GM Falls 7.85% on Profit Outlook, GE Aerospace Drops 4.46% on Costs, Dream Finders Gains 9.83%, 3M Rises 5.62% on Amazon Deal

Mumbai, 20 October 2026: US markets saw mixed movements on Tuesday, October 20, as investors assessed quarterly earnings, updated financial forecasts and major corporate announcements. Shares of several companies declined despite earnings beats, with concerns over rising costs and cautious profit guidance weighing on sentiment. Meanwhile, acquisition deals, share buyback programmes and strategic agreements supported gains in other stocks. The session highlighted varied investor reactions across sectors, from automotive and aerospace to technology, banking and industrials.

General Motors Shares Fall 7% as FY26 Profit Guidance Misses Expectations

General Motors (GM) shares came under pressure on Tuesday after its full-year 2026 profit outlook disappointed investors, overshadowing stronger-than-expected third-quarter earnings and a new $20 billion multiyear share buyback programme. The stock fell as much as 7% heading into the session’s open amid concerns over rising input costs and a weaker-than-expected earnings outlook.

GM reported third-quarter revenue of $50.02 billion, up 2.9% year over year and $1.26 billion above market expectations. Adjusted earnings reached $3.70 per share, increasing 32% from a year earlier and beating estimates by $0.07. Adjusted operating profit rose 43%, supported by higher sales and lower costs. Fleet sales increased 10%, while Chevrolet Trax sales climbed 13% and Buick sales advanced 8%.

However, GM’s revised fiscal 2026 earnings guidance remained below analyst expectations. The automaker now anticipates earnings of $12.75 to $13.75 per share, with the $13.25 midpoint below the consensus estimate of $13.42. The company also narrowed its adjusted EBIT forecast to $14.5 billion-$15.5 billion.

At 11:45 a.m. ET, GM shares traded at $77.42, compared with an opening price of $77.22. The stock recorded a high of $78.97 and a low of $76.55.  Alongside its results, GM announced a $20 billion share repurchase programme and a quarterly dividend of $0.18 per share, payable on December 17, 2026.

GE Aerospace Shares Fall 4.46% Despite Earnings Beat as Rising Costs Weigh

GE Aerospace (NYSE: GE) shares declined 4.46% to $297.40 by 11:59 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, October 20, despite the company beating third-quarter earnings estimates and raising its full-year 2026 outlook. Rising engine-related allowances, durability reserves, inflation and supply-chain pressures weighed on investor sentiment, while concerns over increasing costs overshadowed the stronger results.

For the third quarter of 2026, GE Aerospace reported adjusted earnings of $2.25 per share, beating analysts’ consensus estimate of $1.99. Revenue reached $14.12 billion, exceeding expectations of $12.84 billion. The company raised its full-year adjusted earnings per share guidance to $8-$8.10 from the previous range of $7.65-$7.85. Orders climbed 49% to $19 billion, reflecting continued demand for commercial engines and services.

However, rising costs affected cash generation. Free cash flow declined 9.2% year over year to $2.04 billion, while operating income remained broadly unchanged at $2.81 billion. Higher sales discounts, allowances and durability reserves, alongside inflation and product mix pressures, offset some benefits from stronger volumes and pricing. GE also deferred revenue recognition for its GE9X engine pending midseal certification.

According to the supplied US market data, GE Aerospace shares opened at $302.23, compared with the previous close of $311.28. The stock recorded a high of $307.30 and a low of $294.22. At $297.40, shares were down $13.87, or 4.46%, from the previous close.

Looking ahead, GE Aerospace expects commercial services revenue to grow at a low-double-digit rate in 2027, supported by a commercial services backlog exceeding $170 billion. However, investors remain focused on whether the company can manage rising engine-related costs while converting strong demand into improved cash generation.

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Steel Dynamics Shares Slide 1.30% as Q3 Earnings Miss Estimates Despite Revenue Growth

Steel Dynamics (NASDAQ: STLD) shares declined on Tuesday after the US steel producer reported third-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings below analyst expectations and its previously issued guidance range. Although revenue increased and steel shipments reached a record, lower steel selling prices and narrower metal spreads weighed on profitability.

The company reported adjusted earnings of $5.26 per share for the quarter ended September 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.42 and marking an earnings surprise of negative 2.95%. The result also fell short of management’s September guidance range of $5.34-$5.38 per share. However, earnings increased from $2.74 per share a year earlier.

Revenue reached $6.51 billion, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.60% and rising from $4.83 billion in the year-ago quarter. Net sales increased 35% year over year, while steel shipments reached a record 3.8 million tons. Despite the stronger sales performance, lower steel prices and narrower metal spreads affected earnings.

Steel Dynamics’ aluminum operations recorded an operating loss of $26 million, although this represented an improvement from the previous quarter. Aluminum shipments remained below internal targets amid yield and quality challenges during higher-speed production. The metals recycling business also reported lower sequential operating income, reflecting weaker ferrous scrap prices and narrower spreads.

According to the supplied market data, Steel Dynamics shares traded at $241.99 at 12:08 p.m. EDT, down from the previous close of $245.18, a decline of approximately 1.30%. The stock opened at $232.65 and recorded a high of $246.34 and a low of $231.25.

Despite the earnings shortfall, the company’s shares have gained approximately 42% since the beginning of 2026, compared with an 11.9% advance in the S&P 500, according to the supplied report.

Genuine Parts Shares Fall 2.13% as Narrowed 2026 Earnings Guidance Overshadows Q3 Beat

Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC) shares declined on Tuesday after the automotive and industrial parts distributor narrowed its full-year 2026 earnings guidance, overshadowing better-than-expected third-quarter results. The company’s revised outlook placed its projected earnings midpoint slightly below analyst expectations, raising concerns despite continued revenue growth across its business segments.

Genuine Parts reported adjusted earnings of $2.07 per share for the third quarter, beating the analyst consensus estimate of $2.04. Revenue reached $6.52 billion, exceeding expectations of $6.49 billion and increasing 4.2% from $6.3 billion a year earlier. Comparable sales rose 2.9%, while acquisitions contributed 0.9% and favourable foreign currency movements added 0.4% to revenue growth.

However, the company narrowed its full-year adjusted earnings per share guidance to $7.50-$7.75 from the previous range of $7.50-$8.00. The midpoint of $7.625 fell below the analyst consensus of $7.74. Genuine Parts maintained its full-year sales growth outlook of 3%-5.5% and free cash flow guidance of $550 million-$700 million.

Operationally, the Industrial Parts Group reported sales of $2.4 billion, up 6.1% year over year. International Automotive sales increased 4.5% to $1.6 billion, while North America Automotive sales rose 2.2% to $2.5 billion. The company also remained on track to separate its Automotive and Industrial businesses into two independent companies in the first quarter of 2027.

According to the supplied market data, Genuine Parts shares traded at $127.34 at 12:15 p.m. EDT, after opening at $126.68. The stock recorded a high of $130.20 and a low of $124.68. The previous closing price was not provided, preventing verification of the session’s percentage change against that close. The report separately cited an 8.23% premarket decline following the earnings announcement.

Salesforce Shares Fall 1.28% as $5.66 Billion Braze Acquisition Raises Profitability Concerns

Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) shares declined on Tuesday after the company announced plans to acquire customer engagement software provider Braze (NASDAQ: BRZE) in a cash transaction valued at approximately $5.66 billion. The acquisition aims to strengthen Salesforce’s marketing and artificial intelligence capabilities, but expectations of near-term profitability dilution weighed on investor sentiment despite the strategic expansion.

Under the agreement, Braze shareholders will receive $47.50 per share in cash, representing a premium of approximately 58% over the stock’s previous closing price of $30.04. The transaction is expected to close during Salesforce’s fiscal 2028, subject to shareholder approval and regulatory clearances. Salesforce plans to fund the purchase with cash and does not currently expect to require debt financing.

The acquisition would integrate Braze’s real-time customer engagement and AI-powered personalisation technology with Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Data 360, Customer 360 and Agentforce. Braze enables businesses to personalise customer interactions across mobile applications, websites, email, SMS and other messaging channels. Its platform serves approximately 2,770 customers, including Canva, Instacart, Dairy Queen and Venmo.

Salesforce expects the transaction to contribute to revenue growth over time but anticipates near-term profitability dilution before operational efficiencies develop. The company stated that its fiscal 2027 financial guidance and long-term targets remain unchanged. Braze will continue operating under its own brand following the acquisition, with CEO Bill Magnuson and its leadership team expected to join Salesforce.

According to the supplied market data, Salesforce shares traded at $239.34, down $3.11, or 1.28%, from the previous close of $242.45. The stock opened at $235.98 and recorded a high of $244.14 and a low of $235.60. Meanwhile, Braze shares were indicated to rise approximately 51% following the announcement, reflecting the premium offered under the proposed transaction.

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Dream Finders Homes Shares Rise 9.83% After Completing $2.2 Billion Beazer Acquisition

Dream Finders Homes (NYSE: DFH) completed its acquisition of Beazer Homes USA in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $2.2 billion in enterprise value, expanding its geographic reach and strengthening its position in the US homebuilding market. Following the announcement, Dream Finders shares gained 9.83%, reflecting investor attention on the combined company’s expected cost savings and earnings growth.

Under the agreement, Beazer shareholders received $33.50 in cash per share. Beazer Homes’ common stock ceased trading and was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange following the transaction’s completion. The combined company becomes the sixth-largest US-headquartered homebuilder based on calendar-year 2025 revenue.

The acquisition expands Dream Finders’ operations to 26 of the top 50 US metropolitan statistical areas, adding California, Nevada, Indiana and Delaware to its geographic footprint. It also strengthens the company’s presence in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and increases its scale across Texas, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Arizona.

Dream Finders expects the acquisition to generate more than $100 million in annual run-rate cost synergies and deliver double-digit percentage earnings per share accretion in the first year. The company also aims to return to and improve its existing leverage metrics within 18 to 24 months. CEO Patrick Zalupski described the transaction as the company’s ninth acquisition since its 2021 initial public offering and its largest to date. Dream Finders plans to transition homes in Beazer communities to its own floor plans.

According to the supplied market data, Dream Finders shares traded at $9.50 at 12:39 p.m. EDT, up 9.83% as reported. The stock opened at $8.82 and recorded a high of $9.64 and a low of $8.82. The previous closing price was not provided, preventing independent verification of the percentage change. Beazer Homes shares were quoted at $33.48, with no further trading following the delisting.

SoundThinking Shares Rise 1.45% as Transom Launches $8 Cash Tender Offer

SoundThinking (NASDAQ: SSTI) shares rose 1.45% on Tuesday after private equity firm Transom Capital Group commenced a tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares of the public safety technology company for $8 per share in cash, alongside a contingent value right (CVR). The offer provides shareholders with additional potential consideration tied to specified revenue milestones.

Under the terms of the agreement, each SoundThinking shareholder would receive $8 in cash per share and one CVR, which could deliver an additional payment of up to $3 if certain revenue targets are achieved. The cash consideration represents a 46% premium to SoundThinking’s closing share price on September 28, 2026, the last trading day before the transaction was announced.

SoundThinking’s board of directors unanimously approved the merger agreement and recommended that shareholders tender their shares. Transom filed its tender offer statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, while SoundThinking submitted a statement outlining the board’s recommendation.

The tender offer is scheduled to expire at one minute after 11:59 p.m. New York City time on November 17, 2026, unless extended or terminated earlier. Completion is subject to customary conditions, including Transom securing valid tenders representing more than 50% of SoundThinking’s outstanding shares, together with any shares it already owns. If the tender offer succeeds, Transom will acquire the remaining shares through a subsequent merger under the same consideration terms.

According to the supplied market data, SoundThinking shares traded at $8.40, up $0.12, or 1.45%, from the previous close of $8.28. The stock opened at $8.33 and recorded a high of $8.47 and a low of $8.30. The offer remains subject to its stated conditions and completion requirements.

Dime Commercial Shares Rise 3.31% as $58 Million ES Bancshares Acquisition Expands Reach

Dime Commercial Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE: DCOM) shares rose 3.31% on October 20, 2026, following its announcement of an agreement to acquire ES Bancshares, Inc., the parent company of Empire State Bank, in a transaction valued at approximately $58 million.

Under the agreement, Dime will pay $30 million in cash and issue 720,000 common shares to Empire shareholders. Based on Dime’s 10-day volume-weighted average price of $38.55, the deal values each Empire common share at $8.39, equivalent to approximately 1.09 times the company’s tangible book value per share.

As of September 30, 2026, Empire had approximately $596 million in assets, $518 million in loans receivable and $491 million in deposits. Its five branches serve customers across Staten Island and Brooklyn. Dime, which has approximately $15 billion in assets, expects the acquisition to strengthen its presence in these markets.

Dime projects the transaction will add approximately 3.5% to earnings per share, with around 2% tangible book value dilution and an earn-back period of less than three years. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027, subject to regulatory and Empire shareholder approvals.

DCOM traded at $39.98, up $1.28 from its previous close of $38.70. The stock opened at $39.11 and moved between an intraday low of $38.13 and a high of $40.46. The acquisition marks another step in Dime’s growth strategy, while the projected earnings contribution will depend on completing the transaction and delivering the anticipated benefits.

REDLattice-Bold Eagle Merger Filing Advances; BEAG Shares Fall 1.21%

REDLattice and Bold Eagle Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: BEAG) have submitted a confidential draft registration statement on Form S-4 to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for their proposed business combination, according to a press release. The transaction would enable REDLattice to become a publicly traded company on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol REDL.

REDLattice describes itself as an operational cyber intelligence platform providing technology solutions for national security and intelligence missions. The company delivers cyber intelligence capabilities to government law enforcement, intelligence and military intelligence agencies.

The proposed business combination remains subject to several conditions, including SEC review of the registration statement, approval from Bold Eagle shareholders, regulatory clearances and stock exchange approval to list the combined company’s securities. Shareholders must also approve an extension of the deadline for Bold Eagle to complete the transaction, alongside other customary closing requirements.

Bold Eagle filed a definitive proxy statement with the SEC on October 5, 2026, seeking shareholder approval to extend the deadline for completing its initial business combination. The registration statement will include a proxy statement and prospectus detailing the securities to be offered as part of the transaction. Bold Eagle plans to mail the definitive proxy statement to shareholders after the SEC declares the registration statement effective.

Bold Eagle is a special purpose acquisition company led by Co-Chairmen Harry Sloan and Jeff Sagansky, with Eli Baker serving as chief executive officer.

Bold Eagle Acquisition shares were reported at $10.58, down 1.21% during the current trading session. The stock opened at $10.79, which was also its intraday high, while the low stood at $10.58. The supplied market data lists the previous closing price at $10.65. The shares’ decline reflects the reported trading movement, with no direct causal link to the merger filing established by the available information.

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3M Shares Gain 5.62% as Amazon Data Centre Deal Targets $6 Billion

3M Company (NYSE: MMM) shares rose after the industrial conglomerate announced a strategic commercial agreement with Amazon involving optical connectivity and other data centre products. The agreement, formalised on October 19, 2026, could see Amazon make cumulative payments of $6 billion for the products, according to a securities filing.

As part of the arrangement, 3M issued a warrant allowing an Amazon subsidiary to purchase up to 3,162,015 shares of 3M common stock over seven years at $164.89 per share. Under the warrant structure, 85% of the shares will vest based on cumulative payments from Amazon for data centre products, with full vesting of this portion occurring once payments reach $6 billion. The remaining shares will vest subject to event-based milestones, details of which were not disclosed in the filing.

The agreement expands the commercial relationship between the two companies and positions 3M as a supplier of products for Amazon’s data centre infrastructure requirements. The potential $6 billion payment threshold is tied to the warrant’s vesting conditions and should not be interpreted as guaranteed revenue.

3M shares traded at $171.22, up 5.62% in the reported session. The stock opened at $163.00, reached a high of $172.95 and touched a low of $162.13. The supplied market data does not specify the previous closing price.

Strive Closes Upsized Preferred Stock IPO With 15% Annual Dividend

Strive, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASST) announced the closing of its initial public offering of 7 million shares of its 15.00% Series A Perpetual SATS Preferred Stock at $90 per share. The offering was upsized from its initial size, although the original offering amount was not disclosed.

The SATS stock is expected to trade on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol SATS. The preferred shares carry cumulative dividends at an annual rate of 15% on a stated amount of $100 per share. Regular dividends will be payable in arrears when declared by Strive’s board of directors, with regular dividend dates scheduled for each business day beginning November 9, 2026.

Strive Chairman and CEO Matt Cole said the successful, upsized offering marked a milestone in the company’s strategy to maximise long-term total returns for its common equity investors.

The offering was conducted under a Form S-3 registration statement. According to the company, SATS is designed to complement its existing SATA stock, with the new security focused on income stability.

Strive describes itself as a structured finance company that uses bitcoin as its benchmark for capital deployment. Its wholly owned subsidiary, Strive Asset Management, LLC, is an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and manages more than $2.8 billion in assets.

The company also stated that SATS holders can monitor its bitcoin balance sheet in real time. Strive said it has no debt or maturities and remains focused on meeting its dividend obligations.

The perpetual preferred stock offering adds another security to Strive’s capital structure, with cumulative dividends tied to the stated value of each share. The 15% annual dividend rate is calculated on the $100 stated amount rather than the $90 IPO price. Regular dividend payments remain subject to declaration by the company’s board of directors.

Gravitics Holdings Cuts IPO Share Offering 60% to Raise $50 Million

Gravitics Holdings, a developer of space structures and orbital systems, has reduced the size of its proposed initial public offering (IPO), planning to raise $50 million through the sale of 3.2 million shares. The Miami-based company disclosed the revised terms on October 20, 2026, retaining its planned price range of $14 to $17 per share.

The company had previously proposed offering 8.1 million shares at the same price range. At the midpoint of the revised range, the expected proceeds are 60% lower than previously anticipated, while the company’s fully diluted market valuation is projected to reach $621 million.

As part of the Nasdaq listing process, Gravitics Holdings will merge with Non-Invasive Monitoring Systems (NIMU), an over-the-counter-listed shell company that discontinued operations in 2019. The combined company will operate under the Gravitics Holdings name, with its shares expected to trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol GVTX.

Founded in 2021, Gravitics designs, develops and commercialises large space structures and orbital systems. Its products and services include orbital carriers, cargo logistics spacecraft, space station modules, and related engineering and technical services. The company serves government entities and businesses operating in the commercial space industry.

Gravitics has highlighted a $125 million fixed-price contract with Axiom Space, a related party, to develop and deliver a cargo vehicle compatible with berthing to Axiom’s commercial space station.

Lucid Capital Markets is the sole bookrunner for the offering. The proposed IPO will provide the next step in Gravitics Holdings’ planned Nasdaq listing, subject to completion of the transaction and applicable requirements.

General Motors Profit Jumps 151%, Announces $20 Billion Share Buyback

General Motors (NYSE: GM) reported a sharp increase in third-quarter profit and announced a new $20 billion multi-year share buyback programme on October 20, 2026. The Detroit-based automaker also narrowed its full-year earnings outlook after delivering higher revenue and vehicle sales.

Net profit attributable to shareholders rose to $3.34 billion from $1.33 billion a year earlier, while earnings per share increased to $3.73 from $1.35. Adjusted operating profit climbed 21.6% to $4.11 billion, and revenue grew 2.9% to $50 billion. Vehicle sales reached 1.03 million during the quarter, compared with 977,000 in the same period last year, supported by growth in North America and international markets.

GM now expects full-year 2026 net income attributable to shareholders of $8.9 billion to $9.5 billion, compared with its previous forecast of $8.4 billion to $9.8 billion. The company raised the lower end of its adjusted earnings-per-share outlook to $12.75 from $12 and lowered the upper end to $13.75 from $14. Its adjusted earnings before interest and taxes forecast was narrowed to $14.5 billion to $15.5 billion, against the earlier range of $14 billion to $16 billion.

The company’s board approved the new $20 billion share repurchase programme after the completion of a $6 billion programme announced in January. The new programme has no expiration date. GM also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.18 per share, payable on December 17.

General Motors shares traded at $76.29, down 7.85% in the reported session. The stock opened at $77.22, reached a high of $78.97 and touched a low of $75.08.

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Moleculin Biotech Implements 1-for-20 Reverse Stock Split on October 20

Moleculin Biotech, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBRX) is implementing a 1-for-20 reverse stock split today, October 20, 2026, following an amendment to its amended and restated certificate of incorporation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State. The company’s common stock will begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on a post-split basis today under the existing ticker symbol MBRX, with a new CUSIP number, 60855D 507.

Under the reverse stock split, every 20 shares of common stock outstanding before the split will be consolidated into one share. The nominal par value will remain unchanged at $0.001 per share. Shareholders entitled to fractional shares will instead receive cash payments in lieu of those shares.

The company’s outstanding common shares will decline from approximately 20.9 million to around 1.05 million following the consolidation. The number of authorised common shares will remain unchanged at 500 million.

Moleculin Biotech is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing treatments for hard-to-treat tumours and viral diseases. Its lead candidate, Annamycin, is being developed for relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukaemia and lung metastases from soft tissue sarcoma. The company is also conducting the MIRACLE Phase 2/3 trial to evaluate Annamycin in combination with cytarabine for acute myeloid leukaemia.

Its development pipeline also includes WP1066, an immune and transcription modulator targeting brain tumours, pancreatic cancer and other malignancies, alongside antimetabolite candidates such as WP1122 for potential viral and cancer applications.

Overall, trading on October 20 reflected mixed investor reactions to corporate earnings, revised financial forecasts and major business announcements. While companies such as Dream Finders Homes, Dime Commercial Bancshares and 3M recorded share-price gains, General Motors, GE Aerospace and Genuine Parts faced declines despite reporting stronger-than-expected quarterly results. The varied market response highlighted the importance of full-year guidance, cost pressures and expected returns from acquisitions in shaping investor sentiment.