Stocks to Watch as U.S. Futures Trade Mixed on Wednesday

On Wednesday morning, U.S. stock futures are showing mixed results, setting the stage for some notable movements in the stock market. Investors are looking closely at several companies, particularly in the technology sector, which may influence market trends throughout the day.

• Wall Street analysts are anticipating that Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) will report quarterly earnings of $5.25 per share, alongside a revenue forecast of $40.29 billion. This earnings report is expected to be released after the market closes. Following this news, Meta shares experienced a 2.3% increase, reaching a price of $606.90 in after-hours trading.
• Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) shared its third-quarter financial results on Tuesday, revealing a revenue of $88.27 billion. This figure marked a 15% increase year-over-year and exceeded the Wall Street consensus estimate of $86.31 billion. As a result, Alphabet’s stock saw a notable rise, gaining 5.8% to settle at $179.50 in after-hours trading.
• In addition, analysts forecast that Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) will unveil quarterly earnings of $3.10 per share, with expectations for a revenue of $64.51 billion. Microsoft’s earnings will also be disclosed after markets close. In anticipation of its earnings report, Microsoft shares increased by 1.2%, reaching $437.06 in after-hours trading.

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• Furthermore, Visa Inc. (V) reported robust fourth-quarter results, which were released after Tuesday's close. Visa's quarterly earnings came in at $2.71 per share, surpassing the forecast of $2.58 per share set by analysts. This positive news prompted Visa stock to rise by 1.8%, ending at $286.93 during after-hours trading.
• Conversely, analysts are predicting that Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) will declare quarterly earnings of $5.36 per share with a revenue estimate of $16.28 billion before the market opens. However, Caterpillar shares experienced a slight decline of 0.1%, settling at $387.21 in after-hours trading.

This week's earnings reports could significantly shape the market's direction as investors react to the number disclosures and guidance shared by these major companies.

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