Catalyst Calendar - February 28, 2026 (EOD)

 ## Today's Catalyst Results How did scheduled events play out? - **Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B)** - Q4 earnings showed a 2.5% decline in profit with operating earnings down nearly 30%, driven by writedowns and lower insurance income. CEO Greg Abel reassured shareholders about maintaining Buffett’s disciplined investment framework. Market reaction: Shares gained modestly +0.37%, reflecting investor confidence in leadership continuity despite earnings pressure. - **Dell Technologies (DELL)** - Reported a blowout Q4 earnings beat with a 21.53% surge in stock price. The company also announced a dividend hike, signaling strong cash flow and confidence in growth. Market reaction: Bullish, with shares rallying sharply on earnings strength and dividend news. - **Netflix (NFLX)** - Shares soared 12.98% on strong earnings and business updates, despite the company backing out of the Warner Bros. deal. Market reaction: Positive, as investors rewarded Netflix’s standalone growth prospects. - **FIGS Inc. (FIGS)** - Stock jumped 23.5% to a 4-year high after an analyst turned bullish, highlighting strong momentum in the healthcare apparel segment. Market reaction: Significant upside on renewed investor optimism. - **Amgen (AMGN)** - Delivered solid Q4 results with a 1.49% stock gain, supported by robust biotech sales and pipeline progress. Market reaction: Positive, reflecting steady fundamentals. - **Cboe Global Markets (CBOE)** - Shares rose 2.54% following Q4 earnings and announcement of 24/7 regulated cryptocurrency trading access, positioning the company for growth in digital asset markets. Market reaction: Favorable, with enthusiasm for crypto expansion. - **eBay (EBAY)** - Reported upbeat Q4 results and sent a positive message to its workforce, driving a 3.27% stock increase. Market reaction: Encouraging, signaling operational improvements. - **Costco (COST)** - Posted strong Q4 earnings with a 1.89% stock gain, benefiting from resilient consumer spending trends. Market reaction: Supportive, reinforcing defensive retail appeal. - **Morgan Stanley (MS)** - Shares declined 6.20% despite earnings beat, pressured by concerns over credit cycle and banking sector stress. Market reaction: Negative, reflecting investor caution on financials. - **Bank of America (BAC)** - Fell 4.85% amid broader bank stock weakness and profit-taking after recent gains. Market reaction: Bearish, tied to sector-wide concerns. - **American Express (AXP)** - Dropped 7.83% following earnings, weighed down by margin pressures and cautious outlook. Market reaction: Negative, highlighting challenges in consumer finance. - **Meta Platforms (META)** - Declined 1.80% despite stable earnings, amid ongoing AI competition and mixed sentiment on growth prospects. Market reaction: Tepid, with investors digesting competitive landscape. - **Nvidia (NVDA)** - Fell 3.83% despite strong revenue growth, as profit-taking and concerns over AI chip bottlenecks weighed on shares. Market reaction: Volatile, reflecting mixed investor sentiment. - **Snowflake (SNOW)** - Declined 3.27% after earnings, as investors weighed valuation and growth sustainability. Market reaction: Slightly negative. - **Palantir (PLTR)** - Gained 0.73% on strong growth guidance and AI platform positioning. Market reaction: Mildly positive. - **Visa (V)** - Rose 0.84% supported by expansion announcements and analyst buy ratings. Market reaction: Positive. - **Walmart (WMT)** - Advanced 2.68% on strong Q4 results and solid retail execution. Market reaction: Bullish. - **Cost of Commodities** - Oil surged 2.73% amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, while gold rose 1.31% as a safe-haven asset. Market reaction: Energy and precious metals sectors outperformed. - **Indexes** - Major indices closed lower: S&P 500 down 0.48%, Nasdaq 100 down 0.63%, Dow Jones down 1.05%, reflecting risk-off sentiment amid geopolitical uncertainty. ## Surprise News Today Unexpected developments that moved markets: - **Anthropic** - Blacklisted by President Trump as a "supply chain risk" for federal agencies, leading to a six-month phase-out period. Market reaction: Negative sentiment toward Anthropic and related AI stocks, with broader AI sector volatility. - **OpenAI** - Despite Anthropic’s blacklisting, OpenAI secured a deal to deploy AI models on the U.S. Department of War classified network, highlighting a strategic advantage. Market reaction: Positive for OpenAI-linked companies and AI infrastructure plays. - **Iran Conflict** - U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, escalating geopolitical risks. Oil prices surged, and defense stocks gained. Market reaction: Risk-off in equities, safe-haven buying in gold and treasuries, and energy sector rally. - **Prediction Markets** - Polymarket Iran-related bets surged to $529 million, reflecting heightened market attention to geopolitical risk. Market reaction: Increased volatility and risk premiums in affected sectors. - **Dell Technologies (DELL)** - Unexpected 21.53% stock surge post-earnings, far exceeding typical reaction. Market reaction: Strong investor enthusiasm for tech hardware recovery. - **FIGS Inc. (FIGS)** - 23.5% jump on analyst upgrade, surprising given the niche healthcare apparel sector. Market reaction: Momentum-driven buying. - **SM Energy (SM)** - Jumped 9.75% on double-digit dividend hike and profit turnaround, surprising given recent energy volatility. Market reaction: Strong energy sector interest. - **Lionsgate (LION)** - Soared 9.21% ahead of business updates, surprising for a media stock amid sector challenges. Market reaction: Speculative buying. ## After-Hours Catalysts Earnings and events happening tonight: - **Novavax (NVAX)** - Q4 earnings call presentation expected; watch for updates on vaccine pipeline and guidance. - **Prysmian S.p.A. (PRYMY)** - Q4 results and earnings call; focus on infrastructure and energy segment outlook. - **PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BBRI)** - Q4 earnings call presentation; monitor for emerging market banking trends. - **TORM plc (TRMD)** - Q4 earnings call; shipping and energy transport sector updates. - **EVERTEC, Inc. (EVTC)** - Q4 earnings; watch for fintech and payment processing trends. - **Aeva Technologies, Inc. (AEVA)** - Q4 earnings call; focus on lidar technology and autonomous vehicle market. - **StandardAero, Inc. (SDA)** - Q4 earnings; aerospace services outlook. - **Solaris Energy Infrastructure (SFEI)** - Q4 earnings highlights; energy infrastructure trends. - **Seadrill (SDRL)** - Q4 earnings; offshore drilling sector conditions. - **Sweetgreen (SG)** - Q4 earnings call; consumer and restaurant sector trends. - **Redwire (RDW)** - Q4 earnings call highlights; space infrastructure updates. - **Ready Capital (RC)** - Q4 earnings; real estate finance sector. - **Red Cat Holdings (RCAT)** - Innovation day and corporate updates; watch for growth strategy details. - **Apex Tech Acquisition (APXT)** - IPO completion; watch for post-IPO trading dynamics. ## Tomorrow's Calendar Key events scheduled for tomorrow: - **February Non-Farm Payrolls Report** - Time: 8:30 AM ET - Watch for labor market stability and its impact on Fed rate expectations and market sentiment. - **Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholder Letter** - Watch for strategic outlook from CEO Greg Abel following his first letter after taking over from Buffett. - **Adobe Inc. (ADBE)** - Form DEF 14A filing; monitor for proxy updates or corporate governance changes. ## This Week Ahead Other catalysts coming this week: - No additional specific dated events mentioned beyond tomorrow’s Non-Farm Payrolls and earnings calls. ## Highest Conviction Setup Based on today's action and upcoming catalysts: - Stock: **Dell Technologies (DELL)** - Catalyst: Strong Q4 earnings beat, dividend hike, and favorable investor reception amid tech hardware recovery. - Thesis: Dell’s significant post-earnings rally and dividend increase signal robust fundamentals and cash flow strength, positioning it well to benefit from ongoing enterprise IT spending and AI infrastructure demand. The stock’s momentum and valuation reset make it a compelling buy ahead of further earnings updates and sector tailwinds.