Earnings are back in the driver’s seat on Thursday, with a Benzinga-selected slate that ranges from consumer staples and coffee to megacap tech, industrials, and big pharma. For traders and long-term investors alike, the options market offers a clean snapshot of expectations — how far the tape could swing once results and guidance hit — according to Benzinga Pro.
The marquee name on this list is Amazon, but the biggest implied move is saved for the final section as the countdown runs from the calmest setup to the most volatile. 9.
Altria Group, Inc. 64% Altria Group, Inc.
(NYSE:MO) reports third quarter of 2026 results before the opening bell. 07 billion a year ago — a setup that puts the spotlight on margins and mix as investors weigh the durability of cash flows.
64% move, the smallest implied swing in this nine-stock watchlist. 44 billion of market value at stake.
S. Smokeless Tobacco, John Middleton, and newer platforms under Horizon Innovations and Helix Innovations.
The stock carries a Hold consensus rating, and the stock is trading above the 180-day average analyst price forecast. 70.
Read Also: Trump’s Iran War Cost Tops $47 Billion, Surpassing Pete Hegseth’s July Estimate by More Than 25%: Report 8. , Inc.
, Inc. (NYSE:MRK) reports third quarter of 2026 results before the opening bell.
28 billion in the prior-year quarter. With revenue seen roughly steady year over year, investors will be parsing the print for what’s driving the expected EPS step-down.
’s $350 billion market cap. Merck & Co.
sells therapies across cardiometabolic disease, oncology and infectious disease, with its immuno-oncology platform led by Keytruda a major contributor to sales. The stock carries a Buy consensus rating, and the share price sits below the 180-day average analyst price forecast; in October, Barclays reiterated its Overweight rating and raised its price forecast, while RBC Capital reiterated its Sector Perform rating and cut its price forecast.
01. 7.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. 58% Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
(NYSE:BMY) reports third quarter of 2026 results before the opening bell. 22 billion a year earlier.
That combination — higher revenue but lower earnings — sets up a quarter where investors may focus on profitability and product mix as much as top-line growth. 72 billion of market value at stake for Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Bristol-Myers Squibb develops and markets drugs across cardiovascular, cancer and immune disorders, with immuno-oncology a key focus. The stock carries a Hold consensus rating, and the 180-day average analyst price forecast is above where the stock trades; in October, Piper Sandler, Wells Fargo, and Cantor Fitzgerald cut their price forecasts.
52. 6.
84% Starbucks Corp (NASDAQ:SBUX) reports fourth quarter of 2026 results after the closing bell. 57 billion in the year-ago quarter.
With revenue seen down year over year but earnings expected to rise, the report may hinge on what Starbucks says about pricing, traffic and cost discipline. 82 billion of market value at stake based on Starbucks’ $117 billion market cap.
Starbucks remains the world’s largest coffee brand, with nearly 41,000 cafes across more than 80 countries and a mix of company-operated stores and licensed locations. The stock carries a Buy consensus rating, and shares trade below the 180-day average analyst price forecast; in October, Mizuho, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup cut their price forecasts.
99. 5.
Eli Lilly & Co. 95% Eli Lilly & Co.
(NYSE:LLY) reports third quarter of 2026 results before the opening bell. 60 billion a year ago.
The setup points to strong top-line growth expectations, while investors weigh what’s driving the modest year-over-year dip in earnings. 95% move.
6 billion of market value at stake — the largest dollar figure on this list. Eli Lilly & develops drugs across neuroscience, cardiometabolic disease, cancer and immunology, and the stock carries a Buy consensus rating; the stock is trading below the 180-day average analyst price forecast.
In October, Leerink Partners reiterated its Outperform rating and raised its price forecast, and Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated its Overweight rating and raised its price forecast. 63.
4. Com Inc.
(NASDAQ:AMZN) reports third quarter of 2026 results after the closing bell. 17 billion in the prior-year quarter.
Com says about the balance between growth investments and operating leverage. 73 trillion market cap.
Com is the leading online retailer and marketplace for third-party sellers, with revenue also driven by Amazon Web Services and advertising services. The stock carries a Buy consensus rating, and the share price sits well below the 180-day average analyst price forecast; in October, UBS and Morgan Stanley reiterated bullish ratings and raised their price forecasts.
00. 3.
85% Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) reports third quarter of 2026 results before the opening bell.
64 billion a year ago. That’s a sizable year-over-year step-up on both lines, and it puts extra attention on what Caterpillar says about demand across construction, resource industries, and energy and transportation.
3 billion of market value at stake for Caterpillar. Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, engines, turbines and diesel-electric locomotives.
The stock carries a Buy consensus rating, and the 180-day average analyst price forecast sits well above where the stock trades; in October, UBS, Wells Fargo, and Oppenheimer cut their price forecasts. 46.
2. 61% Intel Corp (NASDAQ:INTC) reports third quarter of 2026 results after the closing bell.
65 billion in the year-ago quarter. With both earnings and sales expected to improve, the report may come down to whether Intel can reinforce confidence in its trajectory across PCs and data center demand.
4 billion of market value at stake for Intel. Intel designs and manufactures microprocessors for global personal computer and data center markets.
The stock carries a Hold consensus rating, and shares trade below the 180-day average analyst price forecast; in October, Rosenblatt, Wedbush, and RBC Capital reiterated their ratings. 35.
1. 73% Sandisk Corp.
(NASDAQ:SNDK) reports first quarter of 2027 results after the closing bell. 31 billion a year ago — a dramatic year-over-year reset that makes this print especially sensitive to any changes in outlook.
73% move, the widest implied swing in this Benzinga-selected lineup. 4 billion of market value at stake.
Sandisk is one of the five largest suppliers of NAND flash memory semiconductors globally and is vertically integrated, producing most of its flash chips in Japan through a joint-venture framework with Kioxia. The stock carries a Buy consensus rating, and the stock is trading well below the 180-day average analyst price forecast; in October, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated its Overweight rating and cut its price forecast, while Mizuho reiterated its Outperform rating and raised its price forecast.
39.
