Bloomberg Intelligence

Amazon.com dropped in late trading after projecting weaker-than-expected operating income and trailing the sales growth of its cloud rivals, leaving investors searching for signs that the company’s huge investments in artificial intelligence are paying off. Operating profit will be $15.5 billion to $20.5 billion in the period ending in September, compared with an average estimate of $19.4 billion. Sales will be $174 billion to $179.5 billion, the company said Thursday in a statement. Analysts, on average, expected $173.2 billion. Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy is engaged in an AI infrastructure arms race with Microsoft Corp. and Alphabet Inc. that requires heavy spending on data centers. Both of those rivals earlier reported strong earnings showing they are benefiting from the AI boom.

For instant reaction and analysis, hosts Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec speak with:

• Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Technology Analyst Anurag Rana
• Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Analyst for E-commerce & Athleisure Poonam Goyal

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Bloomberg Intelligence hosted by Paul Sweeney and Norah Mulinda

-Kurt Wagner, Bloomberg Tech Reporter, discusses Meta earnings. Meta Platforms Inc. is increasing spending next year, with executives saying now is the time to seize on investment opportunities in artificial intelligence.

-Damian Garde, Bloomberg News Health Reporter, discusses how a trial of Eli Lilly & Co.'s diabetes drug Mounjaro fell short of expectations that it would do a better job of preventing heart attacks and strokes than its older medicine Trulicity.

-Kunjan Sobhani, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Semiconductor Analyst, recaps Qualcomm earnings. Shares of Qualcomm Inc., the biggest maker of chips that run smartphones, fell after the company reported lackluster growth in that market, fueling concerns that tariffs will take a toll on the industry. 

-Geetha Ranganathan, Bloomberg Intelligence Analyst on US Media, discusses Comcast earnings. Comcast Corp. lost 226,000 domestic broadband subscribers in the quarter ended June 30, but this was better than analysts' forecasts for losses of 257,000.

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Microsoft reported better-than-expected growth in its cloud business and said spending on AI infrastructure hit a record. The closely watched Azure cloud-computing unit posted a 39% rise in sales during Microsoft’s fiscal fourth quarter, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. Analysts projected 34% revenue growth. The shares rose about 7% in extended trading after closing at $513.24 in New York. The company’s stock was up about 22% this year through the Wednesday close.

Meta also reported results that sent shares higher after the close. Meta topped projections for second-quarter sales and gave a stronger-than-expected forecast for the current period, a sign that the social media company’s advertising business is still growing quickly enough to support aggressive spending on artificial intelligence. Shares jumped as much as 10% in late trading. Third-quarter sales will be $47.5 billion to $50.5 billion, Meta said in a statement Wednesday, with the midpoint of that range exceeding the average analyst estimate of $46.2 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The social media giant, which owns Instagram and Facebook, reported second-quarter revenue of $47.5 billion. Meta stock was up 18.7% so far this year before Wednesday’s report.

For instant reaction and analysis to earnings for both big tech companies, hosts Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec speak with:

• Dan Ives, Global Head of Technology Research at Wedbush Securities
• Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Technology Analyst Anurag Rana
• Greg Halter, Director of Research at Carnegie Investment Counsel

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Bloomberg's Tom Keene, Jonathan Ferro and Lisa Abramowicz discuss remarks from Fed Chair Jay Powell following the Federal Reserve's latest policy decision on a special edition of Bloomberg Surveillance|

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said interest rates are in the right place to manage continued uncertainty around tariffs and inflation, tempering expectations for a rate cut in September.
“There are many, many uncertainties left to resolve,” Powell told reporters Wednesday following the central bank’s decision to once again keep rates unchanged. “It doesn’t feel like we are very close to the end of that process.”

The Federal Open Market Committee voted 9-2 to hold its benchmark federal funds rate in a range of 4.25%-4.5%, as they have at each of their meetings this year. Governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman voted against the decision in favor of a quarter-point cut.

Traders pared back their expectations for rate cuts as Powell spoke. Interest-rate futures indicated roughly even odds on a reduction at the next meeting in September, down from about 60% earlier in the day. Treasuries extended losses, the dollar surged to the highest since May and the S&P 500 fell.

In their post-meeting statement, officials downgraded their view of the US economy, saying “recent indicators suggest that growth of economic activity moderated in the first half of the year.” The Fed had previously characterized growth as expanding “at a solid pace.”

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Bloomberg Intelligence hosted by Paul Sweeney and John Tucker

-Joel Levington, Bloomberg Intelligence Global Director of Credit Research, discusses Harley Davidson earnings. Harley-Davidson shares rose after the sale of a minority stake in its captive-finance unit to KKR and Pimco.

-Jennifer Bartashus, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Analyst, Retail Staples & Packaged Food, discusses Kraft Heinz earnings. Kraft Heinz Co. used price increases to help offset volume declines as the company continues a strategic review of its brands. The company beat Wall Street sales estimates, with organic revenue in the second quarter declining 2%, aided by pricing rising 0.7 percentage points.

-Michael Halen, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Restaurant and Foodservice Analyst, recaps earnings from Starbucks. Starbucks Corp. sales and profit fell more than anticipated, with comparable sales dropping 2% in the fiscal third quarter. Chief Executive Officer Brian Niccol said the turnaround efforts are “ahead of schedule,” and he vowed to unleash “a wave of innovation in 2026.”

-Steve Man, Bloomberg Intelligence Global Autos and Industrials Research Manager, discusses Tesla agreeing to buy $4.3 billion worth of US-built batteries from LG Energy Solution Ltd., according to a person familiar with the matter.

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Bloomberg Intelligence hosted by Paul Sweeney and Isabelle Lee

-Michael Shah, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Pharma-Biotech Analyst, discusses Novo Nordisk shares falling by a record. The company named Maziar Mike Doustdar as chief executive officer after a profit warning due to slumping weight-loss drug sales.

-Lee Klaskow, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Transport, Logistics and Shipping Analyst, discusses Union Pacific agreeing to acquire Norfolk Southern in a $72 billion cash-and-stock transaction, forming the only US transcontinental railroad.

-George Ferguson, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Aerospace, Defense, & Airlines Analyst, discusses earnings from Boeing and JetBlue. Boeing almost halted its cash burn in the second quarter, generating cash from operations for the first time since 2023 and consuming just $200 million in free cash flow. JetBlue Airways shares climbed after the carrier posted a smaller-than-expected loss in the second quarter as demand rebounded and efforts to turn around the struggling carrier gained traction.

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Bloomberg Intelligence hosted by Paul Sweeney and John Tucker

-Craig Trudell, Bloomberg Global Autos Editor, discusses Samsung making Tesla AI chips in a multiyear Texas deal. Samsung Electronics will produce AI semiconductors for Tesla in a new $16.5 billion pact that marks a win for its underperforming foundry division.

-Duncan Fox, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Consumer Staples Analyst, discusses Heineken earnings. Heineken saw a decline in beer volumes due to retailer disputes across Europe that dragged on sales and limited its ability to take advantage of the summer heat wave.

-Brendan Murray, Bloomberg Global Trade Editor, discusses the Bloomberg Big Take story: “Trump Tariffs Are Already Stunting World Growth as Markets Shrug.”  As President Donald Trump barrels toward his latest tariff deadline, the damage to the global economy from American protectionism is becoming increasingly evident, even if financial markets seem to have decided they can live with it.

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Watch Paul LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF. 

Hosts: Paul Sweeney and Lisa Mateo

On this podcast:

- Mandeep Singh, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Tech Industry Analyst, recaps Alphabet earnings.
- Kenneth Shea, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Consumer Products Analyst, discusses Coca Cola and Philip Morris earnings.
- John Butler, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Telecom Analyst, discusses Verizon earnings.
- Lindsay Dutch, Bloomberg Intelligence Consumer Hardlines Senior Analyst, discusses Hasbro earnings.
- Jody Lurie, Bloomberg Intelligence Credit Analyst, discusses Hilton Worldwide earnings.
- David Welch, Bloomberg Detroit Bureau Chief, discusses GM earnings.
- Max Chafkin, Bloomberg Businessweek Senior Reporter and Co-Host of the Elon Inc Podcast, discusses the Bloomberg Big Take story: “Elon Musk’s Empire Is Creaking Under the Strain of His Antics.”

Bloomberg Intelligence, the research arm of Bloomberg L.P., has more than 400 professionals who provide in-depth analysis on more than 2,000 companies and 135 industries while considering strategic, equity and credit perspectives. BI also provides interactive data from over 500 independent contributors. It is available exclusively for Bloomberg Terminal subscribers.

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Watch Paul LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.

Bloomberg Intelligence hosted by Lisa Mateo and Isabelle Lee

Geetha Ranganathan, Bloomberg Intelligence Analyst on US Media, discusses Charter Communications losing 111,000 residential high-speed internet customers in the period ending June 30, more than analysts had predicted. She also discusses the US Federal Communications Commission approving Paramount Global's merger with Skydance Media after the Trump administration extracted concessions on the news and entertainment company's political coverage and diversity practices.

Kunjan Sobhani, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Semiconductor Analyst, discusses Intel earnings. Intel Corp.'s shares tumbled after CEO Lip-Bu Tan sparked concerns that he is more focused on cost cutting than restoring the chipmaker's technological edge.

- Poonam Goyal, Senior U.S. E-Commerce and Retail Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, discusses Puma shares plunging after the company slashed its profit forecast due to weak demand for its sports and exercise gear and growing concerns about US tariffs. Poonam also discusses the latest news at Amazon.

- Brett Gibbs, Bloomberg Intelligence Refining & Renewable Fuels Analyst, discusses Phillips 66 earnings. Phillips 66 is maximizing diesel production to take advantage of strong demand and says it would consider investing in projects that give its refineries the flexibility to make more of the fuel.

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Donald Trump downplayed jostling with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell over cost overruns during a tour of the central bank’s renovation project, even as he used the interaction to again push for lower interest rates.

After a tour that saw Trump and Powell publicly trade barbs over the cost of the project, Trump maintained there was no tension with the Fed chief and indicated that problems with the project probably weren’t reason enough to fire the central bank head.

But the remarkable tour still saw the president joke that he might ordinarily fire a project manager who oversaw similar cost overruns and again rib Powell — who for months has faced presidential criticism — over interest rates.

For instant reaction and analysis, hosts Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec speak with:

• Bloomberg News senior editor Wendy Benjaminson
• Bloomberg News Federal Reserve Reporter Jonnelle Marte on President Donald Trump's visit to the Federal Reserve and Chairman Jerome Powell

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