Apple, Meta, Alphabet, and Amazon earnings to shape S&P 500 direction in crucial Q3 stretch

Wall Street’s most stacked earnings week in Q3 is here. Apple, Meta, Google’s Alphabet, and Amazon are all scheduled to post quarterly results in a stretch that could shake the entire S&P 500.

These companies sit at the center of market direction, index weighting, and investor sentiment. More than a dozen S&P 500 companies are also set to release results in the same window, many of them carrying strong momentum into their reports.

FactSet projections show total S&P 500 profits are expected to surge by more than 13% for Q3, which would make this the fourth straight quarter of growth.

According to CNBC, fifteen stocks stood out going into next week’s earnings window, with Wall Street analysts raising EPS forecasts by at least 20% over the past three and six months.

On top of that, each name had at least 15% upside to its consensus 12-month price target. Alphabet, Apple, Meta, Amazon, and others made the list.

Alphabet and Visa prepare to post sharp gains

Alphabet is forecast to earn $2.28 per share for the third quarter. That figure is up 71% from what analysts estimated just three months ago. Six months back, the estimate was just $1.08, making today’s forecast a massive 112% higher than it was.

Alphabet’s stock, which owns Google and YouTube, has jumped 33% in three months and 63% over the past six. Analysts currently have a $252 price target on the stock, giving it an 18% upside from current levels.

Visa is also expected to show strong numbers. Analysts see it reporting $2.97 per share in profit. That’s 41% higher than what the Street projected three months ago, and 50% more than estimates from six months earlier.

The stock has underperformed compared to peers, down nearly 3% over the last three months and up less than 10% in 2025 so far. Still, analysts see it hitting $393, which would mean a 16% climb from where it trades today.

Bank of America analysts named several stocks they expect to be well-positioned going into earnings week. Meta Platforms is one of them. The bank believes the company has more room to run, especially as investors shift back toward ad-driven tech names. CNBC Pro also flagged Roblox, Wex, Trip.com, and Coupang as buy-rated going into next week.

Omar Dessouky, an equity analyst at Bank of America, shared his view on Roblox. “Tactically, we expect a beat & raise off conservative guidance,” he said, pointing out that the company’s price movement may be “driven by broadening participation,” but the current level is still attractive. Roblox stock is up 121% year-to-date through Friday. Its earnings report later this month will test whether those gains were justified or premature.

Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing also step in

Tesla has already reported, and Nvidia’s turn won’t come until November 19, which puts the spotlight fully on this week’s big names: Apple, Amazon, Meta, Alphabet, and Microsoft. Jim Cramer’s portfolio includes ten companies that are set to report in this window, so he decided to give his thoughts on each heading into the week.

Boeing will announce third-quarter results before the market opens on Wednesday. One key number investors are watching is the non-cash charge tied to the 777x program, the long-haul aircraft that has faced repeated delays.

Boeing is also raising output on the 737 Max, creating room for more deliveries and boosting cash flow. “The management team should be talking about a series of orders,” Jim said on CNBC, adding, “if you don’t have any Boeing, it’s not too late to buy.” Boeing’s earnings figures will confirm whether the new production plans are on schedule.

Apple’s report will hit on Thursday evening. The company’s fourth fiscal quarter has been under the microscope after early signs showed stronger-than-expected iPhone 15 sales. The stock touched a record intraday high on Monday after Wall Street analysts gave positive commentary and new data pointed to solid demand.

Jim is bullish, citing signs that the latest iPhones are selling better than expected. The company’s earnings release will put those assumptions to the test.

Get $50 free to trade crypto when you sign up to Bybit now