Meme stocks rally after GameStop posts surprise fourth-quarter profit

By Scott Kanowsky

Investing.com -- Shares in so-called meme stocks rallied in early U.S. trading on Wednesday after GameStop Corp (NYSE: GME) posted a surprise profit in the fourth quarter.

U.S.-based video game seller GameStop, which is majority owned by billionaire investor Ryan Cohen, reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.16 for the three months ended on January 28 thanks to a push to cut down on expenses. The bottom-line result - GameStop's first profitable quarter in two years - also beat Bloomberg consensus expectations for a loss of $0.15 per share.

GameStop shares, which have been facing pressure recently after a rise in interest rates caused heavy stock market volatility, subsequently climbed by nearly 35%. The stock has fallen by a little over 25% in the past year.

The move sparked similar gains in retail-investor favorites like home goods chain Bed Bath & Beyond Inc (NASDAQ: BBBY) and movie theater operator AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (NYSE: AMC), as well as teledentistry firm SmileDirectClub Inc (NASDAQ: SDC) and fashion brand Express Inc (NYSE: EXPR). Along with GameStop, many of these stocks were in focus during a surge in interest in retail trading in early 2021 that began on the social media platform Reddit.

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