Retail investors talked up five hot stocks during the week (July 13 to July 17) on X and Reddit’s r/WallStreetBets, driven by retail hype, earnings, listings, AI infrastructure momentum, and corporate/geopolitical news flow.
Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), AST SpaceMobile Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS), SK Hynix Inc. ADR (NASDAQ:SKHY), Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU), and Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX), spanning streaming, media, satellite and robotics, semiconductors, and memory, reflected strong retail interest.
Netflix
- NFLX faced mixed headlines this week. It reported second-quarter results with solid subscriber/revenue beats overshadowed by disappointing third-quarter guidance on revenue and profit, pressuring the stock amid broader AI/tech valuation concerns. The company rolled out curated short- and mid-form videos from partners on its platform, explored potential M&A, was in talks with Letterboxd, and released new content, including Heartstopper Forever, The Hawk, Quarterback S3, Hot Ones: Extra Heat, and various films.
- Retail investors were complaining about the stock’s poor performance on r/wallstreetbets.
- The stock had a 52-week range of $70.86 to $127.75, trading around $66 to $75 per share, as of the publication of this article. It declined by 40.53% over the year and 15.51% in the last six months. The stock was also down 20.70% YTD.
- NFLX had a weak price trend in the medium, short, and long terms, with a solid quality score as per Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings.
AST SpaceMobile
- ASTS was in the spotlight this week primarily due to financing news and timeline updates. On July 15, the company announced and priced a $1 billion private offering of convertible senior notes due 2034, sparking dilution concerns despite capped calls. It also updated that full commercial service is now targeted for early 2027, delayed from late 2026, due to launch provider uncertainties, while BlueBird 11 arrived at Cape Canaveral ahead of the planned August launch for satellites 11-13.
- Some retail investors were confident that the decline in ASTS stock was a buying opportunity.
- The stock had a 52-week range of $36.08 to $133.86, trading around $52 to $56 per share, as of the publication of this article. It advanced by 4.52% over the year and dropped 52.48% in the last six months. The stock was down 24.25% YTD.
- Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings showed that ASTS had a weak price trend in the long, short, and medium terms.
SK Hynix
- SKHY dominated semiconductor headlines this week with its landmark Nasdaq ADR debut. The company raised approximately $26.5 billion in one of the largest U.S. listings by a foreign firm, with shares surging over 12-13% on debut, though they later pulled back amid broader chip sector volatility. Korean shares also plunged this week amid heavy profit-taking by institutions/foreigners. Meanwhile, Jim Cramer blamed SKHY for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd.‘s (NYSE:TSM) decline despite a strong earnings report.
- Retail investors were still confident of the AI’s memory bottleneck trade, with some thinking of buying the memory dips.
- Since its listing, the stock has traded in the range of $151.30 to $194.80, and around $148 to $153 per share, as of the publication of this article. It has declined by 10.41% since debuting on the bourse.
- SKHY maintains a weak price trend over the long, short, and medium terms with a solid growth score, as per Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings.
Micron Technology
- MU saw continued sector volatility this week amid broader memory chip/AI stock swings. Its recent $250 billion U.S. investment expansion, announced on July 9, to boost AI memory production, remained a key positive theme, with analysts highlighting long-term supply opportunities and potential bottlenecks. The stock faced pressure on July 13 alongside peers, following SK Hynix’s post-listing moves, with active options trading and some profit-taking, though fundamentals stayed strong on high-bandwidth memory demand.
- Several retail investors were sure of holding MU despite its decline this week, targeting space stocks.
- The stock had a 52-week range of $103.38 to $1,255.00, trading around $828 to $854 per share, as of the publication of this article. It advanced by 632.80% over the year, 135.20% over the last six months, and 198.94% YTD.
- According to Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings, MU was maintaining a strong price trend over the short, medium, and long terms, with a good quality score.
Space Exploration Technologies
- SpaceX centered on operational progress amid post-IPO volatility. The FAA cleared Starship for its next test flight, highlighting a faster cadence, while the company conducted routine Falcon 9/Starlink missions, including a record 36th flight for one booster. Shares fell below their IPO price of $135 apiece, resulting in chatter across Wall Street and social media platforms.
- Several retail investors were bearish on SpaceX stock.
- The stock has traded in the range of $130.74 to $225.64 since listing. It was down 12.59% since its debut, and lower by 37.98% over the last month, as of the publication of this article.
- SPCX has had a weak price since the time it listed, as per Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings.
Retail focus comprised AI infrastructure momentum, earnings, and corporate news-driven narratives with broader market action during the week.
Image via Shutterstock
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