The fourth quarter earnings season momentum continues this week, as results from Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Amazon (AMZN), AMD (AMD), Qualcomm (QCOM), and Palantir (PLTR) highlighted the calendar.
As of Feb. 6, 59% of S&P 500 (^GSPC) companies have reported fourth quarter results, according to FactSet data, and Wall Street analysts estimate a 13% increase in earnings per share for the fourth quarter. If that rate holds, it would represent the 10th consecutive quarter of annual earnings growth for the index and the fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth.
Heading into the reporting period, analysts were expecting an 8.3% jump in earnings per share, down from the third quarter’s 13.6% earnings growth rate. Wall Street has raised its earnings expectations in recent months, especially for tech companies, which have driven earnings growth in recent quarters.
Massive Big Tech capital expenditures set the tone for the AI trade. Plus, the themes that drove the markets in 2025 — artificial intelligence, the Trump administration’s tariff and economic policies, and a K-shaped consumer economy — continue to provide plenty for investors to parse.
This week, investors heard updates from companies including Disney (DIS), Chipotle (CMG), PepsiCo (PEP), Uber (UBER), and Snap (SNAP).
In the week ahead, additional results will pour in from Coca-Cola (KO), Spotify (SPOT), Robinhood (HOOD), Lyft (LYFT), Ford (F), Rivian (RIVN), Moderna (MRNA), Airbnb (ABNB), and Coinbase (COIN).
LIVE 137 updates
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3 themes from Q4 earnings season so far
With over half of S&P 500 companies having reported so far, BlackRock chief investment and portfolio strategist of the Americas, Gargi Chaudhuri, shared some themes that have emerged so far this earnings season.
The three things Chaudhuri has been focused on:
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How Roblox plans to attract 30-somethings onto its gaming platform
Yahoo Finance’s Francisco Velasquez reports:
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Philip Morris stock falls on weaker-than-expected 2026 profit forecast
Philip Morris (PM) stock dropped 2% in premarket trading on Friday after the tobacco company reported a weaker-than-expected full-year profit forecast.
For the full year, Philip Morris expects earnings per share of $7.87 to $8.02 in 2026, a miss compared to the $8.08 midpoint the Street was looking for.
For the fourth quarter, here’s how the company performed against consensus estimates compiled by S&P Global:
Philip Morris’ smoke-free business, which makes up 41% of its revenues and includes products like Zyn nicotine pouches, continued to drive growth. In the fourth quarter, smoke-free shipment volumes increased 8.5%, while cigarette volumes declined 2.2%.
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Toyota announces CEO change, stock climbs
Shares in Toyota (TM) rose 2% on Friday morning after the company announced a CEO change and fourth quarter results.
The world’s top-selling automaker said its CFO Kenta Kon will become CEO and president, replacing Koji Sato in April. Sato will remain vice chairman at Toyota Motor Corp.
The company also announced fourth quarter operating income of 1.2 trillion Japanese yen ($7.6 billion), a decline from the year before but above Wall Street’s expectations. Revenue of 13.4 trillion yen ($85 billion) was also ahead of estimates of 12.8 trillion yen ($81 billion), according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
“Despite the continued impact of US tariffs, strong demand supported by product competitiveness has led to increased sales volumes, and we achieved a high level of profit due to price revisions,” the company said in its earnings presentation.
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Roblox forecasts strong annual bookings as gaming platform momentum grows
Reuters reports:
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Reddit forecasts revenue above estimates as AI fuels ad sales
Reddit (RDDT) stock rose 6% after reporting earnings.
The social media platform issued a better-than-expected first quarter revenue forecast on the back of artificial intelligence enhancements to its ad platform.
From Reuters:
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Amazon tops Q4 earnings, but $200B projected spending sends stock sinking
Yahoo Finance’s Daniel Howley breaks down Amazon’s Q4 earnings report:
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Strategy reports quarterly loss as the stock gets crushed by bitcoin sell-off
Strategy stock (MSTR) tumbled 17% on Thursday before taking another 1% hit after-hours following the release of its fourth quarter earnings.
The software company led by Michael Saylor pioneered the model for companies to hoard bitcoin in corporate treasuries. These days, it’s seen as an investment proxy for bitcoin, with that side of the business becoming its organizing principle.
The gambit seemed to work last year when bitcoin advanced higher and higher on hopes of easier regulation. But as the sell-off in bitcoin intensified on Thursday, it highlighted the risks in Strategy’s long-term holding strategy that could make it harder for the company to raise capital.
Strategy currently holds 713,502 bitcoins with an average purchase price of $76,052. On Thursday, bitcoin’s spot price fell to around $63,000, bringing the company’s unrealized losses to about $8.9 billion.
“HODL,” Saylor tweeted on Thursday, referring to a tongue-in-cheek term in the crypto community that has evolved to mean “hold on for dear life.”
For the fourth quarter, Strategy reported an operating loss of $17.4 billion, compared to an operating loss of $1 billion in Q4 2024.
It also reported a net loss of $12.4 billion, or $42.93 per share, well below the $5.5 billion loss to $6.3 billion profit range the company indicated in December, when it slashed its forecast from a net profit of $24 billion. The Street was expecting a loss of $20.99 per share.
In the software operations, revenue increased 1.9% year over year to $123 million, driven by strong growth in product licenses and subscription services.
In December, Strategy also created a US dollar reserve worth $2.25 billion, which the company said provides more than two and a half years of funds to cover its dividend. Remarking on the reserve, CFO Andrew Kang said that “Strategy’s capital structure is stronger and more resilient today than ever before.”
Listen to Strategy’s earnings call live on the stock quote page.
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Peloton posts lackluster quarter amid turnaround efforts
Peloton (PTON) stock tumbled more than 9% in premarket trading after the connected fitness company reported a lackluster holiday quarter that failed to deliver results and shared that its CFO Liz Coddington would be departing.
For the fiscal second quarter, Peloton recorded a basic loss per share of $0.09, wider than the $0.06 loss expected. Revenue was $656.5 million in the quarter, below expectations for $675.1 million, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Subscriptions to its connected fitness service dropped 7% year over year to 2.66 million after the company raised prices at the beginning of October.
Peloton also forecast a challenging quarter ahead as the company transforms its product lineup and tries to stabilize shrinking sales. The company has added new features to its lineup, including a CrossFit training series, as it attempts to revamp offerings.
In its fiscal third quarter, Peloton expects subscriptions to decrease by 8% year over year to a range of 2.65 million to 2.67 million. Revenue is expected to come in between $605 million and $625 million, a 1% decline year over year.
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Hershey’s outlook tops estimates on price hikes, new items
Hershey Co’s (HSY) stock edged higher by 2% before the bell on Thursday after reporting an upbeat outlook. The US confectionery company said higher prices and new products had helped to boost its performance.
Bloomberg News reports:
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Estée Lauder shares tumble as tariff concerns overshadow strong Q2 results
Estee Lauder (EL) shares slumped 10% before the bell on Thursday, despite beating analysts’ estimates on earnings per share and revenue, but tariff woes caused the beauty group’s shares to tumble.
Investing.com reports:
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Cigna 2026 forecast misses Wall Street expectations
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Maersk Q4 meets forecasts, falling freight rates to weigh on 2026 profits
Reuters reports:
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Shell stock dips on Q4 profit miss but announces another $3.5B buyback
Shell (SHEL) stock fell 2% before the bell on Thursday after reporting fourth quarter profit that missed analysts’ expectations. The group did, however, announce a $3.5 billion share buyback.
Yahoo Finance UK’s Vicky McKeever reports on the latest results.
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Arm Holdings shares fall as licensing sales miss estimates
From Reuters:
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E.l.f. Beauty stock jumps on upbeat profit guidance
E.l.f. Beauty (ELF) demonstrated resilience in the fourth quarter following a difficult 2025, with a strong earnings beat and guidance raise.
The affordable cosmetics manufacturer lifted its full-year 2026 sales outlook to a range of $1.6 billion to $1.61 billion from its previous range of $1.55 billion to $1.57 billion. The company also sees greater earnings per share of $3.05-$3.10, an increase from the previous range of $2.80-$2.85.
The stock soared by as much as 14% in after-hours trading as the company looks to regain its footing after higher tariffs and other challenges led the stock to lose 40% in 2025. However, the stock pared some of those gains, perhaps due to lower gross margins amid ongoing tariff costs.
Last year, the company also acquired Hailey Bieber’s Rhode brand.
In the fourth quarter, e.l.f. reported better-than-expected earnings per share of $0.65 versus $0.55 expected by Wall Street analysts. Net sales jumped 38% to $489.5 million, topping estimates of $461 million, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
“Our value proposition, powerhouse innovation and disruptive marketing engine continue to fuel our brands,” CEO Tarang Amin said in a statement. “We remain confident in our ability to grow market share and deliver best-in-class growth in beauty, as reflected by our raised fiscal 2026 outlook.”
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Snap reports upbeat fourth quarter revenue as holiday season boosts ad spending
Snap (SNAP) stock galloped higher after a strong holiday quarter for advertising lifted earnings above Wall Street’s estimates.
For the fourth quarter, the video messaging app reported revenue of $1.71 billion and earnings per share of $0.03. That beat Wall Street estimates of $1.7 billion in revenue and a $0.03 loss per share, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Reuters reports:
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Alphabet 2026 spending forecast soars past Wall Street expectations as Google parent goes all in on AI
Yahoo Finance’s Laura Bratton reports:
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Qualcomm stock dives as memory chip shortage weighs on financial outlook
Qualcomm (QCOM) stock fell around 8% in extended trading after the chip designer’s results beat on the top and bottom lines but its forecast was lighter than expected. A memory chip shortage stemming from data center developers scooping up chips and chipmakers shifting production to cater to AI demand added pressure to the company’s outlook.
In the fiscal first quarter, the company said revenue increased 5% year over year to $12.3 billion, while earnings per share rose to $2.78. Qualcomm beat analyst estimates on the top and bottom lines, with consensus estimates forecasting $12.1 billion in revenue and earnings per share of $2.75, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
However, the outlook for the fiscal second quarter dimmed as a supply crunch in memory chips weighs on margins and the smartphone market.
Second quarter revenue is expected in the range of $10.2 billion to $11 billion (analysts were looking for $11 billion at the midpoint). Adjusted diluted earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $2.45 to $2.65 (the Street was hoping for $2.87).
“While our near-term handsets outlook is impacted by industry-wide memory supply constraints, we are encouraged by end-consumer demand for premium and high tier smartphones, and remain on track to achieve our fiscal 2029 revenue goals,” Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said in the earnings release.
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The backlog just keeps growing,’ Eaton CEO says as data center orders tripled
During the fourth quarter earnings call for power management giant Eaton Corporation (ETN), CEO Paulo Ruiz Sternadt said the company’s backlog of orders “just keeps growing” and projected a continued firehose of demand as the AI arms race powers on.
Data center orders at Eaton roughly tripled in the fourth quarter over the prior year, while the backlog for its “Electrical Americas” division grew by 31% quarter-on-quarter to hit a new record, Sternadt said during the call on Tuesday.
Eaton’s stock price spiked after the report and is up by more than 6% over the past five trading sessions and by more than 16% on the year.
Eaton reported fourth quarter revenue at $7.05 billion, outperforming revenue of $6.24 billion from a year ago but falling below analysts’ expectations of $7.09 billion.
On the bottom line, the company reported adjusted earnings per share of $3.33 per share, outperforming estimates of $3.32 per share.
Talking about Eaton’s strong order backlog, Sternadt attributed much of the company’s success to the demand from AI hyperscalers.
“You probably noticed on recent news from the hyperscalers that they reconfirmed their capex plans for 2026 — this is also great news that supports these projects,” Sternadt said. “Multi-tenant and new cloud players, they are so active, never seen them so active as they are today. If I’m to summarize the market picture here, lots of strength, and these projects will take years to complete. So that’s what gives us the optimism in the future.”
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