Should Investors by BlackRock (BLK) or Goldman Sachs (GS) Stock This Earnings Season

BlackRock Q4 Performance - BlackRock reported Q4 earnings of $9 66 per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus estimate of $8 47 by 9% and increasing 8% year-over-year [2] - Q4 sales reached $4 63 billion, slightly exceeding estimates of $4 62 billion and growing 7% compared to the prior-year quarter [2] - The company has exceeded earnings expectations for six consecutive quarters [2] BlackRock's Strategic Acquisition - BlackRock announced the acquisition of Global Infrastructure Partners (GII) for approximately $12 billion, creating a leading infrastructure platform valued at over $150 billion [3] - The deal positions BlackRock to meet fast-growing investor demand in infrastructure, a segment forecasted to be one of the fastest-growing in private markets [3] - CEO Larry Fink described the acquisition as transformational [3] Goldman Sachs Q4 Preview - Goldman Sachs' Q4 earnings are anticipated to rise 4% to $3 47 per share, with sales projected to increase 1% to $10 71 billion [4][5] - The Zacks ESP indicates Goldman Sachs should meet earnings expectations, with the Most Accurate Estimate aligning with the Zacks Consensus at $3 47 per share [5] - The company recently topped Q3 earnings expectations by 3% in October but has missed estimates twice in its last four quarterly reports [6] Earnings History and Expectations - Goldman Sachs' reported earnings for the quarter ending September 2023 were $5 47 per share, with an average surprise of -7 80% [7] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year (2023) and next year (2024) are $21 26 and $32 21, respectively, with the Most Accurate Estimate slightly higher at $32 83 for 2024 [6] Stock Performance and Rankings - BlackRock's stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), while Goldman Sachs has a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) [8] - Both firms are expected to sustain robust financial performance, with BlackRock standing out due to its consistent earnings beats [8]