Tech giants faced major market cap drop in July on earnings worries
Aug 1 (Reuters) -Global mega tech companies' market capitalisation dropped sharply in July, in response to disappointing quarterly results and concerns over high valuations, prompting investors to shift their focus away from the AI sector.
In the first half of 2024, investors pushed tech stocks higher on expectations that AI advancements would boost earnings. But the second-quarter earnings reports from tech companies have raised concerns that investment in AI infrastructure has led to ballooning costs with only modest gains.
Microsoft MSFT.O reported revenue that fell short of analysts' expectations, while Tesla TSLA.O reported its lowest profit margin in more than five years. Additionally, Google's parent company, Alphabet GOOGL.O, experienced a slowdown in advertising sales at YouTube, raising concerns about Alphabet's ability to expand its margins.
Microsoft and Alphabet's market capitalisations fell by about 6% to $3.1 trillion and $2.1 trillion, respectively, at the end of July, based on LSEG data.
Slowing profits among its major customers dampened growth expectations for chipmaker Nvidia NVDA.O, leading to a 5.2% reduction in its market cap to $2.8 trillion. This downturn also impacted its Taiwanese production partner TSMC, the world's largest third-party microchip foundry, which experienced a 4.3% decrease in market cap to $737.8 billion at the end of July.
Bucking the trend, Apple's AAPL.O market cap surged 5.4% to $3.4 trillion at the end of July, fuelled by optimism that its new AI initiative, Apple Intelligence, would boost sales and encourage customers to upgrade their devices to utilize the new technology.
But then Nvidia added about $330 billion in stock market value on Wednesday, a record one-day gain for any company on Wall Street after Microsoft and Advanced Micro Devices reignited the AI rally.
Outside the tech sector, drug maker Eli Lilly's LLY.N market capitalisation fell 11.2% to $764.3 billion, amid concerns about its lead in the anti-obesity market being challenged by a promising experimental pill from rival Roche ROG.S.
Despite weak results, Tesla's TSLA.O market cap increased by 17.2% to $740.1 billion, buoyed by optimism about its future growth prospects. Morgan Stanley named Tesla the most valuable automaker its "top pick" in the U.S. automotive industry, replacing Ford F.N and predicted that Tesla's energy business could eventually surpass its auto business in value.
Top 3 global companies by market cap: Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia Top 3 global companies by market cap https://tmsnrt.rs/3OAhlz8
Market cap shifts in July 2024: snapshot of the world's top companies Market cap shifts in May 2024: snapshot of the world's top companies https://tmsnrt.rs/47cjbgK
Reporting By Patturaja Murugaboopathy and Gaurav Dogra in Bengaluru. Editing by Jane Merriman
Related Assets
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
