📈US Stock Market News & Earnings News – February 3, 2026

📈 Market Snapshot

U.S. stock futures were mixed to higher early Tuesday as investors digested a new batch of earnings and big tech / AI headlines. S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures were modestly up, while Dow futures were slightly lower.
Gold, silver, and bitcoin saw rebounds in prices after recent weakness, and energy markets were quietly firm.

🧠 Tech & AI Highlight: SpaceX + xAI Merger

One of the biggest standalone stories today isn’t a corporate earnings report — it’s tech/space/AI news:

➡️ Elon Musk confirmed that his space company SpaceX is merging with his generative-AI startup xAI, forming a combined entity reportedly valued at around $1.25 trillion as part of build-up to a potential SpaceX IPO later this year.

Tesla shares also got a lift on the news as investors reacted to Musk’s strategy of integrating AI with space infrastructure.

💻 Palantir (PLTR) — Big Earnings Beat

Palantir Technologies Inc. delivered a standout report:

✅ Q4 2025 results

Adjusted EPS: $0.25 per share, well above estimates.
Revenue: ~$1.41 billion, up roughly 70% year-over-year and above consensus.
Growth was powered by strong AI demand, with U.S. commercial revenue up around 137% and government revenue up 66%.

📊 Forward guidance:

Palantir forecast 2026 revenue of ~$7.18 – 7.20 billion (far above estimates) and first-quarter revenue guidance also beat forecasts.

➡️ Stock reaction: Shares jumped double-digits in pre-market/after-hours trading on the beat and aggressive outlook.

💳 PayPal (PYPL) — Earnings Miss and Leadership Shakeup

PayPal Holdings, Inc. reported disappointing Q4 results:

🚨 Q4 2025 results

Adjusted EPS: $1.23, missing estimates (analysts expected ~$1.28–$1.29).
Revenue: $8.68 billion, slightly below consensus.

📉 The stock slumped ~15–17% pre-market as the miss confirmed an execution slowdown, especially in the higher-margin branded checkout segment.

👔 CEO Change: PayPal also announced former HP CEO Enrique Lores will take over as President & CEO on March 1, a clear signal the board wants faster strategic change.

📌 The company’s 2026 guidance for profit growth came in below Wall Street expectations, adding to selling pressure.

🥤 PepsiCo (PEP) — Earnings Beat, but Stock Soft

PepsiCo, Inc. reported Q4 results that beat expectations:

EPS: Reported ~$2.26 vs. ~$2.24 expected.
Revenue: ~$29.34 billion, also slightly above forecasts.

📉 Despite the beat and a sizable $10 billion buyback and dividend raise, shares were soft in pre-market trading, as investors focused on slower anticipated growth in key segments and price-cut strategies.

💊 Pfizer (PFE) — Solid Results, Disappointing Outlook

Pfizer Inc. also announced earnings:

Q4 2025 EPS: $0.66, beating expectations.
Revenue: ~$17.6 billion, topping estimates.

➡️ But the stock was down in pre-market trade as 2026 guidance missed Wall Street targets and did not include stock buybacks, and COVID-related product sales continue to decline.

🧬 Merck (MRK) — Mixed Reaction

Merck & Co., Inc. reported relatively solid Q4 numbers, but:

Though adjusted EPS and revenue were in line or slightly better than forecasts, its 2026 outlook came in below analysts’ estimates — especially due to weaker vaccine trends and pipeline uncertainty.

📉 That kept Merck shares slightly softer in early trading.

🧠 Other Items Moving Markets

AI and semiconductor names (like AMD) were in focus as new earnings continue this week.
Gold & silver rebounded sharply after recent losses.
A partial U.S. government shutdown is delaying key jobs data, adding macro uncertainty.

📌 Summary – Key Takeaways

Bullish:

PLTR delivered an earnings beat with strong AI-driven growth and aggressive 2026 revenue guidance.

Bearish / Headline Negative:

PYPL missed on both EPS and sales, spurring a CEO change and lower guidance, hurting the stock.
PFE and MRK results were okay but guidance disappointed.
PEP beat but faces consumer demand concerns.

Market Drivers:

The SpaceX + xAI merger is one of the rare non-earnings headlines shaping sentiment.
Macro data disruptions and continued tech earnings will keep volatility elevated.