What Happened?

A number of stocks fell in the afternoon session after a dismal February jobs report revealed an unexpected drop in employment, fueling concerns about the health of the economy. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a loss of 92,000 nonfarm payroll jobs, a stark contrast to economists' forecasts which had anticipated a gain. The unemployment rate also edged up to 4.4%. Adding to the bleak picture, employment data for December and January was revised down by a combined 69,000, suggesting the labor market was weaker than previously understood. This report, described by an analyst as a "knock-down blow," indicates that economic weakness is widespread, with job losses occurring in nearly every sector. Such data can signal a potential economic slowdown, which typically leads to lower corporate earnings and reduced consumer spending, rattling investor confidence across the market.

The stock market overreacts to news, and big price drops can present good opportunities to buy high-quality stocks.

Among others, the following stocks were impacted:

• Digital Media & Content Platforms company Getty Images (NYSE: GETY) fell 4.8%. Is now the time to buy Getty Images? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• Insurance Brokers company Baldwin Insurance Group (NASDAQ: BWIN) fell 4.2%. Is now the time to buy Baldwin Insurance Group? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• Industrial & Environmental Services company Driven Brands (NASDAQ: DRVN) fell 4.9%. Is now the time to buy Driven Brands? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• Electronic Components & Manufacturing company CTS (NYSE: CTS) fell 4.9%. Is now the time to buy CTS? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• Electronic Components & Manufacturing company Plexus (NASDAQ: PLXS) fell 3.6%. Is now the time to buy Plexus? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.

Zooming In On Driven Brands (DRVN)

Driven Brands’s shares are somewhat volatile and have had 10 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.

The biggest move we wrote about over the last year was 4 months ago when the stock gained 8% on the news that the company reported third-quarter results that beat analyst expectations on profit and raised its full-year earnings forecast. The company's adjusted earnings per share came in at $0.34, topping Wall Street's estimate of $0.30. While revenue of $535.7 million marked a 9.5% year-on-year decline, the figure was in line with analyst consensus. Adding to the positive news, management raised its full-year adjusted EPS guidance to $1.26 at the midpoint. The results were also supported by a 2.8% year-on-year increase in same-store sales. The stronger-than-expected profitability and improved earnings outlook appeared to overshadow the revenue decline, driving the stock higher.

Driven Brands is down 28.3% since the beginning of the year, and at $10.39 per share, it is trading 45.9% below its 52-week high of $19.21 from September 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Driven Brands’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $367.92.

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