An Earnings Calendar in trading is a schedule of when publicly traded companies are expected to release their financial results (earnings reports). Traders and investors use it to anticipate periods of higher stock volatility and potential trading opportunities.
These reports usually happen quarterly (4 times a year) and include metrics like:
- Revenue (sales)
- Earnings per share (EPS)
- Profit/loss
- Company guidance for future quarters
For example, companies like Apple or NVIDIA often cause large market moves when they announce earnings.
Why traders care about the Earnings Calendar
Earnings releases can strongly affect stock prices because markets compare:
- Expected results (analyst forecasts)
vs. - Actual reported results
A stock may:
- Jump if earnings beat expectations
- Fall if results disappoint
- Move sharply even with “good” earnings if future guidance is weak
Common information shown in an Earnings Calendar
An earnings calendar typically includes:
| Item | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Company | Which company reports |
| Date | Reporting day |
| Time | Before market open (BMO) or after market close (AMC) |
| EPS Estimate | Expected earnings per share |
| Revenue Estimate | Expected sales |
| Market Cap | Company size |
| Previous EPS | Last quarter’s result |
Example
Suppose Tesla is scheduled to report earnings on Wednesday after market close.
Traders might:
- Buy shares expecting strong results
- Buy options expecting volatility
- Avoid holding positions because of risk
- Trade related stocks or ETFs
Then the stock may gap up or down the next day.
How traders use it
Different styles use the calendar differently:
- Day traders: look for volatility spikes
- Swing traders: position before or after earnings
- Options traders: trade implied volatility
- Long-term investors: evaluate company fundamentals
Popular earnings calendar websites
- TradingView Earnings Calendar
- Investing.com Earnings Calendar
- Yahoo Finance Earnings Calendar
- Nasdaq Earnings Calendar