Tesla, IBM and Meta Platforms helped lead most U.S. stocks higher on Thursday following a rush of profit reports from some of the country’s most influential companies. The S&P 500 rose 0.5%, as four out of every five stocks in the index climbed.

Tesla's fourth-quarter net income fell 71% from a year ago, when results were boosted by a one-time tax benefit.

With Tesla set to release its latest quarterly earnings report, Wall Street thinks the stock can keep rising on a "golden age" for automation and AI.

Shares of Tesla ( TSLA 4.28%) were moving higher today, overcoming a weak earnings report after CEO Elon Musk spent much of the earnings call pumping up the stock and making big promises about autonomy. As of 1:11 p.m. ET, the stock was up 4.7% on the news.

Tesla stock opened up 5.5% at $410.50 before slipping. The initial rise was a surprise for two reasons. For starters, earnings were relatively weak and guidance was “vague,” according to Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas.