As earnings season intensifies, investors eagerly await results from 70 S&P 500 companies this week, including tech titans Meta Platforms and Tesla, and industry giants Netflix and General Motors. These reports arrive amidst market concerns over AI build-out debt, inflation, and persistent geopolitical tensions. Following a mixed but generally strong start to earnings from major U.S. banks last week, all eyes are on how these bellwether companies navigate the current economic landscape.
The corporate earnings season is accelerating this week, drawing significant attention from investors keen to gauge the health of major companies amidst a critical period for the stock market. A total of 70 S&P 500 companies are slated to report, including tech behemoths Meta Platforms, which will unveil its first quarterly results since the viral AI agent Muse launch, and its 'Magnificent Seven' counterpart, Tesla. Streaming giant Netflix also reports following recent substantial organizational shifts, as does automotive leader General Motors.
Last week, both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite experienced declines as traders shifted away from tech stocks, citing concerns about increasing debt related to the artificial intelligence build-out. Markets are also grappling with persistent high inflation and ongoing geopolitical tensions. Despite these headwinds, many major companies are still projected to deliver robust earnings results this week.
The quarterly reporting period commenced last week with major U.S. banks. Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Citigroup surpassed both earnings and revenue estimates. Wells Fargo presented mixed results, while JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America fell short on both top and bottom lines. Overall, the earnings season is off to a solid start, with approximately 45 S&P 500 companies having reported so far, and 85% of them exceeding earnings estimates, according to FactSet data.
Tuesday Reports (All times ET)
General Motors (GM) is scheduled to report earnings before the market open, with a conference call at 8:30 a.m.
- Last Quarter: GM notably raised its 2026 guidance, buoyed by strong performance from its North American operations.
- This Quarter: Analysts, according to LSEG, anticipate nearly a 30% surge in earnings per share, but foresee flat revenue compared to the same period last year.
- What to Watch: JPMorgan analysts recently reaffirmed their overweight rating on GM shares but adjusted their price target downwards. This adjustment reflects expectations that GM's 2027 outlook might convey a cautious tone, partly due to concerns over vehicle affordability. The automaker also experienced a 5.5% decline in vehicle sales last quarter.
- History Shows: Bespoke Investment Group data indicates that General Motors beats analyst earnings estimates an impressive 89% of the time. Moreover, its shares have appreciated following each of its last four earnings releases.
Netflix (NFLX) is set to release its earnings after the bell, with a conference call slated for 4:45 p.m.
- Last Quarter: NFLX shares dipped over 7% after delivering in-line results, as Wall Street closely monitored its engagement metrics.
- This Quarter: The streaming leader is projected to report a substantial 40% growth in earnings compared to the year-ago period, based on LSEG data.
- What to Watch: Barclays analyst Kannan Venkateshwar noted that as viewer engagement choices on streaming services become more deliberate, many still perceive Netflix primarily as a 'service for library content,' despite Originals constituting over 60% of its titles. Venkateshwar commented, “The issue may not be Netflix itself but rather that the world around Netflix has changed and Netflix hasn't really changed enough with it.” Furthermore, Netflix recently announced plans to lay off around 1,000 employees (6% of its workforce) and replaced its chief content officer.
- History Shows: Netflix's stock has faced challenges, declining after its reports for five consecutive quarters.
United Airlines (UAL) will report earnings after the close, followed by a conference call on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.
- Last Quarter: UAL's earnings were impacted by high fuel costs, exacerbated by the U.S.-Iran conflict, with increased jet fuel prices potentially adding an extra $6 billion to 2026 expenses than previously anticipated.
- This Quarter: LSEG-polled analysts expect revenue growth exceeding 15% but anticipate a decline in EPS compared to the prior year.
- What to Watch: The key question is whether United's earnings can overcome the sustained pressure of rising energy costs. Rival Delta Air Lines was compelled to reduce its full-year forecast earlier this month due to high fuel prices, despite robust consumer demand.
- History Shows: United typically surpasses analyst expectations 75% of the time, a streak it has maintained in every quarter since July 2022.
Wednesday Reports (All times ET)
AT&T (T) will report earnings before the market opens, with a conference call scheduled for 8:30 a.m.
- Last Quarter: T shares climbed 3% on better-than-expected earnings, despite a slight miss on revenue.
- This Quarter: LSEG data indicates analysts project nearly 11% earnings growth year-over-year, but slower top-line growth at 3.2% for the same period.
- What to Watch: Bernstein downgraded AT&T to market perform from outperform following news that SpaceX would acquire a nationwide spectrum portfolio, which triggered a sell-off in telecom stocks. Investors will be seeking insights into how AT&T plans to navigate increasing competition.
- History Shows: AT&T beats bottom-line estimates only 59% of the time, according to Bespoke. However, on average, AT&T's stock experiences little change immediately after earnings reports.
Meta Platforms (META) is scheduled to report earnings after the bell and host a conference call at 4:30 p.m.
- Last Quarter: META's cash flow took a significant hit, causing shares to fall 8%.
- This Quarter: Meta's earnings per share are anticipated to have grown an astonishing 460% compared to a year earlier, according to LSEG data.
- What to Watch: Analysts widely express bullish sentiment on Meta following the September 8th release of its AI agent, Muse. The Magnificent Seven titan's stock has surged over 15% since Muse's debut. Investors are now eager to see how this translates to the company's financial bottom line.
- History Shows: Meta surpasses expectations 88% of the time, per Bespoke data, but its stock suffered an almost 8% decline after its top-line miss last quarter. Shares also fell sharply following its Q1 2026 and Q3 2025 releases.
Tesla (TSLA) is set to report earnings after the close, with a conference call to follow at 5:30 p.m.
- Last Quarter: TSLA reported weaker-than-expected earnings, with margins facing pressure and cash flow turning negative.
- This Quarter: LSEG data suggests Tesla's revenue and earnings per share are expected to have declined, with a 14.5% drop in earnings and almost a 1% decline in revenue year-over-year.
- What to Watch: Wolfe Research is monitoring potential positive developments like a merger with SpaceX and Tesla's robotaxi business for the Elon Musk-led automaker. However, they estimate earnings below consensus for what they term a “tough quarter for Auto stocks.” Tesla's third-quarter delivery numbers, though down 2% from the prior year, still exceeded estimates, leading to a stock surge.
- History Shows: Tesla has missed analyst earnings estimates in two of the last four quarters and only beats on the top line 58% of the time, according to Bespoke.
Thursday Reports (All times ET)
Procter & Gamble (PG) is scheduled to report earnings before the market open, with a conference call slated for 8:30 a.m.
- Last Quarter: PG's beauty division was its strongest performer, though the company reported volume growth in only one quarter for the 2026 fiscal year.
- This Quarter: Procter & Gamble is projected to post revenue growth just under 2% and a 5.4% decline in earnings, as per LSEG data.
- What to Watch: Citi recently maintained its buy rating on the personal goods stock, expressing an optimistic outlook for PG ahead of earnings. Analyst Filippo Falorni stated, “We expect a closing of the gap vs. consumption in the US in F1Q27 and potential upside in China given the competitive dynamics in diapers, resulting in OSG re-accelerating to ~3%.”
- History Shows: Procter & Gamble beats earnings expectations 86% of the time and has done so consistently every quarter since April 2023, Bespoke data indicates.
American Airlines (AAL) is slated to report earnings in premarket, with a conference call to follow at 8:30 a.m.
- Last Quarter: AAL once again reduced its full-year earnings outlook due to elevated fuel costs.
- This Quarter: LSEG data shows the airline is expected to post top-line growth of 18%.
- What to Watch: American has strategically emphasized its premium offerings over the past quarter in an effort to narrow its profit margin gap with rivals United and Delta. This includes adding more first-class seats and rolling out redesigned Boeing planes. CEO Robert Isom mentioned at a recent conference that 30% of the airline’s seats generate half of its revenue.
- History Shows: The airline exceeds earnings estimates 88% of the time. However, its stock averages a 0.4% decline on earnings days, according to Bespoke.
