Earnings reports are among the most important sources of information for stock investors. They provide important details about a business's current state, reveal key financial information, and may include forward-looking earnings and revenue projections, as well as commentary from 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 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 quarterly to disclose and discuss their business results, both quarterly and full-year, 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. The period 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), earnings (bottom line), and how specific parts of the company performed.
Most companies provide commentary from senior leadership on the results, along with valuable context about future growth initiatives. These typically appear in both the written earnings report and an earnings conference call, which usually occurs within a day or so after the earnings report is released. Many provide forward projections or guidance that tell investors how management expects the business to perform in the coming quarter or for the full year.
Upcoming critical earnings reports in 2026
Thousands of stocks trade on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the 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 for earnings reports, along with 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) | $3.0 trillion | 0.87% | Software |
| Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRKB) | $1.1 trillion | 0.00% | Diversified Financial Services |
| Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) | $4.5 trillion | 0.02% | Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment |
| Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) | $3.7 trillion | 0.27% | Interactive Media and Services |
| Shopify (NASDAQ:SHOP) | $165.1 billion | 0.00% | IT Services |
| Block (NYSE:XYZ) | $35.9 billion | 0.00% | Diversified Financial Services |
| Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) | $1.6 trillion | 0.33% | Interactive Media and Services |
| Nike (NYSE:NKE) | $81.1 billion | 2.96% | Textiles, Apparel and Luxury Goods |
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
NASDAQ: AMZN
Key Data Points
Amazon (AMZN +1.08%) reported its fourth-quarter earnings on Feb. 5, 2026, and the results were generally strong. Revenue and earnings both exceeded analysts' expectations, and the company's cost-cutting efforts drove excellent profit margin growth.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) was an especially strong point, with revenue up 24% year over year. The company's advertising platform also experienced strong growth, with revenue rising 23%.
One thing to keep an eye on is Amazon's capital expenditures, which have accelerated recently due to artificial intelligence (AI)-related investments in data centers and related equipment. Management has stated that the company anticipates capital expenditures to rise to $200 billion in 2026, up from $131 billion in 2025.
Amazon's next earnings report is expected on or about April 29, 2026.
2. Tesla
NASDAQ: TSLA
Key Data Points
In 2025, Tesla (TSLA +0.49%) reported a 3% year-over-year decline in revenue, the first full-year decline in the company's history. The expiration of federal tax credits and increased competition in the EV space were largely to blame, as vehicle deliveries fell 9% year over year. Looking ahead, the company is focusing on robotics, automation, and other futuristic products, with Model S production ending and its factory being converted for robotics production.
Tesla's next earnings report is expected on or about April 20, 2026.
3. Microsoft
NASDAQ: MSFT
Key Data Points
In its fiscal second quarter of 2026 (its fiscal year ends June 30), Microsoft (MSFT -0.21%) reported $81.3 billion in total revenue, which handily topped expectations. Additionally, the company's forward guidance slightly beat analysts' expectations for the next fiscal quarter.
On the bottom line, Microsoft's earnings came in better than expected, with net profit of $4.14 per share. Azure revenue grew 39% year-over-year, strong but down from 40% in the prior quarter. The company's guidance calls for it to slow further in the next quarter, which caused the stock to decline after the results were announced.
Microsoft's next earnings report is expected on or about April 28, 2026.
4. Berkshire Hathaway
NYSE: BRKB
Key Data Points
Berkshire Hathaway is one of the few companies that always reports earnings on Saturdays since management wants the market to have time to digest it before trading opens on Monday. In the fourth quarter of 2025, Berkshire NYSE:BRK.A (BRK.B +0.03%) reported a 30% year-over-year earnings decline in its operating businesses, although this was mainly due to weaker underwriting profits from insurance.
Warren Buffett and his team were net sellers of stocks in the third quarter, mainly due to reductions in the company's large stakes in Apple (AAPL +0.55%) and Bank of America (BAC +0.85%). Berkshire reported cash and short-term investments balance totaling $373 billion, which gives the company unparalleled financial flexibility going forward.
Berkshire Hathaway's next earnings report is expected on May 2, 2026, coinciding with Berkshire's annual shareholders meeting.
5. Nvidia
NASDAQ: NVDA
Key Data Points
For the fourth quarter of its 2026 fiscal year (ending Jan. 2206), graphics chipmaker Nvidia (NVDA -0.37%) reported both revenue and earnings that handily surpassed expectations. It generated $68 billion in revenue and expects this to swell to $78 billion in the first fiscal quarter of 2026. Nvidia's revenue continued to grow rapidly, rising 73% year over year in the second quarter, driven by a surge in demand for AI chips.
Nvidia has been a major beneficiary of the surge in AI investment, which has fueled 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 expand significantly over the next decade, potentially leading to substantial profit growth in the years ahead.
Nvidia's next earnings report is expected on or about May 20, 2026.
6. Alphabet
NASDAQ: GOOG
Key Data Points
In the fourth quarter of 2025, Alphabet (GOOG +0.41%) (GOOGL +0.33%) (better known for its main subsidiary, Google) reported both revenue and earnings that exceeded analysts' expectations. The company reported nearly $114 billion in revenue, up 18% year-over-year, an impressive growth rate for such a massive business.
Looking a little deeper, revenue from the fast-growing Google Cloud business handily beat expectations, growing 48% year-over-year, although YouTube advertising revenue fell a bit short. It's also important to note that Alphabet anticipates between $175 billion and $185 billion in capital expenditures for 2026, more than double its spending for 2025, primarily due to its AI growth strategy. It will be crucial to monitor and assess whether the company can achieve a strong return on its investment.
Alphabet's next earnings report is expected on or about April 22, 2026.
7. Shopify
NASDAQ: SHOP
Key Data Points
E-commerce service platform Shopify (SHOP +2.20%) issued excellent fourth-quarter results that handily beat expectations, fueled by a 29% surge in gross merchandise volume (GMV). The company also gave strong guidance. for the first quarter and announced a new $2 billion buyback authorization.
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. Revenue climbed by 31% year over year in the fourth quarter, the second consecutive time it has reported that same growth rate.
Shopify's next earnings report is expected on or about May 6, 2026.
8. Block
NYSE: XYZ
Key Data Points
Despite fears of lower consumer spending, fintech giant Block (XYZ +0.42%) (formerly Square) reported solid fourth-quarter 2025 results across its business. Gross profit increased by 24% year over year, revenue slightly beat expectations, and the company is much more profitable than it was a year ago.
Additionally, Block reported a significant workforce reduction, laying off 40% of its employees, and gave upbeat full-year 2026 earnings guidance. The combination of these two factors drove the stock higher after the earnings release. Block's Cash App Card is a particularly interesting point to watch. 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 April 29, 2026.
9. Meta Platforms
NASDAQ: META
Key Data Points
Meta Platforms (META -0.30%), formerly known as Facebook, reported fourth-quarter 2025 earnings that handily beat expectations on both the top and bottom lines. Revenue in the quarter increased by 24% year over year, and despite higher capex related to its AI strategy, Meta reported solid earnings-per-share growth.
Meta gave guidance for its (mostly) AI-related capital expenditures, projecting they will be in the range of $115 billion to $135 billion for the full year 2026, nearly double the $72 billion it spent in 2025.
Meta's next earnings report is expected on or about April 28, 2026.
10. Nike
NYSE: NKE
Key Data Points
Nike (NKE +1.09%) 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 first quarter (ending Nov. 30, 2025), Nike reported revenue and earnings that exceeded expectations, with revenue rising 1% year over year and net income falling 32%. However, the company had previously warned that mid-2025 would be the "low point" of its turnaround, so it will be interesting to see whether an inflection point starts to materialize.
Nike's next earnings report is expected on April 2, 2026.
Understanding key financial metrics in earnings reports
Earnings reports are a great way to spot profitability and growth trends in the companies you follow. The most obvious metrics to watch are revenue (sales) and earnings (net income), which are often referred to as the top and bottom lines, respectively.
Other key metrics in earnings reports include:
- Profit margins (gross, operating, net)
- Free cash flow
- Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA)
- Guidance for the next quarter or year
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 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 the context of industry conditions, the 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.
GAAP vs Non-GAAP earnings
You'll often see companies report two different earnings figures. GAAP earnings (also known as "net income" is the company's main earnings metric and is standardized among all companies. GAAP stands for "generally accepted accounting practices."
Many companies will also report adjusted earnings, which, as the name suggests, adjust for one-time items and non-cash charges. Stock-based compensation is one example of an expense that is reflected in GAAP earnings but not in adjusted earnings. The idea is that adjusted earnings give a more accurate picture of the company's actual bottom-line profitability (although non-cash charges like stock-based compensation are certainly important to know.
FAQ
Earnings reports FAQ
About the Author
Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Matt Frankel, CFP has positions in Amazon, Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway, Block, and Shopify and has the following options: short January 2027 $170 calls on Shopify. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Block, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nike, Nvidia, Shopify, and Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
