By Francesca Fontana
The Score is a weekly review of the biggest stock moves and the news that drove them.
Whirlpool expects its performance to spin back around soon.
The appliance maker on Monday cut its full-year profit guidance, posted a quarterly sales decline, and said it would lower its quarterly dividend.
Chief Executive Marc Bitzer said the company's results were affected by the Asian manufacturers it competes with rushing to get goods into the U.S. ahead of tariffs.
Still, the company -- which makes its appliances in North America, Latin America and India -- expects an eventual boost from the trade policies, and from a healthier housing market. As higher tariff rates take hold throughout the second half of the year, Whirlpool expects its competitors to raise the prices of their foreign-made washing machines.
Whirlpool maintained its full-year sales outlook, guiding for net sales of $15.8 billion.
Whirlpool shares declined 13% Tuesday.
UnitedHealth posted another disappointing quarter on Tuesday.
The healthcare conglomerate said its annual results will miss its original forecast and Wall Street's lowered expectations, highlighting rising costs and operational shortfalls across its business.
UnitedHealth now expects adjusted earnings of at least $16 per share in 2025 -- well below analysts' consensus estimate of $20.64, according to FactSet. The lackluster results come as health insurers struggle with rising costs and regulatory changes.
The company recently confirmed it was under civil and criminal investigation by the Justice Department. Both of the probes -- which The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year -- involve its Medicare billing practices.
UnitedHealth shares dropped 7.5% Tuesday, extending this year's selloff.
Is Novo Nordisk losing its lead in the weight-loss market?
The Danish maker of Ozempic and Wegovy cut its guidance on Tuesday and announced a new boss, naming Maziar Mike Doustdar as chief executive officer, effective Aug. 7.
Doustdar will succeed Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, who the company said in May would step down.
The appointment of a new leader comes as Novo struggles to return to its heyday of rapid growth, protect its market share against brand-name competitors like Eli Lily, and take on compounding pharmacies that make knockoff versions of its drugs.
Novo shares tumbled 22% Tuesday.
Cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks has struck its biggest deal yet.
The company said it agreed to buy Israeli cybersecurity provider CyberArk Software for $25 billion, confirming an earlier Wall Street Journal report.
Palo Alto Networks has been on the hunt for firms to buy, in its efforts to build up a bigger company that can handle a client's full -range of security needs.
The acquisition, if completed, would mark one of the biggest technology takeovers so far this year. In March, Google parent Alphabet agreed to acquire cybersecurity startup Wiz, also based in Israel, for $32 billion.
Palo Alto shares fell 5.2% on Tuesday, losing another 5.6% on Wednesday.
Meta Platforms
Two tech giants got even bigger this past week.
Facebook parent Meta Platforms on Wednesday posted quarterly sales and net income that beat expectations. The company reported revenue growth of 22%, a strong showing as its ad business continues to fuel Meta's artificial-intelligence ambitions.
Meta shares jumped 11% Thursday.
Meanwhile, Microsoft posted strong results, bolstered by cloud computing and massive AI demand. The results lifted Microsoft's market value above $4 trillion, making the tech giant the second-ever company to reach the milestone valuation.
Microsoft shares closed 3.9% higher Thursday.
American shoppers had a big appetite for Apple's iPhones ahead of potential tariff-related price hikes.
The tech giant on Thursday said its iPhone sales rose by over 13% last quarter, as U.S. customers rushed to buy devices. Gross profit margins also topped expectations.
An exemption for smartphones from reciprocal tariffs on China is expected to lapse soon. Apple could also face steep import taxes for iPhones made in India, especially after President Trump announced new levies on the country on Wednesday.
Chief Executive Tim Cook said Apple's tariff costs will rise to about $1.1 billion in the July-to-September period. Last quarter, levies cost Apple about $800 million.
Apple shares lost 2.5% Friday.
Our weekly markets news roundup is now part of the WSJ's What's News podcast. Host Francesca Fontana discusses the biggest stock moves of the week and the news that drove them. Check out What's News in Markets at wsj.com/podcasts or wherever you listen.
Write to Francesca Fontana at francesca.fontana@wsj.com.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
August 01, 2025 17:04 ET (21:04 GMT)
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