NewMarket (NEU) shares plunged 5.42% in pre-market trading on Thursday, following the release of its second-quarter earnings report late Wednesday. The significant drop suggests investors' disappointment with the company's mixed financial results.

The specialty chemicals company reported a slight increase in earnings per share, rising to $11.84 from $11.63 in the same quarter last year. However, net sales for the quarter ended June 30 fell to $698.5 million, down from $710.2 million in the previous year, indicating a potential slowdown in demand for the company's products.

While the increase in earnings per share could be seen as positive, the decline in net sales appears to have overshadowed this improvement. The lack of readily available analyst estimates makes it challenging to determine whether NewMarket met market expectations. However, the sharp stock price decline suggests that investors may have been anticipating stronger results or a more optimistic outlook. The market's reaction highlights the importance of top-line growth and the sensitivity of stock prices to sales performance, even when profitability shows modest improvement.