5 Earnings Reports to Watch as Big Tech’s AI Spending Faces a Test
Four Big Tech giants report second-quarter earnings this week, testing whether massive AI spending is translating into real returns. SK Hynix also delivers its first results since a record Nasdaq debut, and Tim Cook holds his final call as Apple's chief executive.
The reports arrive a day before the Federal Reserve's Wednesday rate decision, with markets already pricing a possible hike. Oil going above $100 a barrel, and subsequently dropping on a pause in hostilities, adds another layer of pressure to the week.
Microsoft and Meta report Wednesday
Microsoft and Meta open the busiest stretch on Wednesday. Analysts expect Microsoft to raise its 2026 capex forecast toward $238 billion. That would test whether spending discipline can offset rising memory chip costs.
Meta faces separate scrutiny. Investors have grown skeptical of Meta's AI spending, rotating capital toward Google instead. Alphabet's cloud unit grew 82% last quarter, the number Wall Street now wants Meta to match.
Apple closes an era Thursday
Apple reports Thursday alongside Amazon, in Tim Cook's final earnings call as chief executive. Analysts expect revenue near $108.9 billion, per MarketBeat estimates. The company has leaned on a capital-light AI approach, avoiding the outsized spending pressuring rivals.
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