Earnings season is the heartbeat of the market, and every day brings fresh signals about where money is flowing.
With each report, we learn not just how companies are performing, but how investors are reacting.
In the Daily Beat, we spotlight the most important S&P 500 earnings moves from the prior session: the winners, the losers, and the reactions that reveal what really matters to the market right now.
Whether it’s a bellwether with broad economic implications or a niche name making waves, we cut through the noise to focus on the setups that matter most.
Here are the latest earnings stats from the S&P 500 👇
*Click the image to enlarge it
At the top of Monday's Beat Sheet was the $80B asset management stock, Apollo Global Management $APO. After posting a double beat, the stock had a slightly negative reaction score.
APO reported $9.86B in revenue, beating the expected $4.77B, and earnings per share of $2.47, beating the expected $2.04.
At the bottom of Monday's list was the $20B diagnostics and research stock, Waters $WAT. Following a double beat, shareholders were punished with a -7.59 reaction score.
WAT's revenues came in at $930M, meeting the market's expectations, and earnings per share of $4.53, beating the expected $4.51.
The beat/beat/drop from Becton Dickinson $BDX also stood out to us.
Let's talk about what else happened 👇
APO had its 3rd consecutive positive earnings reaction🔥
Apollo Global Management had a +0.7% post-earnings reaction, and here's what happened:
Total assets under management grew 25% year-over-year to $938B. This led to a 23% increase in fee-related earnings over the same period.
Capital solutions fees exceeded $800 million for the year, with over 430 transactions completed.
In addition to the solid quarter, the management team expects fee-related earnings to grow by 20%+ again in 2026.
While this company keeps crushing it, and the earnings sentiment is consistently positive, the technicals are a mess.
The stock has been rangebound for years.
And until that changes, there's nothing to do with APO.
WAT had its worst earnings reaction since 2003🩸
Waters had a -13.9% post-earnings reaction, and here's what happened:
The top- and bottom-lines grew by 7% and 11%, respectively. This was above the management team's guidance.
The chemistry product line was the best-performing business segment, growing revenues by 12% year-over-year.
And while it wasn't a complete disaster, the market was hoping for better forward guidance from the management team.
Since peaking in late 2021, the stock has carved out a textbook accumulation pattern.
We think it's just a matter of time before the buyers regain control and push the price to new all-time highs.
However, this quarter's dramatic shift in earnings sentiment was a major setback. This will likely extend the consolidation period required before breaking out.
To have conviction in the technical setup, we want to see the market respond positively to WAT's double beats.
Happy Technical Tuesday.
-The Beat Team
P.S. The Beat Report is on sale.
Miss Thursday's call with Steve Strazza? Catch the 35-minute replay to see why stocks drop after “good” earnings, the 3-step checklist we use before every trade, and the specific options setup we prefer for earnings plays.
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