Last week saw all reporting S&P 500 healthcare companies surpass earnings expectations, while Deliveroo’s shares surged on a £3.6bn takeover bid from DoorDash. Innovation in AI-driven marketing and cybersecurity continues, as market watchers brace for earnings from major tech and healthcare firms amidst disappointing forecasts from electronics supplier TDK.
Last week saw all 16 S&P 500 healthcare companies that reported earnings surpass analyst expectations, according to Seeking Alpha. Among those, Gilead Sciences was the only firm to narrowly miss revenue forecasts. Notable sector updates included AbbVie raising its guidance, Merck lowering its outlook due to tariff impacts, and Bristol-Myers Squibb increasing its forecast. Investors will be closely monitoring the upcoming earnings releases this week from healthcare giants Pfizer, CVS Health, Amgen, Moderna, and Eli Lilly.
In corporate news from the food delivery sector, London-listed Deliveroo experienced a significant share price jump of over 18% following confirmation of a £1.80 per share cash offer from US-based DoorDash. The takeover proposal values Deliveroo at approximately $3.6 billion. Deliveroo indicated it is likely to recommend the bid and concurrently announced a suspension of its £100 million share buyback programme. If completed, this acquisition would mark the second major food delivery merger within the year, following Prosus’s €4.1 billion takeover of Just Eat Takeaway.
On the technology front, the Financial Times reports that advertisers and tech start-ups are rapidly adapting their search engine optimisation (SEO) strategies to enhance brand visibility within artificial intelligence chatbot results. Early adopters include fintech company Ramp and job search platform Indeed. Jack Smyth, partner at marketing technology group Brandtech, told the Financial Times, “This is about much more than just getting your website indexed in their results. This is about recognising large language models as the ultimate influencer.”
Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike recently launched its Charlotte AI Agentic Response and Agentic Workflows technologies, which integrate automation capabilities with human expertise. These solutions build on the company’s previously launched Detection Triage, allowing for autonomous reasoning and action based on both first- and third-party data. This initiative reflects CrowdStrike’s expanding use of AI to enhance cybersecurity operations.
Meanwhile, Japan’s electronics supplier TDK has issued a subdued revenue outlook for the fiscal year beginning in April, disappointing market expectations. CEO Noboru Saito cited negative effects from the ongoing global trade war, forecasting revenue between ¥2.12 trillion and ¥2.2 trillion, below analyst estimates. Saito warned that smartphone demand may decline by 2%, with automotive production potentially falling by 3%.
Finally, the so-called ‘magnificent seven’ group of stocks, tracked by the Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF, has endured its worst monthly and quarterly performance on record. The ETF remains down 14.57% year-to-date, despite a partial recovery of 14.79% from its low point earlier in April. With four of these high-profile stocks set to report earnings this week, many investors are preparing for detailed scrutiny of their performance.
The CMC Markets report emphasises that past performance does not guarantee future results and reminds readers that all investment decisions should take into account personal circumstances and objectives. The information provided is for general informational purposes and does not constitute financial advice.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://seekingalpha.com/news/4435756-no-misses-here-healthcare-earnings-sweep-past-wall-street-estimates – This article supports the claim that all 16 S&P 500 healthcare companies that reported earnings surpassed analyst expectations, except for Gilead Sciences, which narrowly missed revenue forecasts. It also provides updates on notable companies like AbbVie and Merck.
- https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/sp-500-health-care-sector/ – This URL provides information about the S&P 500 Health Care sector, which includes companies that have been reporting strong earnings recently.
- https://get.ycharts.com/resources/blog/q1-2025-healthcare-sector-earnings-key-highlights-market-reactions/ – This blog highlights key earnings from the healthcare sector, such as UnitedHealth’s net income increase and revenue growth, showing the sector’s strong performance in Q1 2025.
- https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-18/doordash-is-said-to-approach-deliveroo-about-potential-takeover – While not directly referencing the current £1.80 offer, this article provides background on DoorDash’s interest in acquiring Deliveroo, supporting the claim of a potential takeover.
- https://www.ft.com/content/6f4d5565-9d6b-4835-bfb1-f7a0c2244c5e – This Financial Times article about SEO strategies in AI chatbot results supports the narrative of advertisers adapting their strategies to influence AI models.
- https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/press-releases/ – CrowdStrike’s official blog may feature announcements about their AI-driven cybersecurity solutions, supporting the claim about integrating automation with human expertise.
- https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMid0FVX3lxTFA2c1BiOGxqVGFJYzlObHg4OFN3WjF3dE1WOFloYVVPNWs5U2dianFMVXY5bEYtNVJNS1R4Q2RPRGhMWHllTkVpd2ZpcU13eF9Id3BRVlU4OVgzTEZCWlhXM2JsS0Z6VW9aNWJjRXZLNG5LRGpQaUpN?oc=5&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en – Please view link – unable to able to access data
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative includes recent developments such as earnings reports and merger proposals, indicating the information is current. However, without specific dates for all events, it is difficult to confirm the exact freshness of each detail.
Quotes check
Score:
6
Notes:
There is one direct quote from Jack Smyth, but without further information on its source or date, it cannot be verified as original or if it has been previously used elsewhere.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative references well-known and reputable sources like Seeking Alpha and the Financial Times, enhancing its reliability. However, other sources like CMC Markets are less prominent in this context.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
Claims about market movements and technological developments are plausible, given recent trends in business and technology. While specific numbers and forecasts may vary, they generally align with plausible market scenarios.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative appears to be current and generally plausible, but some quotes lack verification, and there is a mix of well-known and less familiar sources. Overall, it presents plausible scenarios but should be approached with caution due to limited specific verification of quotes and sources.
