Earnings (quarterly results)
Earnings are the figures a listed company publishes each quarter: revenue, earnings per share and outlook.
In the US, companies report results every quarter, often before the Wall Street open or after the close. The market compares earnings per share (EPS) and revenue with the analysts' consensus.
The outlook, or guidance, often matters more than the past quarter. A company can beat expectations and still fall if it announces a disappointing next quarter.
For a trader, the release creates a major gap risk on the stock and can move a whole index when it is a heavyweight such as Nvidia, Apple or Microsoft. Check the date before holding a position on a stock.