Monday was another volatile day for the stock market, with some major benchmarks posting substantial gains even as others gave up ground. Some of the world's largest technology stocks remained under pressure as their growth potential came into question, but other more cyclical stocks like those that dominate the Dow Jones Industrial Average saw more favorable moves. Investors are trying to stay optimistic in general, but as the bull market nears the end of its 10th year, some think its days are numbered. Activision Blizzard (ATVI), Teladoc Health (TDOC -1.52%), and Welbilt (WBT) were among the worst performers on the day. Here's why they did so poorly.
Nerves hit Activision
Shares of Activision Blizzard gave up 7% as investors in the video game giant seemed to get a case of nerves in advance of the company's release of its third-quarter financial results later this week. By most standards, the latest installment of the Call of Duty franchise has done extremely well, but some still wish that the game had been able to live up to all of the hype that surrounded its rollout last month. In addition, shareholders will look closely for early signs of whether competitors are taking market share. In a cutthroat industry, Activision has done well, but today's drop shows that it's far from a sure thing that the video gaming company will manage to deliver the performance that investors want to see.
Image source: Activision Blizzard.
Teladoc gives up its gains
Teladoc Health stock dropped 13%, essentially giving back all of the ground that it had gained last week. Teladoc's jump came in the wake of its third-quarter financial report late Thursday, in which the virtual healthcare specialist said that revenue soared more than 60% from year-earlier levels. Despite suffering a net loss for the quarter, Teladoc shareholders seemed comfortable that an 18% rise in paid membership pointed to further growth ahead. Yet the stock's swing downward today reflects less tolerance among investors for companies without proven profits at present, and Teladoc should expect more volatility in its stock price as long as the overall market's skepticism of future potential stays intact.
Welbilt spins lower
Finally, shares of Welbilt plunged 26%. The maker of restaurant equipment reported third-quarter results that included solid gains in sales and adjusted earnings, and it said that demand for its KitchenCare aftermarket product line and strong sales activity to large chain customers was able to overcome weakness in its refrigeration and freezer equipment business. However, Welbilt wasn't able to avoid seeing negative impacts from the imposition of tariffs, and that awakened fears that further trade tensions could put even more pressure on the company's ability to sustain growth and build positive momentum in the years to come.
