Stock Movers H&M Sales Fall Short of Expectations; Pony AI Swings to Profit; Henkel to Buy Hair-Care Brand Olaplex
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Mar 26, 2026 A roundup of market movers, from H&M’s underwhelming Q1 sales and inventory concerns to Pony AI reporting its first profitable quarter thanks to investment gains. A major beauty deal as Henkel agrees to buy Olaplex for $1.4 billion. Also coverage of chip stock weakness after fresh tech demand worries.
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H&M Focused On Inventory Cuts And Full Price Sales
- H&M's new CEO prioritized stability and inventory discipline to improve margins.
- The CEO cut inventory and sold more full-price items, producing average share gains of about 10% under their tenure despite a 1% sales decline this quarter.
Pony AI Profit Driven By Investment Windfall
- Pony AI reported its first profitable quarter, but profit stemmed from an investment windfall rather than core robo-taxi operations.
- The company still plans to expand robo-taxi trials and launch services in 20 cities, including a Croatia deal with Uber and Vern.
Henkel Acquires Olaplex After Massive Share Decline
- Henkel agreed to buy Olaplex for $2.06 a share in a roughly $1.4 billion deal, sending Olaplex shares up about 50% pre-market.
- Olaplex went public at peak COVID valuations and subsequently lost roughly 95% of its value before Henkel's shampoo-acquisition spree.