Ford Motor, Activision Blizzard, Apple: Stocks That Defined the Week

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Tyson is beefing up its prices. The meat giant reported a jump in sales Monday after charging more for its beef, chicken and pork, citing growing costs from labor challenges and grain prices. Executives at Tyson, which produces roughly 1 of every 5 pounds of chicken, beef and pork in the U.S., said increasing wages and adding new benefits have helped improve staffing. Over the most recent quarter, Tyson said, the company’s average beef prices rose by nearly one-third compared with last year, while pork prices increased by 38% and chicken about 19%. Tyson shares rose 3.6% Monday.

Walmart Inc.

What supply-chain crisis? As companies scramble to get goods into stores, Walmart shelves are stocked for the holiday season. The big-box retailer on Tuesday reported another quarter of higher sales, as it raised prices for some products and consumers shopped early for the winter holidays. Its results show the uneven impact of supply-chain issues, as large companies with deep pockets continue to show they can work around disruptions that are hobbling their smaller competitors. Some of the biggest U.S. retailers, including Walmart, Home Depot Inc. and Target Corp., have chartered their own cargo ships to sidestep congestion at U.S. ports. Walmart shares lost 2.6% Tuesday.

Activision Blizzard Inc. ATVI -0.46%

Activision Blizzard’s chief executive is facing calls to step down. More than 500 current and former Activision Blizzard employees participated in a protest to demand the resignation of Chief Executive Bobby Kotick after The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that longtime CEO Bobby Kotick knew for years about sexual-misconduct allegations at the company. Mr. Kotick has told directors and other executives he wasn’t aware of many of the allegations of misconduct, and he has played down others, according to the report. Microsoft Corp.’s videogame boss said Thursday that the company is evaluating its relationship with Activision in the wake of the report. Activision shares sank 6.1% Tuesday.

Apple Inc. AAPL 1.70%

Apple is embracing DIY. The iPhone maker said Wednesday that it has created a self-service repair program that would allow customers to repair their own devices using genuine Apple parts and tools. The tech giant said the program would begin in early 2022 with a focus on the most common serviced modules, including phone display, battery and camera. The company is known for its tight control of the repair process, but the Biden administration in July encouraged the Federal Trade Commission to issue rules barring electronics makers from restricting the use of independent repair shops or people repairing their own devices. Apple shares added 1.7% Wednesday.

Sweetgreen Inc. SG 7.07%

Investors ate up Sweetgreen’s debut. The salad chain was the latest new offering to surge on its first day of trading Thursday. The company’s shares closed at $49.50, valuing Sweetgreen—which isn’t profitable—at more than $6 billion on a fully diluted basis. Sweetgreen joins electric-truck maker Rivian Automotive Inc., sneaker maker Allbirds Inc. and software maker Braze Inc. in producing big gains in their market debuts this month. Chief Executive Jonathan Neman said that Sweetgreen intends to use much of the new investment to open new U.S. locations. Sweetgreen shares jumped 77% Thursday.

CVS Health Corp.

CVS is going to make do with less. The pharmacy chain said Thursday it will close 900 stores over the next three years—nearly 10% of its U.S. locations—while adding more health services at remaining locations and booking a roughly $1 billion restructuring charge. The company’s retail and pharmacy chief, Neela Montgomery, is also leaving the company a year after taking the post. Staffing shortages have stressed both CVS and rival chain Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc., as pharmacy employees scramble to juggle Covid-19 testing and vaccines with filling prescriptions and serving customers. CVS shares fell 2.3% Friday.

Write to Francesca Fontana at francesca.fontana@wsj.com