrastructure additionally far exceeded our anticipation,” Wu reportedly said at a developer conference in Hangzhou on Wednesday. “We are actively continuing with the 380 billion funding in AI infrastructure, and plan so as to add extra.”

Shares in Lithium Americas soared nearly 82% in pre-market trading on Wednesday, following reports that the Trump administration is seeking an equity stake in the miner.

Reuters reported late on Tuesday that the administration was eyeing an fairness stake of as a lot as 10% in Lithium Americas, citing two individuals acquainted with the dialogue.

This reportedly comes as the administration renegotiates terms of Lithium America’s $2.26bn Energy Department loan for its Thacker Pass lithium project with General Motors (GM).

Spanish power agency Iberdrola (IBE.MC) introduced on Wednesday that it could make investments €58bn (£50.66bn) by way of to 2028, with a deal with accelerating progress in networks within the US and UK.

Iberdrola said that €20bn of this investment would first go to the UK, followed by €16bn in the US, €9bn in Iberia, €7bn in Brazil, as well as €5bn in other European Union countries and Australia.

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Ignacio Galán, executive chairman of Iberdrola, said: “This plan goals to remodel Iberdrola’s profile right into a extra regulated firm, with networks as a vector for progress.”

Under its plans, Iberdrola said it was aiming for earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) to reach €18bn in 2028 and adjusted net profit to hit €7.6bn by 2028.

In the UK, shares in JD Sports rose 3.5% on Wednesday morning as the sportswear retailer said it expected to see “restricted impression from US tariffs this monetary yr”.

JD Sports reported a 18% increase in sales to £5.94bn ($8bn) in the first half but a 13.5% fall in profit before tax and adjusting items to £351m.

Aarin Chiekrie, an equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “JD Sports’ first-half efficiency was broadly as anticipated in opposition to a tricky retail backdrop, with all areas posting like-for-like gross sales declines.

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“Trading across Europe and the UK remains weak, especially in the latter. Year-on-year numbers have come up against some tough comparables, with last year’s sales getting a foot-up from the men’s 2024 Euros. The outlook for the UK remains underwhelming, with recent changes to employer taxes and minimum wages bringing a handful of extra costs and challenges.

“With the share value having fallen by greater than 40% during the last yr, the latest challenges and market softness now look properly priced in.

“Trading at just 6.8 times next year’s earnings, the valuation offers plenty of downside protection. And if investors are patient enough to ride out some uncertainty over the next couple of years, it could prove to be a very attractive entry point.”

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