S&P 500 Rollercoaster: MGM Stock Rockets Up as Macau and Digital Ventures Hit the Jackpot!

• The S&P 500 decided to do a happy dance, rising by 1.0% on Thursday, February 13, after an executive order hit the snooze button on some pesky reciprocal tariffs.

• MGM Resorts hit the jackpot with a stellar quarter, thanks to its China-facing and digital operations, causing its stock to skyrocket like a firework on New Year's Eve.

• Meanwhile, West Pharmaceutical Services took a nosedive after their guidance turned out to be as disappointing as a soggy sandwich.

Major U.S. equity indexes were on cloud nine as President Donald Trump signed an executive order to investigate reciprocal tariffs, without slapping on those taxes just yet.

Thursday's market shenanigans also paired nicely with the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) data, which served up an increase in wholesale inflation for January, echoing the previous day's Consumer Price Index (CPI) report.

The S&P 500 wrapped up the day with a 1.0% boost. The Dow industrials added 0.8% to its piggy bank, while the tech sector's superhero powers lifted the Nasdaq by 1.5%.

MGM Resorts (MGM) shares shot up 17.5%, claiming the title of biggest winner among S&P 500 stocks, after the casino and hotel operator hit the jackpot with its fourth-quarter sales and profit estimates for 2024. The Macau operations were the wind beneath MGM's wings, with the MGM Digital segment giving it an extra turbo boost. CFRA analysts gave MGM stock a high five, upgrading it to "buy," thanks to some rosy financial forecasts and a snazzy share buyback plan.

Molson Coors (TAP) shares got a buzz, rising 9.5% after the company's quarterly earnings announcement. Even though revenue took a tiny tumble year-over-year, the brewer outperformed on sales and profit, showcasing its talent for holding onto market-share gains and mixing up a favorable sales cocktail.

GE Healthcare Technologies (GEHC), a medical products and services provider spun off from General Electric in 2023, reported profits that were healthier than expected, sending its shares up 8.8% on Thursday. Despite some hiccups in China, the company thrived in the U.S., with a prescription for success in advanced visualization solutions and pharmaceutical diagnostics.

West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) shares took a dramatic tumble, plunging 38.2%, the biggest drop of any S&P 500 member on Thursday. Despite beating fourth-quarter profit estimates, their 2025 guidance was as underwhelming as a flat soda. The company blamed the strong U.S. dollar, customer inventory tweaks, and hefty capital expenditures for putting a damper on future earnings.

Zebra Technologies (ZBRA) had a bit of a zebra crossing moment, with a disappointing outlook overshadowing a solid earnings report. Despite beating fourth-quarter sales and profit estimates, their full-year revenue guidance was a letdown, reflecting the strong dollar's mischief and tariff-related uncertainties. Zebra Technologies shares took an 8.4% dip.

Iron Mountain (IRM), an enterprise information management provider, saw its shares slide 7.3%. Even though they rocked their data center business and storage and services segment, their fourth-quarter revenue missed the mark, and high interest expenses rained on their parade.