Predictably, Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) was a stock in focus after the bell in New York as second quarter earnings breezed past estimates.
Shares rose over 1.6% after hours as EPS (earnings per share) for the three months came in at of US$1.32, beating analysts' expectations of US$1.13, and revenue of $9.32bn (analysts - $9.20bn). Shares ramped up 1.85% in the regular session to stand at $168,67.
The social network giant has shown impressive growth in recent quarters and the trend continued, with the mobile advertising business growing by over 50% in the three months.
Elsewhere, after the bell, biopharma giant Gilead Sciences Inc (NASDAQ:GILD) also added about 1.6% after it too zoomed past estimates
The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $2.56 and revenue of $7.14bn, which beat Wall Street expectations of$2.15 and $6.35bn respectively.
Shares on Thursday rose 0.92% to $74.87.
PayPal Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:PYPL) shares were also up over 3% as the electronic payment processing behemoth also beat earnings expectations.
Non-GAAP earnings were 46 cents a share on revenue of $3.14bn - up 18% year-on-year.
Wall Street had pencilled in earnings of 43 cents per share on revenue of $3.09bn.
Shares in regular trading lost 0.75% to $58.35.
On the losing front, Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) shares decreased around 4% after the group's second-quarter earnings missed Wall Street's expectations.
Earnings per share of $1.40 fell short of analysts' estimates of $1.45. Shares on Thursday lost almost 4% to $60.62.
BRIEF-Discover Financial Services posts Q2 earnings per share $1.40 https://t.co/7kCAoXGpey https://t.co/1M5rUC8cJn
— Piccolo Mondo (@picolomondoblog) 27 July 2017