Rigetti Computing, Inc.

Shares of Rigetti Computing, which develops quantum computing systems, rose 5% in early trading on Wednesday. The company – with a delay of several months – <a href="https://investors.rigetti.com/news-releases/news-release-details/rigetti-announces-general-availability-108-qubit-system">announced</a>&nbsp;the launch of its most powerful quantum computer.

Rigetti shares jump amid delayed launch of most powerful quantum computer to date

Sleep Number Corporation

Aehr Test Systems, Inc.

Bed Bath & Beyond, Inc.

Waldencast plc

Vicor Corporation

Solo Brands, Inc.

The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.

Paysafe Limited

GigaCloud Technology Inc.

The Russell 2000, the smid-cap benchmark, <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/%5ERUT/">jumped</a> 3.4% in early trading on Wednesday to its highest level in more than a month. That would mark the index’s best performance in the last two months, Barron's <a href="https://www.barrons.com/livecoverage/stock-market-news-today-040826/card/the-russell-2000-is-soaring-it-s-almost-out-of-correction-territory--WkUyZETA0oS6rLEU4cLa">wrote</a>. However, momentum later slowed. Still, the Russell 2000 managed to post the strongest gain among major U.S. indexes by the close of trading on Wednesday, rising nearly 3%.

Russell 2000 hits a one-month high on Iran war ceasefire

Optex Systems Holdings, Inc

Freedom Broker has initiated coverage on Optex Systems Holdings with a “buy” rating, citing rising defense spending as a key driver of demand for the company’s products. The analysts flag that the stock is best suited to long-term investors, given the firm's exposure to uneven defense procurement cycles.

Freedom Broker initiates on micro-cap defense optics supplier Optex at 'buy'

Boot Barn Holdings, Inc.

'Victim of negative investor sentiment': Jefferies upgrades Boot Barn to 'buy'

XWELL, Inc.

Investment group American Ventures, linked to the children of U.S. President Trump, has <a href="https://www.xwell.com/static-files/0b6259f4-58aa-46bc-927c-37d35dae1efd">acquired</a>&nbsp;shares of small-cap spa operator XWell. By the World Cup of&nbsp;soccer  in June, the company plans to roll out AI-powered infectious disease screening at U.S. airports, the FT <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d075f22c-1794-42e3-83d6-020ff2b4ef4f">reports</a>.

Trump family-linked investment group backs small-cap spa company XWell

Primo Brands Corporation

Dauch Corporation

Nextdoor Holdings, Inc.

Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc.

Sweetgreen, Inc.

Cable One, Inc.

Sabre Corporation

Stitch Fix, Inc.

Cars.com Inc.

First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc.

American Public Education, Inc.

MediaAlpha, Inc.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.

Portillo's Inc.

Freedom looks at the 15 small-cap stocks in consumer cyclicals that were most held by hedge funds as of 4Q25

Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.

Shares of Soleno Therapeutics, the developer of the first therapy for insatiable hunger, surged nearly 30% in early trading on Monday to $51.30 per share after Neurocrine Biosciences was reported to be nearing a more than $2.5 billion acquisition of the company, the FT <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/6642c09c-12df-4724-8ed4-a28c32b9b2b7?syn-25a6b1a6=1">wrote</a>, citing people familiar with the matter.

Extreme hunger drugmaker Soleno jumps on potential acquisition by Neurocrine

Globalstar, Inc.

Amazon.com, Inc.

Viasat, Inc.

Iridium Communications Inc.

Shares of Iridium Communications and Viasat, two small-cap satellite communications providers, surged more than 15% on Thursday. The rally was triggered by a Financial Times report that Amazon is in talks to acquire their peer, satellite company Globalstar.

Small space stocks soar on report of Amazon interest in Starlink peer

Chord Energy Corporation

Matador Resources Company

Kinetik Holdings Inc.

USA Compression Partners, LP

The Iran crisis has reminded investors just how unpredictable the oil market can be. After the Strait of Hormuz was closed in March, Brent crude <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/business/economics/article/strait-of-hormuz-closure-threatens-brent-crude-100-surge-w3sxph3pl#:~:text=The%20Middle%20East%20conflict%20pushed%20Brent%20crude%20to%20%24119.50%20a%20barrel%20for%20the%20first%20time%20since%202022%20but%20prices%20fell%20back%20on%20reports%20that%20the%20G7%20will%20intervene">surged</a>&nbsp;to $120 per barrel, while Dubai crude briefly <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/19/166-a-barrel-middle-east-oil-gives-clue-to-where-all-prices-could-be-headed-if-iran-war-drags-on.html#:~:text=Dubai%2520crude%2520oil%2520prices%2520surpassed%2520%2524166%2520a%2520barrel%2520to%2520a%2520new%2520record%2520high%2520on%2520Thursday%252C%2520according%2520to%2520market%2520data%2520provider%2520Platts">hit</a>&nbsp;a record above $166 per barrel. The International Energy Agency <a href="https://www.iea.org/news/new-iea-report-highlights-options-to-ease-oil-price-pressures-on-consumers-in-response-to-middle-east-supply-disruptions#:~:text=The%2520war%2520in%2520the%2520Middle%2520East%2520is,said%2520IEA%2520Executive%2520Director%2520Fatih%2520Birol.">called</a>&nbsp;it the largest oil supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.

Two strategies, four stocks that can grow at any oil price

Gentex Corporation

In a note seen by <i>Oninvest</i>, Freedom Broker has initiated coverage of Gentex Corporation, a leading global supplier of auto-dimming electrochromic rearview mirrors and a partner to Toyota Motor Corporation and Volkswagen AG. The analysts point to improving business profitability and opportunities outside of the company’s core mirror segment as key drivers of upside.

Freedom Broker initiates on mid-cap Toyota supplier Gentex with 'buy'

Nomad Foods Limited

The Simply Good Foods Company

Utz Brands, Inc.

Coursera, Inc.

Westrock Coffee Company

Since the start of the year, the S&amp;P 500 Consumer Discretionary index has <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/sp-500-consumer-discretionary-sector/#overview">declined</a>&nbsp;8.5%. By comparison, the S&amp;P 500 Energy index has <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/sp-500-energy-sector/#overview">surged</a>&nbsp;nearly 32%. Meanwhile, at the beginning of the year, the consumer segment was <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/news/4548107-consumer-staples-emerge-as-the-market-safe-haven-while-the-other-10-sp-500-sectors-slide">viewed</a>&nbsp;by investors as a “refuge” amid overheating Big Tech stocks.

Insider Monkey: 10 small-cap consumer staples names under $30 

Penguin Solutions, Inc.

Penguin Solutions, a small-cap maker of AI computing infrastructure, <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/PENG/">soared</a> more than 10% in extended trading on April 1. The company <a href="https://ir.penguinsolutions.com/news/news-details/2026/Penguin-Solutions-Reports-Q2-Fiscal-2026-Financial-Results/default.aspx">released</a> quarterly earnings that <a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/penguin-solutions-stock-earnings-4729efd0?mod=RTA">beat</a> Wall Street expectations and doubled its revenue guidance for the full fiscal year.

Shares of AI infrastructure maker Penguin soared. It improved its outlook for the year

Small caps