Earnings reports are some of the most important sources of information available to stock investors. They give important details about the current state of a business, reveal important financial information, and may include forward earnings and revenue projections, as well as commentary by the CEO or other company leaders.
If you're invested in a particular stock, reading its quarterly and year-end earnings reports is one of the smartest things you can do to ensure your investment is still a good one. If you aren't invested in a company, reading through its recent earnings reports can help you analyze profitability, growth, financial conditions, and other important information to make educated decisions about whether a company would be a good fit for your portfolio.
What are they?
What are earnings reports?
Earnings reports are (usually) quarterly releases that provide important details on a company's business operations and updated financial statements.
Publicly traded companies in the United States are generally required to issue earnings reports once per quarter to disclose and discuss their quarterly and full-year business results to the investing community. They must be issued in a timely manner after the end of the period being reported.
Most (but not all) companies release their earnings reports within three to seven weeks after the end of the fiscal quarter. This period that occurs after each calendar quarter is often referred to as earnings season. In a company's earnings report, you can find information on its revenue (also known as top line) and earnings (bottom line) and how specific parts of the company performed.
Most companies provide commentary from senior leadership on the results and valuable context about future growth initiatives. These typically come both in the form of comments in the written earnings report and in an earnings conference call, which usually occurs within a day or so after the earnings report is released. Many provide forward projections, or guidance, which tell investors how management expects the business to perform in the coming quarter or for the full year.
Upcoming reports
Upcoming critical earnings reports in 2025
Thousands of stocks trade on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq stock exchange in the United States, and thousands more trade on over-the-counter (OTC) markets and on international stock exchanges. So, it's impossible for us to discuss all of them. However, here's a list of some of the most closely followed companies when it comes to earnings reports, followed by their latest results and upcoming earnings dates.
| Name and ticker | Market cap | Dividend yield | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) | $2.3 trillion | 0.00% | Multiline Retail |
| Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) | $1.5 trillion | 0.00% | Automobiles |
| Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) | $3.9 trillion | 0.64% | Software |
| Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.B) | $1.1 trillion | 0.00% | Diversified Financial Services |
| Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) | $4.5 trillion | 0.02% | Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment |
| Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) | $2.9 trillion | 0.34% | Interactive Media and Services |
| Shopify (NASDAQ:SHOP) | $193 billion | 0.00% | IT Services |
| Block (NYSE:XYZ) | $44 billion | 0.00% | Diversified Financial Services |
| Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) | $1.8 trillion | 0.28% | Interactive Media and Services |
| Nike (NYSE:NKE) | $103 billion | 2.29% | Textiles, Apparel and Luxury Goods |
Recent reports
Recent important earnings reports
For the 10 stocks in the earnings calendar chart above, here's a rundown of how things went the last time they reported earnings.
1. Amazon
Amazon reported its first-quarter earnings on July 31, 2025, and the results were generally strong. Revenue and earnings both surpassed analysts' expectations, and the company's cost-cutting efforts resulted in excellent profit margin growth.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) was an especially strong point, with revenue up 18% year over year. The company's advertising platform also posted excellent growth, with revenue up 23%.
One thing to keep an eye on is Amazon's capital expenditures, which have accelerated recently due to AI-related investments in data centers and related equipment. Management has said that the company expects capital expenditures to increase to $100 billion in 2025, compared to $83 billion in 2024.
Amazon's next earnings report is expected on or about Oct. 29, 2025.
2. Tesla
In the second quarter of 2025, Tesla reported a 14% year-over-year decrease in vehicle deliveries and missed expectations on both the top and bottom lines. There were a few reasons for the weakness, including political backlash and generally stronger competition in the electric vehicle (EV) market. However, the company is focusing on robotics, automation, and other futuristic products, and Tesla began testing its robotaxi service in June -- so stay tuned.
Tesla's next earnings report is expected on or about Oct. 21, 2025.
3. Microsoft
In its fiscal fourth quarter of 2025 (its fiscal year ends June 30), Microsoft reported $76.4 billion in total revenue, which handily topped expectations. Plus, the company's forward guidance was significantly more than analysts had expected for the first fiscal quarter, so investors largely cheered the results.
On the bottom line, Microsoft's earnings came in better than expected, with $3.65 per share in net profit. Azure revenue grew 34% year-over-year, a sequential increase compared with the prior quarter's 33% growth rate, driven by artificial intelligence (AI) demand.
Microsoft's next earnings report is expected on or about Oct. 28, 2025.
4. Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway is one of the few companies that always reports earnings on Saturdays, as management wants the market to have time to digest it before trading opens on Monday. In the first quarter of 2025, Berkshire reported a 4% year-over-year earnings decline in its operating businesses, mainly due to weaker underwriting profits from insurance.
Warren Buffett and his team were net buyers of stocks in the second quarter, as it was the first time in a while that Berkshire's massive cash stockpile declined. Berkshire reported cash and short-term investments balance totaling $344 billion, which gives the company unparalleled financial flexibility going forward.
Berkshire Hathaway's next earnings report is expected on or about Nov. 1, 2025.
5. Nvidia
For the second quarter of its 2026 fiscal year (ending July 27, 2025), graphics chipmaker Nvidia reported both revenue and earnings that handily surpassed expectations. It generated $46.7 billion in revenue and expects this to swell to $54 billion in the third fiscal quarter. Nvidia's revenue continues to grow rapidly, with 56% year-over-year growth in the second quarter, thanks to the continued surge in demand for AI chips.
Nvidia has been a major beneficiary of the surge in AI investment, and this has been fueling rapid growth in recent quarters. However, there are some concerns about the company's ability to sustain its growth. On the other hand, the industries it serves are expected to get significantly larger over the next decade, so there could be plenty of profit growth in the years ahead.
Nvidia's next earnings report is expected on or about Nov. 19, 2025.
6. Alphabet
In the second quarter of 2025, Alphabet (better known for its main subsidiary, Google) reported both revenue and earnings that exceeded analysts' expectations.
Looking a little deeper, revenue from the fast-growing Google Cloud business handily beat expectations, as did YouTube advertising revenue. It's also important to mention that Alphabet expects $85 billion in capital expenditures in 2025, up from its prior forecast of $75 billion, mainly having to do with its AI growth strategy. It will be important to watch and see if the company can achieve a strong return on its investment.
Alphabet's next earnings report is expected on or about Oct. 27, 2025.
7. Shopify
E-commerce service platform Shopify issued excellent second quarter results that handily beat expectations, and gave strong guidance. Shopify guided for second-quarter gross profit growth at a "mid-to-high 20s" percentage rate, more than analysts had been expecting.
Management said that some of the Trump administration's policies, such as de minimis tariffs, aren't having much of an impact on Shopify, which was excellent news for investors. There are still some ongoing concerns about discretionary spending, but Shopify is doing a great job of setting itself up for long-term success regardless of short-term headwinds.
Shopify's next earnings report is expected on or about Nov. 10, 2025.
8. Block
Despite fears of lower consumer spending, fintech giant Block (formerly Square) reported solid second quarter 2025 results throughout its business. Gross profit increased by 14% year over year, and while revenue came in a bit light, the business has become far more profitable than it was a year ago.
On the other hand, the company raised its guidance for the full year, which sent the stock rising after the report. Block's Cash App Card is a particularly interesting point to watch, as it is growing its active user base rapidly and creating many opportunities to cross-sell new products.
Block's next earnings report is expected on or about Nov. 5, 2025.
9. Meta Platforms
Meta Platforms, better known by its former name, Facebook, reported second-quarter 2025 earnings that handily beat expectations on both the top and bottom lines. Revenue in the quarter increased by 22% year-over-year, and despite higher capex related to its AI strategy, Meta reported 21% earnings per share growth.
Meta increased guidance for its (mostly) AI-related capital expenditures for the second time in a row, now projecting they will be in the range of $66 billion to $72 billion for the full year 2025, up $1 billion at the midpoint of the range.
Meta's next earnings report is expected on or about Oct. 28, 2025.
10. Nike
Nike is an iconic American brand whose business is currently in the early stages of a turnaround. But the recent results look quite promising.
In its fiscal fourth quarter (ending May 31, 2025), Nike reported revenue and earnings that exceeded expectations, although the former was down by 12% compared with a year ago. However, the company had previously warned that the fiscal fourth quarter would be the "low point" of its turnaround, so it will be interesting to see if there's an inflection point that starts to materialize.
Nike's next earnings report is expected on Sept. 30, 2025.
Their importance
Why are earnings reports important?
Earnings reports are important because:
- They provide many important insights into the current state of the companies you invest in and clues about where those companies could be heading.
- Earnings reports can help you spot growth trends, profit margin growth or contractions, balance sheet health, and how management expects the business to perform going forward.
- A company's key executives can provide context and commentary about the numbers you read in their earnings reports.
Earnings Call
With most U.S. companies, earnings reports are the most up-to-date look investors will get at a company's business and financials. Reading the most recent earnings report is an important part of doing ongoing due diligence as a buy-and-hold investor and can help you find new investment opportunities.
Related investing topics
How to identify potential concerns
How to identify potential concerns in a company's earnings report
There's no perfect way to identify red flags in a company's earnings report, and it's important to evaluate any concerning information in context with the industry conditions, macroeconomic environment, and other factors.
Having said that, here are a few things to watch out for:
- Slowing earnings growth.
- Missed guidance (revenue or earnings).
- Reduced guidance.
- Margin compression that isn't for some valid reason.
FAQ
Earnings reports FAQ
Can earnings reports predict a company's future performance?
Many companies issue predictions (known as guidance) along with their earnings reports. However, there's no guarantee that any company will be able to deliver what its management team expects.
Should you buy stock before an earnings report?
Before and after an earnings report, a stock can be rather volatile. If a company's earnings don't measure up to expectations, the stock can plunge after the report is released. On the other hand, if earnings exceed expectations, a stock can soar. If you buy a stock before an earnings report, it's important to expect volatility once the report is released.
How do investors use earnings reports?
Aside from the obvious use of seeing how a company's business performed over the past three-month period, there is plenty of valuable information in earnings reports. For example, the company's balance sheet gives an updated look at the financial condition of the business. Management's guidance gives you a look at where things might be heading in the future. And investors can use the numbers to spot trends, such as accelerating or slowing growth rates, margin trends, and more.
What time are earnings reports released?
There's no specific rule governing the timing of earnings reports, but most companies choose to release their results within a few hours before the stock market opens or after it closes. Most earnings reports are released in the 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. ET or 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET windows, but there certainly are exceptions.
Where can I find earnings reports?
There are a few places where you can find earnings reports. The easiest place is typically on the company's investor relations page, but you can also look at the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Alternatively, if you have a brokerage account, you can typically see all recent news (including earnings releases) in a company's news feed.
How much do earnings reports affect stock prices?
Earnings reports can certainly influence stock prices, but this isn't always the case. If a company misses expectations on earnings or revenue, reports an unexpectedly strong or weak quarter, or issues future guidance that is either worse or better than expected, its stock price could move sharply in one direction or another. On the other hand, if a company's earnings report is completely lacking in surprises, it's entirely possible for a stock to barely budge after earnings.
