Three marquee companies reported earnings Thursday morning, sending mixed signals across technology consulting, Chinese e-commerce, and consumer staples â all watched closely by Latin American investors navigating an already volatile global backdrop.
đ´ Alibaba (BABA) â Revenue Miss, Net Income Plunges 66%
Alibaba reported fiscal Q3 2026 results before Thursday’s open, and the numbers disappointed investors. Revenue came in at $41.4 billion, falling short of Wall Street expectations. More striking: net income collapsed 66% year-over-year to $2.33 billion, or $0.85 per share â dragged down by an aggressive and costly bet on artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The Chinese e-commerce and cloud giant has been channeling billions into AI computing capacity, its Qwen model family, and a newly announced unified AI division. That spend is squeezing margins sharply in the near term, even as management argues it is building the foundation for future dominance.
BABA shares fell roughly 4% in pre-market trading, reversing a portion of their year-to-date gain. For Latin American investors â many of whom hold BABA exposure through technology ETFs or direct brokerage accounts â the miss raises questions about when AI investments will translate into earnings growth rather than headwinds.
| Metric | Q3 FY2026 Actual | Note |
| Revenue | $41.4B | Below estimates |
| Net Income | $2.33B | â66% YoY |
| EPS | $0.85 | â |
| Stock Reaction | â4% | Pre-market |
đĄ Accenture (ACN) â Beat on Numbers, Stung by Guidance
Accenture delivered a solid Q2 FY2026, exceeding analyst expectations on both revenue and earnings â yet the stock slid ~3% after management issued weaker-than-expected forward guidance.
The consulting giant posted revenue of $18.0 billion and EPS of $2.93 for the quarter, supported by robust demand for managed services and AI-driven transformation projects. Total new bookings reached $22.1 billion, with managed services now comprising 51% of the revenue mix â a sign of the firm’s successful shift toward recurring, long-term contracts.
The problem: Q3 revenue guidance came in softer than expected. With client spending facing headwinds from macro uncertainty â including the ongoing Iran war’s impact on global confidence â investors punished ACN despite the underlying beat. For LatAm investors tracking global IT services demand, Accenture’s cautious outlook reflects the broad hesitancy among multinationals in committing to large transformation budgets.
| Metric | Q2 FY2026 Actual | Note |
| Revenue | $18.0B | Beat estimates |
| EPS | $2.93 | Beat estimates |
| New Bookings | $22.1B | Strong pipeline |
| Managed Services | 51% of mix | Structural shift |
| Stock Reaction | â3% | Weak Q3 guidance |
đ´ General Mills (GIS) â Sales Slide 8%, EPS Misses
Consumer staples giant General Mills reported Q3 FY2026 (Q1 CY2026) earnings that missed Wall Street targets. Net sales fell 8.4% year-over-year to $4.44 billion, broadly in line with revenue estimates but with adjusted EPS of $0.64 â missing consensus by approximately 12%.
The company cited rising input costs, ongoing margin compression, and the impact of recent divestitures on year-over-year comparisons. The results reinforce a challenging environment for packaged food companies: consumers in the U.S. are trading down, private-label competition is intensifying, and volume trends remain under pressure even as inflation nominally moderates.
GIS shares traded lower on the results, reflecting investor concern that the company’s turnaround playbook â centered on brand investment and portfolio pruning â has yet to deliver a meaningful revenue inflection.
| Metric | Q3 FY2026 Actual | Note |
| Net Sales | $4.44B | â8.4% YoY |
| Adj. EPS | $0.64 | ~12% miss |
| Stock Reaction | Lower | Margins under pressure |
âŗ Watch Tonight: FedEx (FDX) After the Bell
FedEx reports Q3 FY2026 earnings after the close Thursday. Analysts expect EPS of approximately $4.15 on revenue of $23.49 billion. With the Iran war injecting fresh uncertainty into global shipping volumes and supply chains, FedEx’s results will serve as a key barometer for trade conditions. Watch for commentary on volume trends and cost-cutting progress under its DRIVE efficiency program.
Bottom Line for LatAm Investors
Today’s pre-market earnings tell a consistent story: AI spend is real, but returns are not yet showing up in income statements (BABA); demand exists for IT transformation but macro caution is slowing decisions (ACN); and consumer staples are struggling to recover volumes as pricing power fades (GIS). Add the backdrop of elevated geopolitical risk from the Iran conflict, and today’s market opens with conviction priced down across multiple sectors.
All figures approximate based on available pre-market data. FedEx results expected after market close.
