Home / Business and Economy / S&P 500 Earnings Surge: 2026 Outlook Strong
S&P 500 Earnings Surge: 2026 Outlook Strong
2 Feb
Summary
- S&P 500 earnings growth for 2026 is expected to reach 12%.
- More than half of S&P 500 firms guided 2026 earnings above expectations.
- Companies with strong outlooks have seen significant stock price increases.
As of February 2, 2026, corporate earnings for the S&P 500 in 2026 are showing a solid outlook, according to Goldman Sachs. The investment bank anticipates a 12% earnings increase for the index's members. This projection aligns closely with the consensus analyst estimate of 13.5% for 2026.
Many companies are exceeding expectations, with over half of S&P 500 firms that have released 2026 earnings-per-share forecasts guiding above analyst predictions. This performance surpasses the historical average of 40%. Investors are rewarding firms that provide positive forward-looking statements, evidenced by significant stock price jumps for companies like Lockheed Martin and Verizon following their 2026 guidance.
Conversely, disappointing financial results have led to sharp stock declines, as seen with Microsoft's shares after its Azure business showed slower growth. Despite a demanding market environment following last year's rally, the overall earnings picture for 2026 is encouraging, with corporate capital expenditures expected to benefit from this accelerating and broadening delivery of earnings.
