New York, Feb 25, 2026, 16:01 ET — After-hours.
- Nvidia finished the regular session around 2% higher, with earnings on deck after the bell.
- Options are pricing in about a 5.6% swing after earnings—lowest figure in at least three years.
- Traders are zeroed in on guidance around data-center demand, watching closely for any signals on customer spending plans.
NVIDIA Corp climbed roughly 2% on Wednesday, closing out at $196.62 after shares moved in a range from $193.80 to $197.63.
Nvidia stayed squarely in Wall Street’s sights ahead of its quarterly results, a release investors routinely use to gauge appetite for artificial-intelligence hardware among Big Tech firms.
Options traders dialed down expectations for volatility this time. Contracts were pointing to a move of about 5.6% in either direction for Thursday, right after results—marking the smallest implied post-earnings swing for Nvidia in at least three years, ORATS data cited by Reuters showed. “This unusually low event pricing makes Nvidia one of the more interesting catalysts of the week,” said Chris Murphy, co-head of derivatives strategy at Susquehanna. Reuters
Even a move like that packs a punch in dollar terms, given Nvidia’s scale. Shares have gained roughly 3% year-to-date, but Nvidia’s stock is still trading about 8% below its late October record close, according to Reuters.
Stocks rallied Wednesday, tech shares out front, as traders braced for Nvidia’s results and the potential AI ripple. The broader tape offered some support.
FactSet data points to another steep rise in Nvidia’s sales and profits for the November-through-January stretch, analysts say. The report also highlights just how much cloud and tech giants are preparing to pour into AI infrastructure this year—a major tailwind for Nvidia’s chip business.
Nvidia plans to go over its fourth-quarter and full-year 2026 numbers on a conference call scheduled for 5 p.m. ET this Wednesday. The chipmaker’s fiscal year wrapped up on Jan. 25, according to the company.
Guidance stands out as the main focus for traders here. Investors are looking for details on data-center orders, supply dynamics, and pricing for the latest systems, plus a read on whether customers will keep allocating cash to capex after last year’s surge in AI infrastructure spending.
Here’s the setup: expectations are running high already. Should Nvidia’s outlook fall short—suggesting slower growth, tighter supply, or softer margins than what investors have in mind—the stock might see a sharp after-hours drop, a pattern familiar to chip peers over recent quarters.
The calendar looks packed after tonight’s results. Nvidia’s GTC conference hits San Jose March 16–19, a regular stage for new product and platform reveals that could move the needle.
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