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Apple stock has climbed about 8% in 2025 so far, lagging gains for the S&P 500 and most of its Magnificent 7 peers.
Key Takeaways

• Apple is scheduled to report earnings after the closing bell Thursday.
• Wall Street analysts said they'll be watching for potential upside from iPhone 17 demand, and comments around Apple's 2026 plans.

Apple (AAPL) is set to report its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings after the closing bell today, with Wall Street analysts looking for strong results on the top and bottom lines.

After some signs of a strong start to early sales of the iPhone 17 lineup, bullish analysts at JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley recently told clients their expectations around Apple's results have climbed, with that momentum likely to carry into an upbeat outlook for the current quarter and winter holiday season.

More details around widely anticipated artificial intelligence features and potential plans for a foldable phone in 2026 could also drive more enthusiasm for Apple's stock, they said. Options pricing suggests traders expect Apple stock could move about 3% in either direction by the end of this week following the company's earnings call, which could drive the stock to a new record.

Why This Matters to Investors

This hasn't been an easy year for Apple, amid lingering concerns that its AI efforts have lagged those of many of its Big Tech peers. However, strong results today and comments around plans for fiscal 2026 could help lift investor sentiment.

Apple shares have climbed about 8% in 2025 so far, lagging the S&P 500's nearly 17% gain, after spending some of the year in negative territory amid worries about its AI progress. Apple's gains have largely come in the last few months, after some signs of inroads with the Trump administration and easing trade policy headwinds, along with promising demand signals for the iPhone 17.

The iPhone maker is seen reporting earnings of $1.77 per share on revenue of $101.61 billion, up from earnings per share of 97 cents on $94.93 billion in revenue a year ago, according to estimates compiled by Visible Alpha. However, analysts are divided on whether the iPhone's stock still has room to rise from this week's all-time highs.

The shares were up about 1% near $272 in recent trading, leaving it on track to close at a fresh high topping yesterday's record. This week's gains have boosted Apple's market capitalization above $4 trillion, trailing only AI chipmaker Nvidia (NVDA) on the list of the world's most valuable companies.

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Amazon's second-quarter cloud growth fell short of high expectations.
Key Takeaways

• Investors will be focused on Amazon's cloud business and AI investments when the e-commerce giant reports third-quarter earnings after the closing bell on Thursday.
• Amazon's second-quarter cloud growth disappointed Wall Street after big beats from competitors Alphabet and Microsoft, both of which reported strong results on Wednesday.
• Options pricing suggests some traders expect Amazon stock to set its first record high since early February if Wall Street likes Thursday's results.

Amazon is scheduled to report third-quarter earnings after markets close on Thursday, and all eyes are likely to be on the e-commerce giant’s cloud business. 

Amazon is expected to report third-quarter revenue of about $178 billion, a 12% increase from last year, according to analyst estimates compiled by Visible Alpha. Its earnings are expected to increase 10% to $1.57 a share. 

While Amazon’s e-commerce operation makes up the bulk of its business, investors will be most focused on its AI efforts, represented by cloud revenue and capital expenditures. Amazon’s cloud growth of 17.5% in the second quarter exceeded official expectations, but disappointed Wall Street after two blowout reports from competitors Microsoft (MSFT) and Alphabet (GOOG). On Wednesday, both of those companies again posted cloud revenue well ahead of Wall Street’s estimates, setting another high bar for Amazon to clear. 

Why This Is Important

Amazon's array of businesses spans e-commerce, logistics, advertising, cloud computing and more, making its results a partial reflection of the financial health of U.S. consumers and businesses. Its market capitalization—well over $2 trillion as of midday Thursday—makes its stock one of the most influential in the stock market.

Investors may also be primed for Amazon to increase its capital expenditures guidance after Alphabet and Meta Platforms (META) did so with their reports Wednesday. Amazon’s second-quarter capex of $32.2 billion was about 25% higher than analysts expected. Wedbush analysts expect Amazon’s full-year capex to total $119 billion, implying growth of about 10% between the first and second halves of this year.

“We are constructive on the setup leading into the report given positive commentary around [Amazon Web Services] growth, healthy trends for the core retail business, and strong advertiser demand,” wrote Wedbush analysts in a note late last week. 

What Earnings Could Mean For Amazon Stock

Amazon stock has been the laggard of the Magnificent Seven recently, with shares up just 3% since the start of the year. Concerns about tariffs and lagging cloud growth have weighed on the stock.

Some investors see the potential for shares to close the gap with the rest of the Mag 7 after earnings. Options prices on Thursday morning suggest traders expect Amazon stock to move about 6.3% in either direction by end of the week. A move higher off of Wednesday’s closing price would put shares around $244.75, which would be their first all-time high since early February, while an equivalent decline would put the stock at about $216. 

Wall Street is generally bullish on the outlook for Amazon stock, with all 22 of the analysts with current ratings tracked by Visible Alpha assigning it a “Buy” rating. Their median price target of $270 is nearly 20% above the stock’s intraday price on Thursday. 

This article has been updated since it was first published to reflect analysts’ estimates for Amazon's diluted earnings per share.

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Chipotle Mexican Grill shares sank Thursday, a day after it reported weaker-than-expected third-quarter revenue
Key Takeaways

• Major U.S. equities indexes were mixed Thursday afternoon as President Donald Trump met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on trade issues and investors digested several big tech earnings reports. 
• Chipotle Mexican Grill shares dropped after the fast-casual chain cut its comparable-restaurant sales outlook.
• Shares of Google parent Alphabet surged as the tech giant's quarterly results topped analysts' expectations.
  

Major U.S. equities indexes were mixed Thursday afternoon as President Donald Trump met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on trade issues and investors digested several big tech earnings reports. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose but the S&P 500 and Nasdaq were lower.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) shares sank after the fast-casual chain cut its comparable-restaurant sales outlook as it said customers are making fewer visits.

Shares of Meta Platforms (META) were down sharply after the tech giant posted earnings that missed analysts' estimates by a wide margin, citing tax changes.

Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM) stock plummeted as the supermarket chain issued a weak outlook following soft same-store sales.

Shares of Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL) surged as the tech giant's results topped analysts' expectations, with the company surpassing $100 billion in quarterly revenue for the first time.

Eli Lilly (LLY) stock jumped after the maker of popular weight-loss drugs Zepbound and Mounjaro lifted its full-year outlook following stronger-than-expected third-quarter results.

Shares of ServiceNow (NOW) advanced after the enterprise software firm's results topped estimates and its board authorized a 5-for-1 stock split. 

Gold futures rose modestly. Oil futures and the yield on the 10-year Treasury note were little changed. The U.S. dollar was up against the euro, pound, and yen. Prices for most major cryptocurrencies were lower.

Source: TradingView.com
Key Takeaways

• Alphabet reported earnings that topped Wall Street estimates, as quarterly revenue surpassed $100 billion for the first time.
• Alphabet shares broke out from a flag pattern earlier this month, indicating a continuation of the stock’s strong uptrend. However, the relative strength index sits in overbought territory, increasing the likelihood of near-term profit-taking or consolidation.
• The measuring principle forecasts a potential upside target of $360. Investors should also monitor major support levels on Alphabet's chart around $235 and $205.

Alphabet (GOOGL) shares jumped to a record high Thursday after the Google parent reported earnings that topped Wall Street estimates, as quarterly revenue surpassed $100 billion for the first time.

The tech giant’s top line received a boost in the third quarter from Google Cloud posting a 34% jump in revenue from a year earlier, as Alphabet customers invest billions expanding their AI infrastructure and data analytics capabilities. Meanwhile, revenue in the company’s legacy advertising business grew 13% in the period, signaling that the digital ad market remains stable amid economic uncertainty and increasing competition. The company also raised its capital expenditure spending forecast for the year to between $91 billion to $93 billion, citing booming AI demand.

Alphabet shares were up nearly 5% at around $288 in recent trading and have now gained more than 50% since the start of 2025, making it the top-performing Magnificent Seven-member stock this year, slightly ahead of AI favorite Nvidia (NVDA). Investors have cheered the company’s accelerating growth in AI and cloud, resilience in its advertising business, and an antitrust win that allowed it to retain its Chrome browser. 

Below, we take a closer look at Alphabet’s weekly chart and apply technical analysis to identify major price levels worth watching out for.

Flag Pattern Breakout

Alphabet shares broke out from a flag pattern earlier this month, indicating a continuation of the stock’s strong uptrend.

It’s worth pointing out that while the relative strength index confirms bullish price momentum, the indicator sits in overbought territory, increasing the likelihood of near-term profit-taking or consolidation.

Let’s use the measuring principle to forecast a potential upside target on Alphabet’s chart if the shares continue to rally and also identify two major support levels worth monitoring during possible downturns.

Measuring Principle Upside Target

Investors can forecast a bullish upside target by applying the measuring principle, a technique that analyzes a stock's prior moves to project its next potential advance.

When applying the study to Alphabet’s chart, we calculate the distance in points of the strong trend higher that preceded the flag and add that amount to the pattern’s top trendline. In this case, we add $115 to $245, which forecasts a target of $360.

Major Support Levels Worth Monitoring

During downturns, investors should initially monitor the $235 level. Traders who avoid chasing breakouts may wait for retracements to the base of the flag pattern, which also coincides with a wide-ranging day on the chart in early September.

Finally, selling below this level could see Alphabet shares revisit lower support around $205. This area on the chart, currently situated just above the rising 50-week moving average, may attract buying interest near the stock’s prominent January swing high.

The comments, opinions, and analyses expressed on Investopedia are for informational purposes only. Read our warranty and liability disclaimer for more info.

As of the date this article was written, the author does not own any of the above securities.

News of the day for Oct. 30, 2025

Michael Nagle / Bloomberg / Getty Images

Apple is set to release its quarterly results after the closing bell on Thursday.

Stock futures are losing ground amid a barrage of earnings reports from major companies, as investors assess the latest developments in trade talks and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's warning that more rate cuts aren't a certainty; President Donald Trump said his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping resulted in a rare earths mineral agreement and a reduction in certain tariffs on China; shares of Meta (META) and Microsoft (MSFT) are losing ground after the Magnificent Seven members reported results late yesterday, while Alphabet (GOOG) shares are surging after the Google parent reported more than $100 billion in quarterly sales; Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) are due to release their quarterly reports after the closing bell; and Eli Lilly (LLY) shares are rising after the company reported strong sales of weight loss drug Zepbound and diabetes treatment Mounjaro. Here's what you need to know today.

1. Stock Futures Point to Lower Open for Major Indexes

Stock futures are lower as investors digest a flurry of corporate earnings reports and evaluate the results of trade talks between the U.S. and China. The major indexes hit record highs yesterday but gave back early gains after Fed Chair Jerome Powell said that another interest rate cut at the upcoming December meeting was “not a foregone conclusion—far from it." The comments came after the Fed trimmed its benchmark rate for the second time in as many months to support a labor market that has weakened. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average were down 0.4% recently, while those linked to the benchmark S&P 500 and the tech-focused Nasdaq slipped 0.2%. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which affects borrowing costs on a wide array of consumer and business loans, was at 4.10%, up from 4.06% at yesterday's close and at its highest level in three weeks. Bitcoin was at $109,800, down from an overnight high of around $111,600. Gold futures fell slightly from yesterday's close to $3,985 an ounce, and are well off the record high of near $4,400 set early last week.

2. Trump, Xi Reach Deals on Rare Earth Exports, Fentanyl-Related Tariffs

President Trump reportedly said that “a lot of decisions were made” in his meeting with Chinese leader Xi on Thursday, potentially signaling a thaw in trade relations between the two nations. Trump said that an agreement on rare earth minerals was reached after China restricted exports of the key product for high-tech manufacturing. The agreement will need to be renewed every year. Trump also said that U.S. tariffs targeting China’s fentanyl production were reduced to 10% from 20%, taking overall U.S. tariffs on Chinese products down to 47%. More negotiations could be coming as Trump said he will visit China in April, with Xi making a visit to the U.S. sometime after that. The agreements are expected to add some certainty to U.S. trade policy after tariff announcements roiled markets earlier this year.

3. Google Surges While Meta and Microsoft Sink After Earnings Reports

Shares of Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META) are lower in premarket trading after the Magnificent Seven members delivered their highly anticipated quarterly results, while Alphabet (GOOG) stock soared after the Google-parent hit a new revenue milestone. Alphabet’s earnings topped Wall Street expectations as quarterly revenues topped $100 billion for the first time, with each of its major business segments reporting sales growth of at least 10%. Microsoft also posted better-than-expected earnings as quarterly revenue jumped 18% year-over-year, led by 28% growth in cloud sales, though the stock fell amid concerns about the company's capital spending plan. Facebook parent Meta also reported strong revenue growth, but a one-time $16 billion tax charge helped sink its earnings well below estimates.  Alphabet shares were up about 8% ahead of the opening bell, while Meta tumbled 9% and Microsoft declined 2%..

4. Apple, Amazon Due to Report Late Thursday

More Magnificent Seven company earnings are on tap today, with Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) set to release results after the closing bell. Apple shares hit record highs recently, boosting its market capitalization above $4 trillion (only Nvidia and Microsoft have higher market values), following a report that showed solid sales of newly released iPhone 17 models.  Apple’s stock has fallen after recent earnings reports on investor worries over its progress on AI products. Meanwhile, Amazon has been the laggard among “Mag 7” stocks this year, and options pricing suggests that traders expect a big move for the online retailer’s share price after the earnings report is released today. Apple shares were up 0.5% in recent premarket trading, while Amazon stock fell more than 1%.

5. Eli Lilly Shares Rise on Strong Sales of Mounjaro, Zepbound

Eli Lilly (LLY) shares are rising after the drugmaker reported better-than-expected earnings on strong demand for its weight loss drug Zepbound and diabetes treatment Mounjaro. Lilly reported third-quarter revenue of $17.6 billion, a jump of 54% over the prior year and ahead of analyst estimates of $16.1 billion as tracked by Visible Alpha. The company’s adjusted earnings per share of $7.02 beat the consensus estimate of $5.91. Eli Lilly reported strong sales growth of key drugs, with worldwide Mounjaro revenue doubling to $6.52 billion, while U.S. sales of Zepbound nearly tripled to $3.57 billion. Eli Lilly shares were up 4% in recent premarket trading.

Al Drago / Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday cut its benchmark rate for the second time in as many months, though Chair Jerome Powell said another cut this year isn't a certainty.
Key Takeaways

• Despite increasingly stretched artificial intelligence stock valuations, some analysts believe prices could go even higher if the Federal Reserve aggressively cuts interest rates to stimulate a weakening economy.
• Historically, bubbles have been fueled by low interest rates and popped by rising rates.
• The Fed on Wednesday cut its benchmark rate for the second time in as many months, and market participants are pricing in the likelihood of more cuts. However, with the economic outlook highly uncertain, future monetary policy remains unpredictable.

Concerns about an AI bubble have some on Wall Street warily eyeing Silicon Valley, but others say they're looking in the wrong direction. Washington, D.C.—specifically the Eccles Building, where the Federal Open Market Committee sets monetary policy—is where the fate of an AI bubble may be decided, they say. 

“I think you’re going to have a very hard time popping a bubble when the Fed is cutting rates,” said Jeff deGraaf, Chair and Head of Technical Research at Renaissance Macro Research, on a recent episode of the firm’s weekly Youtube series. The Dotcom bubble, the U.S. housing bubble, and the Japanese bubble of the late 1980s all popped either while or shortly after central banks hiked rates, according to deGraaf. 

Artificial intelligence has propelled stocks to record highs this year, but recent developments have raised some red flags. A series of circular deals by the likes of AI bellwethers Nvidia (NVDA) and OpenAI have drawn comparisons to the vendor financing agreements that fueled bubbles in the 1990s. The Magnificent Seven account for 35% of the S&P 500, evidence of an increasingly concentrated stock market. And the benchmark index’s price-to-earnings ratio isn’t far off the Dotcom Bubble’s peak.

Why This Is Important

Financial bubbles form when unbridled optimism about future growth causes asset prices to become detached from their inherent value. Low interest rates can fuel bubbles by depressing returns on low-risk investments and reducing the cost of speculation. High interest rates can have the opposite effect.

“I think it’s early,” DeGraaf said of a potential AI bubble, evidence of which he argued doesn’t appear to be “rampant” yet. Though, he warned, “you could have [a] world play out where the economy softens, the Fed is forced to get more aggressive, and the market absolutely goes into the stratosphere because they’re looking at the liquidity. And I think that’s a big disconnect that people don’t appreciate.”

UBS analysts made a similar case last month. The Fed, they noted, raised interest rates by 1.75 percentage points from June 1999 and May 2000, and those rate hikes were a primary catalyst for the Dotcom bubble's bursting in early 2000.

“The current monetary policy environment is very different from back then,” the analysts wrote. The Fed cut interest rates for the second consecutive meeting on Wednesday, and the consensus on Wall Street is that the only direction interest rates are headed anytime soon is lower.

Interest Rate Outlook Is Murky

Policymakers are walking a tightrope as they pursue both ends of their mandate to control inflation and promote maximum employment. Hiring ground to a halt in recent months while inflation accelerated to its highest rate since January. Fed officials have recently expressed openness to cutting interest rates to support the weakening labor market despite inflation concerns. 

Fed Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday reminded investors that the trajectory of interest rates may be less predictable than expected. "A further reduction in the policy rate at the December meeting is not a foregone conclusion—far from it," said Powell.

For one, economists expect inflation to continue accelerating in the coming months, and consumers’ inflation expectations ticked up in October, which could set the stage for one-time price increases to become sustained inflation. On the other hand, a weak job market could hamper wage growth, relieving some inflationary pressure in the process. 

Analysts at LPL Financial also note that the reason behind interest rate cuts can matter as much for borrowing costs and liquidity as the cuts themselves. Cutting rates five times while inflation is stuck above the Fed's 2% target "could send a signal that the central bank is prioritizing growth over inflation control," which may raise long-term Treasury yields and, subsequently, interest rates on an array of consumer and commercial loans. On the flip side, if the Fed cuts rates less than investors expect, bond prices would likely fall, boosting yields and associated interest rates.

Powell on Wednesday expressed doubt that the Fed's interest rate decisions would have much of an impact on the AI investment that's at the heart of Wall Street's bubble concerns. "I don't think interest rates are an important part of the data center story," he said. Rather, he added, investment is being funded by strong businesses at large companies acting on demand signals.

Benjamin Fanjoy / Bloomberg / Getty Images

Microsoft shares were up nearly 30% for 2025 through Wednesday's close.
Key Takeaways

• Microsoft said its capital expenditures climbed to $34.9 billion in its fiscal first quarter, up from $24.2 billion in the fourth quarter as the company races to keep up with AI demand.
• Microsoft's quarterly earnings topped analysts' estimates, as AI continued to drive sales for its cloud computing service Azure.

Microsoft reported a massive spike in its spending as the tech giant works to meet booming demand for artificial intelligence. 

The tech giant said Wednesday that its capital expenditures surged to $34.9 billion in its fiscal first quarter, up from $24.2 billion in the fourth quarter, with most of the funds going toward investments in building out its AI infrastructure.

CEO Satya Nadella told investors on Wednesday's earnings call that the company expects to double its data center footprint over the next two years, "reflecting the demand signals" the company is seeing for AI, according to a transcript provided by AlphaSense.

Why This Matters for Investors

Microsoft and many of its big tech peers have rapidly ramped up investments in data centers to support AI-driven growth, stoking some concerns about whether their spending will pay off, though Microsoft's strong quarterly results could be taken as a positive signal for demand.

Microsoft's cloud and AI offerings helped drive better-than-expected results in the fiscal first quarter, with earnings per share of $3.72 on revenue that jumped 18% year-over-year to $77.7 billion. Both figures topped analysts' estimates compiled by Visible Alpha.

Revenue from Microsoft's Intelligent Cloud division, which includes its cloud computing service Azure, rose 28% to $30.9 billion, slightly ahead of the $30.3 billion analysts had called for.

Looking ahead, Microsoft said it expects current-quarter revenue of $79.5 billion to $80.6 billion. Analysts were looking for $80.14 billion.

Microsoft shares were down about 2% in extended trading following the results. They were up nearly 30% for 2025 through Wednesday's close.

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Meta's repeated moves to boost spending have alarmed investors and raised pressure on it to show its spending on AI is paying off.
Key Takeaways

• Meta shares tumbled in extended trading Wednesday after the tech giant posted earnings that missed analysts' estimates, citing a one-time tax charge related to President Trump's signature "One Big Beautiful Bill." 
• Meta also raised the lower end of its projected capital expenditures, as it works to build out its AI capacity.

A nearly $16 billion tax charge tied to President Trump's signature "One Big Beautiful Bill" squeezed Meta's profits in the third quarter, sending its stock reeling.

Shares of Meta Platforms (META) were down 9% in extended trading Wednesday after the tech giant posted earnings that missed analysts' estimates by a wide margin, citing tax changes.

The Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp owner reported earnings per share of $1.05 for the third quarter, down 85% from a year ago and well below the $6.70 analysts called for. The company said it took a one-time hit to the tune of $15.93 billion tied to tax changes following the implementation of the "One Big Beautiful Bill" signed into law by President Trump in July.

Excluding the charge, Meta would have reported EPS of $7.25, ahead of analysts' estimates. Meta's revenue jumped 26% year-over-year to a record $51.24 billion, topping analyst projections compiled by Visible Alpha.

Meta also boosted the lower end of its capital expenditures forecast to a range of $70 billion to $72 billion, from $66 billion to $72 billion previously. That marks the third time this year the company has upped its capex guidance as it builds out its AI capacity.

Why This Is Significant

Meta's repeated moves to boost spending have alarmed investors and raised pressure on it to show its spending on AI is paying off. Wednesday's big earnings miss and subsequent stock plunge would suggest investors aren't pleased with the results, though the company pointed to a one-time tax charge for the hit.

Looking ahead, Meta said it expects fourth-quarter revenue in the range of $56 billion to $59 billion, ahead of the analyst consensus, and told investors it expects a "significant reduction" in its U.S. federal cash tax payments for the remainder of 2025 and beyond.

Shares of Meta were up about 28% for 2025 through Wednesday’s close.

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Fed Chair Jerome Powell (pictured) on Wednesday warned against assuming another rate cut this year.
Key Takeaways

• Strong earnings and guidance helped boost an electronic test equipment provider and a data storage specialist on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, while soft results weighed on a fintech firm.
  
• Shares of Teradyne and Seagate Technologies surged following strong earnings reports, boosted by AI demand.
• Digital banking and payment processing solutions provider Fiserv missed quarterly estimates, and its shares dropped.

Shares of a chip testing equipment provider and a data storage company notched solid gains as artificial intelligence demand helped drive strong quarterly earnings, while a financial technology firm came under pressure following soft results and a leadership shakeup.

Major U.S. equities indexes ended the session mixed on Wednesday as the Federal Reserve announced a widely expected quarter-point cut to its benchmark interest rate. After trading higher for much of the day, the market gauges lost steam in the afternoon when Fed Chair Jerome Powell threw cold water on the widespread assumption that another cut in December is inevitable.

The S&P 500 finished flat. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.2% while the tech-heavy Nasdaq advanced 0.6%. Check here for Investopedia's full summary of the day's market news.

Teradyne (TER) shares surged 20.5%, outpacing all other stocks in the S&P 500, after the provider of automated test equipment topped third-quarter sales and profit estimates and provided better-than-expected guidance for the fourth quarter. Strong AI-driven demand for semiconductor testing equipment underpinned the upbeat forecast. Teradyne also named Michelle Turner, formerly an executive at defense contractor L3Harris Technologies (LHX), as its new chief financial officer (CFO).

Seagate Technology Holdings (STX), a manufacturer of data storage solutions, also surpassed sales and profit forecasts for the third quarter and issued a promising fourth-quarter outlook. CEO Dave Mosley highlighted the importance of artificial intelligence in driving demand for the company's heat-assisted magnetic recording drives. Seagate stock jumped 19.1%, while shares of fellow data storage specialist Western Digital (WDC) added 13.2%.

Centene (CE) shares popped 12.5% after the health insurer posted a surprise profit for the third quarter and raised its full-year guidance. Increased demand for Medicare prescription drug plans and higher rates in Centene's Medicaid business helped drive revenue growth and offset challenges related to rising medical costs.

Shares of Fiserv (FI), a provider of digital banking and payment processing services, plummeted 44% to post the S&P 500's weakest performance Wednesday. The company reported lower-than-expected revenue and adjusted earnings per share for the third quarter and cut its full-year forecasts. Fiserv also announced an "action plan" aimed at improving its performance and announced that Paul Todd, former CFO of Global Payments, will take over as its finance chief.

Verisk Analytics (VRSK), which offers data analytics solutions primarily for the insurance industry, topped third-quarter adjusted profit forecasts but fell short of revenue expectations. The company cited low levels of severe weather during the period, which limited the volume of claims processed through its systems. Verisk also trimmed its full-year revenue forecast, and its share tumbled 10.4%. 

Although online real estate platform operator CoStar Group (CSGP) exceeded sales and profit forecasts for the third quarter, its upwardly revised full-year forecast for adjusted earnings per share remained below consensus expectations. Analysts at Baird lowered their price target on CoStar stock, citing challenges related to apartment bookings. CoStar shares fell 9.9%. 

Benjamin Fanjoy / Bloomberg / Getty Images

Alphabet is one of several tech giants reporting earnings this week, along with Microsoft, Meta, Apple and Amazon
Key Takeaways

• Google parent Alphabet's third-quarter results topped Wall Street estimates, with revenue surpassing the $100 billion mark for the first time.
• All of the company's segments, including its search engine service. recorded revenue growth of at least 10% year-over-year.
• Search growth is important for Google, as some had said the company's business could slow because of the popularity of ChatGPT and other chatbots.

Alphabet's (GOOGL) third-quarter results topped analysts' expectations, as the tech giant surpassed $100 billion in revenue for the first time.

The parent company of Google and YouTube late Wednesday reported earnings per share of $2.87, up from $2.12 the same time last year, while revenue came in at $102.3 billion, up 16% year-over-year, with each metric topping the analyst consensus compiled by Visible Alpha.

Revenue from its Google Cloud service was $15.16 billion, compared to $11.35 billion last year and better than the $14.77 billion analyst consensus. In its Search and Other segment, Alphabet topped estimates with $56.57 billion in revenue, up 14.5% year-over-year.

Why This Growth is Important For Alphabet

This was the first quarter in the company's history where Alphabet topped $100 billion in revenue. Each of its segments grew their revenue by at least 10% from the same time a year ago, including Google Search, which some had feared would see growth slow because of the popularity of AI chatbots like ChatGPT.

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said the company is "investing to meet customer demand and capitalize on the growing opportunities across the company." Alphabet said it now expects capital expenditures for this year to be $91 billion to $93 billion, compared to the $85 billion estimate the company gave last quarter.

Last quarter, the tech giant lifted its capital expenditures forecast to $85 billion from $75 billion previously, due to its plans to expand its data center construction and spending on things like servers for its artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Alphabet's Class A shares were up more than 5% in recent after-hours trading. Through the close of Wednesday's regular trading session, the stock has gained 45% since the start of 2025.