On Friday, U.S. stock indices advanced with the Nasdaq Composite climbing more than one percent, propelled in part by robust performances from several large-cap and growth-oriented stocks. The spotlight was on Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IRWD), whose shares surged sharply after the firm disclosed projections for its fiscal year 2026 financials.
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals issued guidance anticipating U.S. net sales of Linzess, its flagship therapy, to reach between $1.125 billion and $1.175 billion in 2026. Additionally, the company forecasted total revenues in the range of $450 million to $475 million for the same period. Notably, adjusted EBITDA is expected to exceed $300 million, signaling improved profitability metrics for the biopharmaceutical business. This positive outlook resonated strongly with investors, driving Ironwood's stock price up by 57.7% to close at $5.32.
Friday’s session also saw notable appreciations among other biotechnology and technology entities. Aimei Health Technology Co., Ltd (NASDAQ:AFJK) recorded a significant 34.2% increase, closing at $85.90. SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:SLS) continued its upward trend with a 22.2% gain to $4.6050 after previously adding 14% earlier this week.
On the energy front, Sable Offshore Corp. (NYSE:SOC) appreciated 20.2% to $10.94 following a reaffirmed Buy rating and a price target of $20 from Benchmark analyst Subash Chandra. T1 Energy Inc. (NYSE:TE) joined the rally with a 17.7% gain to $7.86.
Other companies registering double-digit percentage lifts include TROOPS, Inc. (NASDAQ:TROO) climbing 16.8% to $3.7400 and SkyWater Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:SKYT), which advanced 16.1% to $21.09. Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ:CRML) posted a 12.2% gain to $7.79, while Denison Mines Corp. (NYSE:DNN) increased 10.3% to $2.9350. Denison’s rally followed updates on its readiness to initiate construction of the flagship Phoenix ISR project, accompanied by an announcement regarding capital cost estimates.
In the technology sector, Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) climbed 12.1% to $146.57 subsequent to the announcement of its non-wholly owned artificial intelligence unit, Kunlunxin, planning a proposed spin-off and listing in Hong Kong. Sandisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) increased by 10.1% to $261.28, while Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NASDAQ:CORT) rose 9.2% to $37.98. Astera Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALAB) followed suit with a 9.1% uptick to $181.53.
Semiconductor equipment giant ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML) climbed 8.7% to $1,163.31. Fluence Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLNC) also advanced 8.4% to $21.45.
Vertiv Holdings Co (NYSE:VRT) gained 7.4%, closing at $174.08, driven by Barclays’ enhancement of its rating from Equal-Weight to Overweight and an increased price target from $181 to $200, indicating improved analyst sentiment. Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) posted a 7.1% rise to $39.51, contributing further to the broad market strength.
The overall market environment on Friday reflected investor receptivity to corporate financial guidance, strategic spin-off plans, and analyst rating upgrades, fostering gains across multiple sectors including biotech, technology, energy, and mining. Despite these advances, investors remain attentive to forthcoming catalysts and economic data that could influence near-term volatility and equity valuations.