Illumina Shares Plunge 1.67% as $370M Trading Surge Sparks 489th-Ranked Activity Amid Strong International Revenue Growth

Market Snapshot

Illumina (ILMN) closed February 12, 2026, with a 1.67% decline in share price, marking a continuation of its recent underperformance. Despite the drop, the stock saw a surge in trading volume, with $370 million in total trading activity—a 54.7% increase from the previous day—which ranked it 489th among the most actively traded stocks. The heightened volume suggests renewed investor attention, though the price decline indicates mixed sentiment.

Key Drivers

Illumina’s international revenue performance for the quarter ending December 2025 highlights both strengths and vulnerabilities in its global operations. Total revenue reached $1.16 billion, a 5% year-over-year increase, with international markets contributing significantly. Europe emerged as a standout, generating $353 million (30.5% of total revenue), exceeding Wall Street’s $314.03 million estimate by 12.4%. This outperformance reflects robust demand in key European markets and potentially favorable currency dynamics. However, the region’s contribution dipped slightly from 29.5% in the same quarter of the prior year, indicating a need for sustained momentum.

The Greater China region also showed unexpected resilience, contributing $55 million (4.8% of total revenue), a 66.47% beat against analyst expectations of $33.04 million. This marked a recovery from the prior quarter’s $52 million and a significant rebound from the $80 million generated in the year-ago period. While the region’s contribution remains modest compared to Europe, the sharp outperformance suggests potential untapped growth opportunities in Asia-Pacific markets. Analysts project $31.66 million from China in the current quarter, representing 3% of total revenue, though this remains below the 7.3% contribution in the December 2024 quarter.

Looking ahead, Wall Street forecasts a 2.6% year-over-year revenue increase for Illumina in the current fiscal quarter, with international markets expected to maintain their role. Europe is projected to contribute 28.2% of total revenue ($300.95 million), while Greater China’s share is anticipated to stabilize at 3%. For the full year, analysts project $4.52 billion in revenue, with international markets accounting for 30.7% of the total. However, the company’s reliance on overseas operations introduces risks, including currency volatility and geopolitical uncertainties, which could pressure margins and earnings.

The stock’s recent 1.67% decline and 15.1% drop over the past month stand in contrast to its industry group’s performance. While the S&P 500 fell 0.2% and the broader medical sector rose 2.9% over the same period, Illumina underperformed both benchmarks. This divergence may reflect investor skepticism about the company’s ability to sustain its revenue growth amid global headwinds or a broader sell-off in tech and biotech sectors. The Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) designation further underscores a neutral outlook, suggesting that while international revenue trends are positive, near-term price action hinges on earnings revisions and macroeconomic factors.

In summary, Illumina’s stock price movement reflects a complex interplay of strong international revenue growth, particularly in Europe and China, and broader market pressures. While the company’s global diversification offers resilience against domestic economic challenges, it also exposes it to cross-border risks. Investors will need to monitor both the sustainability of overseas demand and macroeconomic developments to assess Illumina’s trajectory in the coming quarters.