Earnings Week Preview: What Wall Street Is Watching — March 24–28, 2026

As Wall Street moves into the final stretch of the first quarter of 2026, corporate earnings reports will take center stage this week, offering investors a critical window into how businesses are navigating an uncertain macroeconomic backdrop. The Federal Reserve has maintained a cautious stance through early 2026, holding rates steady after its series of cuts in late 2025, while ongoing tariff tensions between the United States and key trading partners continue to weigh on supply chains and consumer sentiment. Against this complex backdrop, more than a dozen notable companies across retail, food services, technology, homebuilding, and travel are scheduled to report results. This week’s earnings calendar — spanning March 23 through March 28 — features names that span the gamut of the U.S. economy, from the meme-stock icon GameStop to the cruise industry bellwether Carnival Corporation.

Monday, March 23

GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME) — After Market Close

Consensus EPS Estimate: $0.11 (consensus estimate) | Consensus Revenue Estimate: ~$1.04 billion (consensus estimate)

GameStop reports fiscal fourth-quarter results (fiscal year ended January 31, 2026) after the closing bell on Monday. The company — which has transformed itself from a specialty video game retailer into an investment vehicle under Chairman Ryan Cohen — has continued to shrink its brick-and-mortar store footprint while sitting on a substantial cash pile. Analysts will scrutinize the company’s investment income, which has increasingly driven its bottom line, as well as any updates on Cohen’s Bitcoin and equity investment strategy that was formalized in 2025.

  • What analysts are watching: Cash and securities balance, comparable store sales trends, any guidance on strategic capital deployment, and potential further investments in cryptocurrency.
  • Key risks: Continued top-line revenue erosion as the physical gaming market contracts; reputational overhang from meme-stock volatility; regulatory scrutiny of non-retail investment activities.

Tuesday, March 24

McCormick & Company (NYSE: MKC) — Before Market Open

Consensus EPS Estimate: $0.68 (consensus estimate) | Consensus Revenue Estimate: ~$1.62 billion (consensus estimate)

McCormick, the global leader in spices, seasonings, and condiments, kicks off Tuesday’s earnings slate with its fiscal first-quarter 2026 results (fiscal year ending November 30, 2026). The Hunt Valley, Maryland-based company has been a relative beneficiary of at-home cooking trends but faces headwinds from elevated agricultural input costs and tariff-driven pricing pressures on imported spices. Management’s tone on volume growth versus pricing will be closely monitored, particularly in the Consumer segment, which has been under pressure as private-label alternatives gain shelf space.

  • What analysts are watching: Organic sales growth in Consumer vs. Flavor Solutions segments, gross margin trajectory, and updated full-year guidance in light of tariff uncertainty affecting imported raw materials.
  • Key risks: Commodity cost inflation, pricing elasticity limits, and potential foreign currency headwinds given significant international exposure, particularly in Europe and Asia.

Chewy, Inc. (NYSE: CHWY) — After Market Close

Consensus EPS Estimate: $0.08 (consensus estimate) | Consensus Revenue Estimate: ~$3.13 billion (consensus estimate)

Online pet retailer Chewy reports fiscal fourth-quarter 2025 results (fiscal year ended January 31, 2026) after the bell on Tuesday. The company has made notable strides toward consistent profitability over the past two years, driven by its high-margin Autoship subscription program and the expansion of its Chewy Health veterinary services. Active customer trends and average order value will be critical metrics, as the company works to demonstrate that its customer base is stabilizing after pandemic-era surges faded.

  • What analysts are watching: Autoship net sales as a percentage of total revenue, active customer count, Chewy Health veterinary clinic expansion pace, and progress toward GAAP profitability consistency.
  • Key risks: Consumer spending pullback in discretionary pet categories, increased competition from Amazon’s expanding pet vertical, and execution risk in veterinary clinic rollout.

Wednesday, March 25

Paychex, Inc. (NASDAQ: PAYX) — Before Market Open

Consensus EPS Estimate: $1.52 (consensus estimate) | Consensus Revenue Estimate: ~$1.42 billion (consensus estimate)

Paychex, one of the nation’s largest providers of human resources, payroll, and employee benefits services, reports fiscal third-quarter 2026 results (fiscal year ending May 31, 2026) on Wednesday morning. As a proxy for small- and mid-sized business health, Paychex’s results will offer a valuable read on employment trends, new business formations, and how small businesses are managing in a higher-rate environment. Interest income on client payroll funds held in transit — a significant revenue component — will be watched closely given the Fed’s rate hold stance.

  • What analysts are watching: Client employee count growth, PEO (Professional Employer Organization) segment margins, float income outlook, and retention rates across small business clients.
  • Key risks: Any softening in small business hiring signals, potential interest income headwinds if the Fed moves to cut rates, and integration risks from recent acquisitions in HR technology.

RH (NYSE: RH) — After Market Close

Consensus EPS Estimate: $3.75 (consensus estimate) | Consensus Revenue Estimate: ~$930 million (consensus estimate)

Luxury home furnishings retailer RH — formerly known as Restoration Hardware — reports fiscal fourth-quarter 2025 results after the closing bell on Wednesday. Under CEO Gary Friedman, RH has pursued an audacious strategy of global gallery expansion and upmarket positioning, betting that affluent consumers will remain insulated from macroeconomic headwinds. The housing market’s continued stagnation due to elevated mortgage rates has weighed on home furnishings broadly, and investors will be eager to hear whether RH’s demand trends have troughed and what the trajectory looks like for its European expansion.

  • What analysts are watching: Demand trends versus booked revenue (given the company’s backlog model), gallery performance in new European markets, guidance for fiscal 2026 revenue and EBITDA margin, and any commentary on housing market recovery timing.
  • Key risks: Prolonged housing market freeze limiting furniture purchase intentions; significant exposure to tariffs on goods imported from Asia; execution risk in international expansion.

Thursday, March 26

Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE: CCL) — Before Market Open

Consensus EPS Estimate: $0.13 (consensus estimate) | Consensus Revenue Estimate: ~$5.83 billion (consensus estimate)

Cruise giant Carnival Corporation — the world’s largest cruise company by revenue — reports fiscal first-quarter 2026 results (fiscal year ending November 30, 2026) on Thursday morning. The first fiscal quarter is historically the weakest for cruise operators due to seasonal patterns, but investors will focus on advance bookings for the peak summer 2026 season and whether the so-called “SEA Change” strategic plan is delivering on its revenue and EBITDA targets. Net per diem yields — a key revenue metric — and occupancy rates will be critical signals of demand health, especially as consumers face tariff-driven inflationary pressures on discretionary spending.

  • What analysts are watching: Net per diem yield growth for full year 2026 guidance, debt reduction progress (Carnival carries significant leverage from pandemic-era borrowings), fuel cost efficiency, and advance booking commentary for summer 2026.
  • Key risks: Consumer spending slowdown hitting discretionary travel budgets, fuel cost volatility, geopolitical risks affecting itinerary flexibility, and ongoing refinancing of pandemic-era high-cost debt.

KB Home (NYSE: KBH) — After Market Close

Consensus EPS Estimate: $1.92 (consensus estimate) | Consensus Revenue Estimate: ~$1.52 billion (consensus estimate)

Los Angeles-based homebuilder KB Home reports fiscal first-quarter 2026 results on Thursday evening. The homebuilder has benefited from the severe shortage of existing home inventory — which has pushed buyers toward new construction — but faces mounting headwinds from persistently elevated mortgage rates and affordability constraints. Management’s commentary on orders, cancellation rates, and community count trajectory will be critical for gauging whether demand conditions are improving as the spring selling season gets underway.

  • What analysts are watching: Net order growth, cancellation rates, average selling price (ASP) trends, gross margin guidance, and any incentive or mortgage rate buy-down program activity.
  • Key risks: Mortgage rate persistence above 6.5% dampening buyer qualification rates; lumber and materials cost inflation exacerbated by tariffs; potential lot and land cost escalation in target markets.

Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (NASDAQ: PLAY) — After Market Close

Consensus EPS Estimate: $0.87 (consensus estimate) | Consensus Revenue Estimate: ~$575 million (consensus estimate)

Entertainment and dining chain Dave & Buster’s reports fiscal fourth-quarter 2025 results on Thursday after the bell. The company, which operates large-format entertainment venues combining restaurant dining with arcade gaming, has faced stiff competition and post-pandemic normalization of consumer entertainment spending. The ongoing remodeling initiative — designed to revamp the entertainment experience with new immersive gaming formats — will be front and center, as investors assess whether the capex-heavy strategy is translating into measurable comparable sales improvement.

  • What analysts are watching: Comparable store sales growth (or contraction), progress and financial returns from venue remodel program, walk-in traffic trends, and cost structure leverage on labor and food costs.
  • Key risks: Consumer fatigue with entertainment spending in a higher-cost environment, competition from evolving entertainment alternatives (bowling alleys, experiential concepts), and heavy debt load from the Main Event acquisition.

FactSet Research Systems (NASDAQ: FDS) — Before Market Open

Consensus EPS Estimate: $4.31 (consensus estimate) | Consensus Revenue Estimate: ~$567 million (consensus estimate)

Financial data and analytics firm FactSet reports fiscal second-quarter 2026 results (fiscal year ending August 31, 2026) on Thursday morning. As a provider of financial intelligence to investment managers, banks, and advisory firms, FactSet’s results offer a window into the health of the buy-side financial services ecosystem. Annual Subscription Value (ASV) growth — the company’s primary recurring revenue metric — and client retention rates will determine sentiment. AI-driven competitive pressure from Bloomberg, Refinitiv (LSEG), and newer entrants remains the dominant long-term narrative.

  • What analysts are watching: ASV growth rate and organic ASV trend, client count (buy-side vs. sell-side mix), AI product integration timeline and reception, and operating margin trajectory as the company invests in next-generation data capabilities.
  • Key risks: Client consolidation in the asset management industry reducing seat counts; AI-powered alternatives threatening premium subscription pricing; slower hiring on Wall Street constraining new seat growth.

LatAm Spotlight

Copa Holdings, S.A. (NYSE: CPA) — Expected Q1 2026 Results

Consensus EPS Estimate: $3.65 (consensus estimate) | Consensus Revenue Estimate: ~$820 million (consensus estimate)

Panama City-based Copa Holdings, the parent of Copa Airlines and one of Latin America’s most financially disciplined carriers, is among the most closely watched Latin American ADRs (American Depositary Receipts) in the aviation sector. Copa operates a highly efficient hub-and-spoke model centered on Tocumen International Airport in Panama, connecting over 80 destinations across the Americas. The airline has consistently delivered among the highest operating margins in the Western Hemisphere, and first-quarter results are typically robust given Copa’s exposure to business travel and leisure routes connecting Latin America to North America.

Investors will focus on Copa’s load factors and revenue per available seat mile (RASM) trends against a backdrop of moderating jet fuel costs. The carrier has been a notable beneficiary of relative political and economic stability compared to regional peers in Venezuela, Argentina, and Colombia. Any commentary on Venezuelan route exposure — Copa has historically operated significant capacity to Caracas — will be carefully monitored, as currency repatriation and sanctions compliance remain persistent headwinds.

  • What analysts are watching: Load factors and RASM growth, fuel cost per ASM, Venezuela route exposure and currency risk, dividend policy, and capacity guidance for the remainder of 2026.
  • Key risks: Venezuelan route disruptions and Bolivar devaluation risk; tariff-driven slowdown in intra-American trade and associated business travel; U.S. dollar strength pressuring foreign-denominated revenues; jet fuel price volatility.

Beyond Copa Holdings, Latin American investors should monitor earnings reports from Brazilian and Mexican companies trading as ADRs in New York. Companies such as Embraer (ERJ), Grupo Financiero Banorte (GBOOF), and MercadoLibre (MELI) are not reporting this week but are expected in the coming weeks. Any guidance commentary from U.S. multinationals with significant Latin American exposure — including Carnival’s positioning in South American itineraries and McCormick’s consumer business in Brazil and Mexico — will be read as indirect signals for the region.

Key Themes to Watch This Week

1. Tariff Pass-Through and Margin Pressure

Multiple companies reporting this week — including McCormick, RH, KB Home, and Carnival — have meaningful exposure to tariffs on imported goods. Investors should listen carefully for how management teams are quantifying the tariff impact on cost of goods and whether they are able to pass these costs to end consumers without demand destruction. In a world where consumers are already stretched, the degree of pricing power will separate winners from losers.

2. Housing Market as a Macro Barometer

KB Home’s results and guidance will serve as one of the clearest real-time reads on U.S. housing market conditions entering the spring selling season. With mortgage rates still elevated, the new home market has been one of the few bright spots for shelter-seekers frozen out of an existing inventory shortage. Any deterioration in orders or acceleration in cancellation rates would be a meaningful cautionary signal for the broader economy.

3. Consumer Discretionary Resilience

Carnival, Dave & Buster’s, and Chewy collectively offer a cross-section view of consumer discretionary health. Whether it’s ocean cruising, entertainment dining, or premium pet care, these names will answer whether the U.S. consumer continues to prioritize experiences and lifestyle spending despite ongoing inflationary and rate pressures. The answer will have implications far beyond these individual companies.

4. Small Business Health via Paychex

Paychex remains one of Wall Street’s preferred proxies for small and medium-sized business health. In an environment where large-cap companies are increasingly turning to AI-driven headcount optimization, it is the SMB sector — disproportionately reliant on human labor — where the real employment story is told. Any notable commentary on client count attrition or slower new business formation would carry significant macro implications.

5. Recurring Revenue Durability in FinTech and Data

FactSet’s results will speak to the durability of subscription-based revenue models in financial data, an area under intense competitive pressure from AI-native entrants. As asset managers increasingly demand AI-integrated analytics tools, legacy data providers must demonstrate that their platform investments are translating into client retention and wallet share expansion. This theme has implications across the broader financial technology landscape.

In summary, the week of March 24–28, 2026 delivers a rich set of earnings reports that span consumer discretionary, financials, industrials, homebuilding, and travel — providing investors with a comprehensive, real-time snapshot of how Corporate America is performing as the first quarter of 2026 draws to a close. With macroeconomic crosscurrents intensifying and the Federal Reserve maintaining its data-dependent posture, every management commentary on guidance and demand trends will be parsed carefully by a market hungry for clarity.

All EPS and revenue figures cited are consensus analyst estimates based on recent Wall Street research notes as of mid-March 2026. Actual results may differ materially. This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.

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