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Teslas are driven onto a ship for export from China earlier this month
The first-quarter earnings season is off to a softish start by some measures, according to new research, but another quarter of year-on-year growth still looks likely.
Based on preliminary results—just 12% of S&P 500 companies have reported results so far, according to an analysis released late Thursday by FactSet—70% of reporting companies in the benchmark index have come in above Street estimates. That’s below the five- and 10-year averages, FactSet said.
Earnings have come in 6.1% above estimates, also below the five- and 10-year averages, according to FactSet. (The historical numbers are based on actual results for the full past quarters.)
The S&P 500’s first-quarter results are still projected to grow for a seventh consecutive quarter, according to FactSet, which said the “blended” earnings growth rate through Thursday—meaning a combination of the results already in and the estimates for those yet to arrive—was 7.2% so far.
Investor attention will likely turn in large part to some Magnificent Seven results due next week—Tesla (TSLA) and Google parent Alphabet (GOOG) are scheduled to report—but the earnings calendar will be busy with several other companies like Verizon (VZ), PepsiCo (PEP), Intel (INTC) and Boeing (BA) also set to announce their own numbers.
Health insurer Elevance (ELV) is also on the calendar, its results expected days after UnitedHealth (UNH) reported weaker-than-expected results and cut its outlook, sending its stock plunging Thursday. (Yesterday was the last trading day of a holiday-shortened week.)
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