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The Weekly Beat 📈

The calm before the storm is over - this week will decide the market’s next big move.

We just wrapped a wild stretch of earnings that gave us everything from best reactions in a decade to ugly double-digit selloffs

But that was just the warm-up. Now the spotlight shifts to the true market movers.

Microsoft $MSFT, Apple $AAPL, Amazon $AMZN, and Meta $META are all set to report this week, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. 

Together, these four stocks are worth more than $11 trillion and comprise a substantial portion of the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100. 

The charts are coiled, key resistance levels are being tested, and expectations are sky-high. 

As we’ve seen over the past two weeks, a simple beat isn’t enough - the market demands guidance, growth, and a clear roadmap for the AI-driven future.

In this Weekly Beat, we’ll break down the critical setups for all four mega caps, show you how they’ve reacted over the past 12 earnings events, and highlight the levels that matter most. 

Because when the Magnificent 7 move, everything else follows.

Let’s dive in.

What happened last week 👇

  • Monday:
    • Charles Schwab $SCHW reported a double beat and rallied nearly 3% to a new all-time high. The stock has been rewarded for 7 of its last 10 earnings reports.
    • Netflix $NFLX beat its top and bottom-line expectations and raised its forward guidance, but fell over 5%. This snapped a 3-quarter beat streak.
  • Tuesday:
    • Verizon $VZ smashed the market's expectations and raised its forward guidance. The stock was rewarded with its 3rd-consecutive positive earnings reaction.
    • Domino's Pizza $DPZ missed expectations across the board and fell nearly 1%. Shareholders have consistently been punished for the company's earnings reports for the last year.
  • Wednesday:
    • Northrop Grumman $NOC exceeded the market's expectations and rallied nearly 10% for its best earnings reaction this century. Net earnings increased nearly 30% year-over-year.
    • Lockheed Martin $LMT missed the market's expectations and got blasted lower by nearly 11% for the worst earnings reaction in 15 quarters. Despite a disappointing quarter, management reaffirmed its forward guidance.
  • Thursday:
    • TE Connectivity $TEL reported a double beat and was rewarded with its best earnings reaction ever. Sales and EPS grew by 14% and 19% year-over-year, respectively.
    • Texas Instruments $TXN beat the market's expectations, but cratered by over 13% in reaction to the event. The biggest concern was guidance... management is extremely cautious amid the ongoing Tariff War.
  • Friday:
    • Alphabet $GOOG smashed the market's expectations and rallied nearly 1% in reaction to it. Revenue and net income grew by 14% and 19% year-over-year, respectively.
    • Tesla $TSLA reported a double beat, but the market didn't care... the stock sold off by over 8%.

What's happening next week 👇

The week ahead belongs to Big Tech.

We’re heading into one of the most pivotal weeks of earnings season. 

The Magnificent 7 dominate the U.S. stock market like never before, now accounting for roughly 25% of the entire market capitalization. And next week, four of the biggest - Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and Meta - are set to report. 

Combined, they represent a market capitalization of more than $11 trillion. How these stocks react could determine the near-term path for the major U.S. indexes.

Let’s dig into the charts and data to see what the setup looks like for each one.

Here's the setup in MSFT ahead of earnings 👇

Microsoft heads into earnings perched at fresh all-time highs after delivering its best earnings reaction since 2015 last quarter. 

Back in April, the stock beat on both revenue and EPS, sparking a multi-month rally that pushed it decisively above a shelf of former highs. 

Now it’s riding momentum into Wednesday’s after-market report.

This time around, the Street expects $73.8 billion in revenue and $3.38 in earnings per share

The big question is whether Microsoft can deliver another upside surprise and sustain this historic breakout, or if expectations are too high after such a strong run.

Here are MSFT's earnings trends 👇

Examining the past 12 earnings reports, spanning the last three years, reveals a clear trend of consistent revenue and EPS growth, with Microsoft consistently beating expectations in 11 of those 12 quarters. 

However, the stock’s price reaction has been far more mixed...

Even when the numbers looked great, the stock didn’t always rally. Three of the last five reports showed negative one-day reactions despite beats, highlighting the significant influence of forward guidance and market sentiment on the response.

The best post-earnings rallies occurred during periods of high double-digit EPS growth and strong cloud momentum, while cautious guidance often led to selling pressure, regardless of headline beats.

Going into this report, the setup is straightforward: there's little margin for error. 

A solid print could fuel further upside momentum, but even a slight miss or soft guidance might spark profit-taking.

Here's the setup in AAPL ahead of earnings 👇

Apple reports Thursday after the bell, and the stock is knocking on the door of a significant level of resistance defined by the VWAP anchored to its all-time highs. 

After a prolonged downtrend, AAPL has been basing for months, and now it’s right back at a critical inflection point.

Consensus expectations call for $89.17 billion in revenue and $1.43 EPS this quarter. 

The market is laser-focused on iPhone demand trends, services growth, and any AI-related product updates that could drive the next cycle.

A decisive move above $214 in AAPL would trigger a breakout from this multi-month base. 

But if earnings disappoint, sellers are likely to step in and force a longer consolidation.

Here are AAPL's earnings trends 👇

Apple has a long history of beating revenue and EPS expectations, but, like Microsoft, the price reactions have been anything but consistent. 

Over the past 12 quarters, AAPL has delivered double-digit EPS growth only sporadically, and revenue growth has been decelerating in recent quarters.

What’s striking is the muted average reaction - even when they beat, the one-day price move often stays within a ±5% range, underscoring just how mature and widely held the stock is.

For this quarter, investors are looking for evidence that the services business can offset slowing hardware sales, and any hint of an AI-driven ecosystem refresh would likely be rewarded. 

But if the numbers meet expectations without a forward-looking catalyst, the stock could stay trapped below that VWAP resistance.

Here's the setup in AMZN ahead of earnings 👇

Amazon also reports Thursday after the close. The stock has clawed its way back toward the highs from earlier this year. 

The chart shows a textbook accumulation pattern forming, making this a pivotal setup. Earnings could be the catalyst that decides whether it breaks out or needs more time in the box.

Wall Street is expecting $162.11 billion in revenue and $1.33 in EPS, with a focus on AWS cloud growth and retail margins.

Here are AMZN's earnings trends 👇

Amazon’s past 12 quarters tell a clear story of AWS driving the bulk of profitability while retail margins remain volatile. 

Revenue beats have been consistent, but EPS surprises have been less predictable due to fluctuating cost structures.

What’s notable is that positive earnings reactions often coincide with margin expansion in AWS and North American retail. 

At the same time, guidance-driven concerns about CapEx or logistics have caused sharp pullbacks even after headline beats.

The stock is coiled and ready for a big move. 

A strong report with accelerating AWS growth could finally push AMZN to new all-time highs. 

However, any cautious commentary on cloud spending trends could trigger another rejection at the resistance level.

Here's the setup in META ahead of earnings 👇

Meta reports on Wednesday after the close. After a monster rally off last year’s lows, the stock is consolidating just below a key level of interest. 

This level has acted as a ceiling since May, and now the market is waiting for a fresh catalyst to break it.

Analysts expect $44.78 billion in revenue and $5.87 in EPS this quarter, with ad revenue trends, AI investments, and Reality Labs spending under scrutiny.

Here are META's earnings trends 👇

Meta’s earnings history over the last 12 quarters has been a rollercoaster of massive beats and occasional sharp misses. 

Revenue growth has rebounded strongly following the post-2022 advertising slump, and EPS growth has been explosive due to cost cuts.

However, the stock’s earnings reactions have been highly volatile - Meta has experienced both single-day rallies of over 20% and double-digit drawdowns.

Guidance has been the key swing factor, especially around spending on AI and the metaverse.

With the stock sitting just below resistance, the setup is binary. 

A strong ad growth print, combined with disciplined spending, could ignite a breakout. 

But if Reality Labs' cash burn or AI CapEx guidance spooks investors, we could see another sharp reversal.

Thank you for reading. 

- The Beat Team 


P.S. If you care about price, positioning, and protecting your capital — this LIVE EVENT is one you don’t want to miss. 

Herb’s exposing the setups that most investors overlook until it’s too late. 

👉 Register now to catch it live on Wednesday, July 30.


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