Big tech earnings land with AI winners still in question

Core Viewpoint - Investors have recently shifted focus to niche stocks as skepticism grows regarding the returns on investments made by the Magnificent Seven tech giants in artificial intelligence development [1][12]. Group 1: Performance of the Magnificent Seven - The Magnificent Seven tech giants, including Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla, have led the stock market for the past three years, but their performance has declined since the end of 2025 [1][12]. - Alphabet and Amazon are the only stocks among the Magnificent Seven that have seen gains, with Alphabet rising nearly 20% during the recent downturn [2][12]. - The Magnificent Seven index is currently trading at 28 times profits expected over the next 12 months, which is below previous peaks and in line with the average over the past decade [10][13]. Group 2: Investment Shifts and Market Reactions - Traders have increasingly invested in companies benefiting from Big Tech's spending, such as Sandisk, which is up over 130%, Micron Technology, which has risen 76%, and Western Digital, which has gained 67% since the Magnificent Seven index peaked [3][12]. - The upcoming earnings reports from Microsoft, Meta, Tesla, Apple, Alphabet, and Nvidia are expected to provide insights into the health of various tech sectors, with a projected profit growth of 20% for the fourth quarter, the slowest since early 2023 [4][6][12]. Group 3: Capital Expenditures and Growth Expectations - Major tech companies are expected to spend approximately USD 475 billion on capital expenditures in 2026, significantly up from USD 230 billion in 2024, raising investor expectations for returns on these investments [7][12]. - Microsoft’s Azure revenue rose 39% in its fiscal first quarter, with expectations of 36% growth in the second quarter, highlighting the demand for cloud services driven by AI [7][12]. - Companies that fail to meet growth targets may face significant market penalties, as seen with Meta Platforms, which experienced an 11% drop in stock price following a projection of increased capital expenditures without clear profit pathways [8][12]. Group 4: Comparative Earnings Growth - The 493 companies in the S&P 500 not included in the Magnificent Seven are projected to deliver only 8% earnings growth in the fourth quarter, significantly slower than the expected growth from the tech giants [9][12]. - Nvidia shares have increased by 1,184% since the end of 2022, yet are priced at 24 times anticipated profits, slightly above the S&P 500's multiple of 22, indicating that the stocks are not historically expensive [10][13]. Group 5: Market Sentiment and Future Outlook - Investors are awaiting signs of growth from the Magnificent Seven, with the current earnings season viewed as a critical milestone for assessing progress [11][13]. - The sentiment in the market has shifted to a "show-me story," where investors demand tangible results from Big Tech's investments in AI and other technologies [4][12].