Earnings Expectations

• Major technology stocks are experiencing a deepening selloff, though the S&P 500 remains up approximately 73% year-to-date. • The current market volatility is characterized as a "round-trip" of gains from the past month rather than a full-scale market crash. • Investors are questioning whether upcoming AI-related earnings reports can justify the sky-high valuations and expectations currently priced into the sector.

• Expected S&P 500 earnings growth for Q1 has doubled to 28% since early April, fueled by upward revisions across sectors. • Mega-cap tech stocks, dubbed the 'Magnificent Seven,' account for 55% of quarterly and 37% of annual growth, comprising a third of index market cap. • This momentum propelled the S&P 500 to a 10% gain in April, its best month since November 2020, amid AI-driven revenues.

• ExxonMobil and Chevron both surpassed profit expectations in their latest quarterly reports. • Shares of the energy majors remained muted despite the beats, pressured by Iran's submission of a new agreement proposal to the US for resuming Persian Gulf oil exports. • The developments contributed to a broader pullback in oil prices, supporting gains in US equities.

• An undisclosed major corporation reported a significant top and bottom line beat, demonstrating stronger-than-expected financial performance in its latest earnings announcement. • The company reaffirmed its full-year earnings forecast and reiterated long-term growth targets of 9% annual growth through 2027, followed by growth from 2027 through 2030. • The earnings beat and maintained guidance suggest management confidence in sustained profitability and operational execution.

• Nike's stock tumbled 13.1% after the company reported better-than-expected quarterly profits but issued weak financial forecasts. • Investors reacted negatively to cautious guidance amid softening consumer demand and competitive pressures in apparel. • The drop underscores broader concerns in consumer discretionary stocks, impacting sector sentiment on Wall Street.

• Nvidia posted first-quarter revenue of $28.3 billion, representing a 106% year-over-year increase and surpassing Wall Street consensus forecasts by 8%, driven primarily by sustained demand for AI data center GPUs. • The chipmaker's gross margin expanded to 72.1%, the highest level in five quarters, as production efficiency gains and favorable product mix offset supply chain costs. • Guidance for Q2 revenue of $32-34 billion exceeded analyst estimates, reinforcing investor confidence in the artificial intelligence infrastructure boom and supporting semiconductor sector valuations amid broader market volatility.