S&P 500 Leaders and Laggards: Monster Beverage Surges 9.7%, The Trade Desk Drops 37.3%

In early trading on Friday, Monster Beverage topped the list of best performing S&P 500 components, trading up 9.7% and registering a 26.8% gain year-to-date. The worst performing component was The Trade Desk, trading down 37.3% and lower by 52.9% year-to-date. Other notable movers included Microchip Technology, down 7.0%, and Gilead Sciences, up 9.5%.

In early trading on Friday, Monster Beverage (MNST) surged 7.5% in premarket trading, marking its best performance since November 2022. The energy drink maker's second-quarter report exceeded Wall Street's expectations, with revenue rising 11% to $2.11 billion, adjusted profit at $0.52, and sales in its flagship drink segment growing 11% to $1.94 billion. CEO Hilton Schlosberg noted that energy drinks are being purchased by more households, with per capita consumption on the rise. Following the earnings report, Piper Sandler upgraded Monster Beverage to 'Overweight' from 'Neutral' and raised its price target to $74, implying a 23% jump from the last close. On Stocktwits, retail sentiment shifted to 'extremely bullish' as of early Friday, from 'neutral' the previous day [1].

Monster Beverage's strong performance was driven by robust international sales, with non-US markets contributing 41% of total revenue. The company's gross profit margin improved to 55.7%, up from 53.6% a year earlier, due to pricing actions, supply chain optimization, and lower input costs. However, the alcohol brand segment saw a 9% decline in revenue to $38 million. Management emphasized the strength of global energy drink demand and the company's proactive supply chain strategies to maintain competitiveness. Schlosberg highlighted that the second quarter's net sales of $2.11 billion represent a quarterly record, crossing the $2 billion threshold for the first time in the company's history [2].

On Friday, Monster Beverage was among the top 10 gainers on the S&P 500 index before the bell, according to MarketWatch data. If the gains hold in the regular session, it would mark the stock's best performance since November 2022. The company's stock has also gained 26.8% year-to-date, making it one of the best performing components of the S&P 500. Meanwhile, The Trade Desk (TTD) was the worst performer, trading down 37.3% and lower by 52.9% year-to-date. Other notable movers included Microchip Technology (MCHP), down 7.0%, and Gilead Sciences (GILD), up 9.5% [1].

References:
[1] https://stocktwits.com/news-articles/markets/equity/monster-beverages-stock-heads-for-best-day-in-over-2-years-after-upbeat-q2-retail-traders-turn-extremely-bullish/chrnEfXRdE0
[2] https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2025/08/08/monster-mnst-q2-2025-earnings-call-transcript/