Amazon, Alphabet lead busiest week of reporting period
Investors need to get ready for a deluge of corporate results this week. More than 110 companies in the S & P 500 are set to report, making it the busiest week of the fourth-quarter earnings season. Among the companies scheduled to post their latest financials are Amazon, Google-parent Alphabet and Disney. The season thus far has been strong. FactSet data shows that 77% of the companies that posted Q4 results exceeded earnings estimates. John Butters, senior earnings analyst at FactSet also noted the S & P 500 is on track for a fifth straight quarter of double-digit earnings growth. He pointed out Friday that bottom-line expansion for the index is tracking at around 11.9%. Below is a breakdown of some of the key companies set to report next week. All times ET. Monday Disney is set to report earnings in the premarket, with a call slated for 8:30 a.m. Last quarter: DIS fell 7% after posting mixed fiscal fourth-quarter results in November. This quarter: Analysts expect the theme park and media giant’s bottom line fell around 10%, LSEG data shows. What to watch: Deutsche Bank analyst Bryan Kraft highlighted theme parks as a potential sore spot for Disney. “Theme Parks attendance remains a concern in F2026 given the slowdown in leisure travel that began (roughly) in September and was evident in Disney’s 4% domestic attendance decline during F4Q. That being said, we see this as a cyclical issue that is arguably priced in at these levels; although Universal’s Epic Universe is likely also having a small negative impact on [Walt Disney World], which should wane over time,” he said in a note last week. Kraft has a buy rating on shares. What history shows: Disney shares fell after three of the last four earnings releases. Palantir Technologies is set to report earnings after the closing bell. A call with management is set for 5 p.m. Last quarter: PLTR topped estimates and boosted Q4 guidance . This quarter: The data integration and analytics platform’s earnings and revenue are estimated to have expanded by at least 60%, according to LSEG. What to watch: RBC analyst Rishi Jaluria last week highlighted several red flags ahead of Palantir’s report. “We cannot rationalize why Palantir is the most expensive name in our software coverage. Absent a substantial beat-and-raise quarter elevating the [near term] growth trajectory, valuation seems unsustainable,” he wrote . What history shows: Palantir shares fell after two of the last three releases, including a 12% slide on mixed Q1 2025 figures. Tuesday PepsiCo is set to report earnings before the market open, with a call scheduled for 8:15 a.m. Last quarter: PEP earnings topped estimates thanks to strong international sales growth . This quarter: Analysts polled by LSEG expect the soft drink maker and Frito-Lay owner to post 10% earnings growth. What to watch: UBS analyst Peter Grom thinks PepsiCo is “one of the few large-cap Staples names with a strong case for multiple expansion at current levels.” Will this upcoming report prove his thesis correct? What history shows: PepsiCo earnings have missed expectations just once since mid-2021. Chipotle Mexican Grill is set to report earnings postmarket. A call is then set for 4:30 p.m. Last quarter: CMG plunged after the company lowered its sales forecast . This quarter: The fast casual chain is expected to report a slight decline in year-over-year earnings, per LSEG. What to watch: Chipotle has struggled over the past year, losing more than a third of its value. However, Telsey Advisory Group analyst Sarang Vora thinks 2026 could be a turnaround year. “The share price should bounce back as comps turn positive in 2Q26+, cost pressures moderate, initiatives start to show results, such as menu innovation and loyalty, and investors refocus on the core multi-year unit growth of 8%-10%, with strong execution,” Vora wrote in January. Keep an eye on the guidance, as that will give investors early indications of whether a bounceback can materialize. What history shows: Bespoke data shows Chipotle shares rise an average of 1.1% on earnings days. However, the stock has dropped after four of the last five releases, including an 18% slide on the back of Q3 results. Advanced Micro Devices is set to report earnings after the bell, with a call slated for 5 p.m. Last quarter: AMD posted better-than-expected results but profit margins only met estimates . This quarter: The chipmaker is expected to report a 20% expansion in earnings from the year-earlier period, according to LSEG. What to watch: Piper Sandler’s Harsh Kumar hiked his price target on the stock to $300 last week, signaling a gain of 27% from Friday’s close. “For the December 2025 quarter, we believe AMD will deliver revenue upside to the tune of $200 million, with potential to exceed that level, and EPS upside of at least $0.02 relative to the Street. For the March quarter, we also see potential for upside, although we expect it to be relatively small given the seasonal aspects of client, gaming, and even the enterprise EPYC CPU business,” Kumar wrote. What history shows: Bespoke data shows AMD beats earnings expectations 62% of the time. But the stock averages a 1.6% drop on earnings days. Wednesday Uber Technologies will report earnings before the bell, followed by a call at 8 a.m. Last quarter: UBER fell even after Q3 revenue topped expectations . This quarter: The ride-sharing platform’s earnings are forecast to have plunged 75% year on year, LSEG data shows. What to watch: Bank of America analyst Justin Post thinks Uber’s upcoming results and guidance will reflect solid growth for the company. “Mobility and Delivery industry appear to have performed well in 4Q (per BAC aggregated credit and debit card data). The ramp of new products on Uber like Reserve, Share, and Comfort also support growth,” he said in a note Friday. What history shows: Uber shares fell after the last five releases. Eli Lilly is scheduled to report earnings in the premarket. A conference call with analysts and management is set for 10 a.m. Last quarter: LLY raised its full-year 2025 margin guidance while earnings beat estimates. This quarter: The maker of Zepbound and Mounjaro weight loss and diabetes drugs is expected to see earnings growth of around 30% versus the same period a year ago, LSEG data shows. What to watch: Lilly’s results come after the company announced plans to invest $3.5 billion in a Pennsylvania manufacturing plant to make next-generation obesity drugs able to be injected. Investors will look for clues on the state of Lilly’s GLP-1 business. What history shows: Eli Lilly has topped earnings expectations for four straight quarters. However, the stock fell more than 10% after two of those releases. Alphabet will release earnings postmarket, followed by a call at 4:30 p.m. Last quarter: GOOGL topped $100 billion in quarterly revenue for the first time. This quarter: Analysts polled by LSEG see the Magnificent Seven stock reporting about 20% earnings growth. What to watch: “Given positive online advertising checks amid continued strong Google Cloud demand, we believe results are likely to come in above consensus revenue and GAAP EPS expectations,” wrote Citigroup analyst Ronald Josey last month. What history shows: Bespoke data shows Alphabet rises more than 1% on average after reporting earnings. Shares also climbed after each of the last three releases. Thursday Amazon is set to report earnings after the close. Management then holds a call at 5 p.m. Last quarter: AMZN raised its spending forecast when Q3 results beat expectations . This quarter: Analysts see slight year-on-year profit growth for the company, according to LSEG. What to watch: Amazon heads into its Q4 release as the worst-performing member of the “Magnificent Seven” over the past year, up less than 1%. Investors will look for signs in this report that the stock can rise out of its funk. What history shows: Amazon shares have fallen after three of the last four earnings releases, including an 8.3% slide on the back of Q2 2025 results.
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