Morgan Stanley Sees Three Companies Surprising Earnings
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 08 2026
0mins
Source: CNBC
- Western Digital's Strong Performance: Morgan Stanley's Earnings Surprise Composite model ranks Western Digital in the 96th percentile, indicating a likely earnings beat driven by a nearly 900% stock price increase over the past year due to AI-related memory chip shortages.
- Citi's Robust Rally: Citi ranks in the 93rd percentile on Morgan Stanley's screen, with a 158% stock price increase over the past three years, and analysts expect it to report $2.67 earnings per share and $23.34 billion in revenue for Q1.
- RTX's Steady Performance: As a defense contractor, RTX is in the 81st percentile of the Earnings Surprise Composite model, and despite a slight decline since the U.S.-Iran war began on February 28, it is expected to report $1.50 earnings per share and $21.39 billion in revenue for Q1.
- Upcoming Earnings Season: With the earnings season approaching, investors are focusing on Western Digital, Citi, and RTX, which are expected to exceed market expectations, potentially driving their stock prices higher.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy WDC?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on WDC
Wall Street analysts forecast WDC stock price to fall
19 Analyst Rating
15 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 390.990
Low
135.00
Averages
189.74
High
250.00
Current: 390.990
Low
135.00
Averages
189.74
High
250.00
About WDC
Western Digital Corporation is a developer, manufacturer and provider of data storage devices and solutions on hard disk drives (HDD) technologies. The Company manufactures, markets, and sells data storage devices and solutions through its sales personnel, dealers, distributors, retailers, and subsidiaries. Its portfolio of technology and products addresses end markets: Cloud, Client, and Consumer. Cloud is comprised primarily of products for public or private cloud environments and enterprise customers. Through the Client end market, the Company provides its original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and channel customers with a broad array of high-performance HDD solutions across desktops and notebooks. The Consumer end market offers a range of retail and other end-user products. Its product portfolio includes Internal HDD, Data Center Drives, Data Center Platforms, External Drives, Portable Drives, network-attached storage (NAS) for Home and Office, and Accessories.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Western Digital Set to Announce Q3 Earnings on April 30
- Earnings Announcement: Western Digital is set to release its Q3 earnings on April 30 after market close, with consensus EPS estimates at $2.39, reflecting a 75.7% year-over-year increase, and revenue expected to reach $3.25 billion, up 41.9%, indicating strong growth potential.
- Performance Beat: Over the past two years, Western Digital has exceeded EPS estimates 88% of the time and revenue estimates 75% of the time, showcasing the company's reliability and execution in meeting market expectations.
- Forecast Revisions: In the last three months, EPS estimates have seen 16 upward revisions with no downward adjustments, and revenue estimates have also experienced 16 upward revisions, reflecting analysts' optimistic outlook on the company's future performance, which could drive stock price increases.
- Industry Outlook: With the rapid growth of the AI sector, Western Digital is seen as having a competitive edge in addressing storage issues related to AI inference, and along with Seagate, maintains a clear path to higher earnings, further boosting market confidence in its future growth.
See More
Mixed Close for US Stocks as Oil Prices Surge
- Oil Price Surge Impacts Market: WTI crude oil prices surged over 6% on Wednesday to a three-week high due to the US maintaining its naval blockade of Iran, raising inflation expectations and negatively impacting the stock market.
- Fed Policy Influence: The Federal Reserve kept the federal funds rate unchanged at 3.50% to 3.75% during its latest meeting, despite dissent from four members against easing bias, reflecting concerns over economic uncertainty that may dampen investor confidence.
- Strong Tech Stock Performance: The Nasdaq 100 index rose 0.58%, driven by strong earnings from NXP Semiconductors and Seagate Technology, with shares up 25% and over 10% respectively, indicating robust demand for AI infrastructure.
- Housing Data Exceeds Expectations: US March housing starts unexpectedly rose 10.8% to 1.502 million, significantly surpassing the expected decline to 1.380 million, demonstrating resilience in the housing market that could provide support for stocks.
See More
Mixed US Stock Performance Amid Soaring Oil Prices
- Oil Price Surge Impacts Market: WTI crude oil prices rose over 5% to a two-week high as the US maintains its naval blockade of Iran, leading to increased inflation expectations that negatively affect the stock market.
- Strong Tech Stock Performance: The Nasdaq 100 index increased by 0.09%, primarily driven by strong earnings from NXP Semiconductors and Seagate Technology, both up over 14%, indicating robust demand for AI infrastructure.
- Housing Data Exceeds Expectations: US March housing starts unexpectedly rose by 10.8% to 1.502 million, significantly surpassing the market expectation of 1.380 million, demonstrating resilience in the construction sector that may support the stock market.
- Fed Policy Remains Unchanged: The Federal Reserve decided to keep monetary policy unchanged at the FOMC meeting despite a record number of dissenting votes, with markets anticipating future policy will continue to focus on oil prices and inflation dynamics.
See More
Amphenol Corp. Sees Surge in Options Trading Volume
- Surge in Options Volume: Amphenol Corp. (APH) recorded an options trading volume of 40,104 contracts today, equivalent to approximately 4 million shares, representing about 56.2% of its average daily trading volume of 7.1 million shares over the past month, indicating heightened market interest in the stock.
- High-Frequency Trading Insight: Notably, the $95 strike put option has seen significant activity with 17,723 contracts traded today, representing around 1.8 million underlying shares, suggesting increased investor expectations for potential downward price movement, which could impact the company's stock trajectory.
- Competitor Activity: In parallel, AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) has experienced an options trading volume of 33,268 contracts today, translating to approximately 3.3 million shares, which is 50.7% of its average daily trading volume of 6.6 million shares, reflecting strong market attention towards the company as well.
- Market Trend Observation: For AbbVie, the $212.50 strike call option has recorded a trading volume of 10,124 contracts, or about 1 million shares, indicating optimistic investor sentiment regarding its future performance, which may influence its stock price and overall market sentiment.
See More
Stock Price Movements of Various Companies
- Regeneron Stock Decline: Regeneron shares fell nearly 6% despite reaffirming its full-year adjusted gross margin forecast of 83% to 84%, while the board authorized a $3 billion share repurchase program, indicating confidence in future growth.
- GE HealthCare Downgrade: GE HealthCare's stock tumbled 12% after it lowered its full-year adjusted earnings forecast to a range of $4.80 to $5 per share, down from $4.95 to $5.15, reflecting significant earnings pressure on the company.
- Brinker International Strong Performance: Brinker International's stock jumped about 13% as its third-quarter adjusted earnings reached $2.90 per share, exceeding the market expectation of $2.86, and the company raised its full-year earnings forecast, showcasing business resilience.
- NXP Semiconductors Surge: NXP Semiconductors saw a nearly 25% stock increase after reporting first-quarter adjusted earnings of $3.05 per share, surpassing analyst expectations of $2.95, with revenue of $3.18 billion also exceeding forecasts, indicating strong market performance.
See More
Mixed US Stock Market as Soaring Oil Prices Impact Sentiment
- Oil Price Surge Affects Market: WTI crude oil prices have surged over 4% due to the US maintaining its naval blockade of Iran, reaching a two-week high, which has raised inflation expectations and negatively impacted the stock market.
- Strong Performance in Tech Stocks: The Nasdaq 100 index is up 0.20%, primarily driven by NXP Semiconductors and Seagate Technology, both rising over 10% after reporting stronger-than-expected earnings, indicating robust demand for AI infrastructure.
- Housing Data Exceeds Expectations: US March housing starts unexpectedly rose by 10.8% to 1.502 million, significantly surpassing the expected decline to 1.380 million, demonstrating resilience in the construction sector that may support the stock market.
- Stable Fed Policy Expectations: The market anticipates that the Fed will keep interest rates unchanged at the upcoming meeting, as further developments in oil prices and inflation are still under observation, reflecting a cautious approach to future economic policy.
See More
Western Digital Set to Announce Q3 Earnings on April 30
- Earnings Announcement: Western Digital is set to release its Q3 earnings on April 30 after market close, with consensus EPS estimates at $2.39, reflecting a 75.7% year-over-year increase, and revenue expected to reach $3.25 billion, up 41.9%, indicating strong growth potential.
- Performance Beat: Over the past two years, Western Digital has exceeded EPS estimates 88% of the time and revenue estimates 75% of the time, showcasing the company's reliability and execution in meeting market expectations.
- Forecast Revisions: In the last three months, EPS estimates have seen 16 upward revisions with no downward adjustments, and revenue estimates have also experienced 16 upward revisions, reflecting analysts' optimistic outlook on the company's future performance, which could drive stock price increases.
- Industry Outlook: With the rapid growth of the AI sector, Western Digital is seen as having a competitive edge in addressing storage issues related to AI inference, and along with Seagate, maintains a clear path to higher earnings, further boosting market confidence in its future growth.
See More
Mixed Close for US Stocks as Oil Prices Surge
- Oil Price Surge Impacts Market: WTI crude oil prices surged over 6% on Wednesday to a three-week high due to the US maintaining its naval blockade of Iran, raising inflation expectations and negatively impacting the stock market.
- Fed Policy Influence: The Federal Reserve kept the federal funds rate unchanged at 3.50% to 3.75% during its latest meeting, despite dissent from four members against easing bias, reflecting concerns over economic uncertainty that may dampen investor confidence.
- Strong Tech Stock Performance: The Nasdaq 100 index rose 0.58%, driven by strong earnings from NXP Semiconductors and Seagate Technology, with shares up 25% and over 10% respectively, indicating robust demand for AI infrastructure.
- Housing Data Exceeds Expectations: US March housing starts unexpectedly rose 10.8% to 1.502 million, significantly surpassing the expected decline to 1.380 million, demonstrating resilience in the housing market that could provide support for stocks.
See More
Mixed US Stock Performance Amid Soaring Oil Prices
- Oil Price Surge Impacts Market: WTI crude oil prices rose over 5% to a two-week high as the US maintains its naval blockade of Iran, leading to increased inflation expectations that negatively affect the stock market.
- Strong Tech Stock Performance: The Nasdaq 100 index increased by 0.09%, primarily driven by strong earnings from NXP Semiconductors and Seagate Technology, both up over 14%, indicating robust demand for AI infrastructure.
- Housing Data Exceeds Expectations: US March housing starts unexpectedly rose by 10.8% to 1.502 million, significantly surpassing the market expectation of 1.380 million, demonstrating resilience in the construction sector that may support the stock market.
- Fed Policy Remains Unchanged: The Federal Reserve decided to keep monetary policy unchanged at the FOMC meeting despite a record number of dissenting votes, with markets anticipating future policy will continue to focus on oil prices and inflation dynamics.
See More
Amphenol Corp. Sees Surge in Options Trading Volume
- Surge in Options Volume: Amphenol Corp. (APH) recorded an options trading volume of 40,104 contracts today, equivalent to approximately 4 million shares, representing about 56.2% of its average daily trading volume of 7.1 million shares over the past month, indicating heightened market interest in the stock.
- High-Frequency Trading Insight: Notably, the $95 strike put option has seen significant activity with 17,723 contracts traded today, representing around 1.8 million underlying shares, suggesting increased investor expectations for potential downward price movement, which could impact the company's stock trajectory.
- Competitor Activity: In parallel, AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) has experienced an options trading volume of 33,268 contracts today, translating to approximately 3.3 million shares, which is 50.7% of its average daily trading volume of 6.6 million shares, reflecting strong market attention towards the company as well.
- Market Trend Observation: For AbbVie, the $212.50 strike call option has recorded a trading volume of 10,124 contracts, or about 1 million shares, indicating optimistic investor sentiment regarding its future performance, which may influence its stock price and overall market sentiment.
See More
Stock Price Movements of Various Companies
- Regeneron Stock Decline: Regeneron shares fell nearly 6% despite reaffirming its full-year adjusted gross margin forecast of 83% to 84%, while the board authorized a $3 billion share repurchase program, indicating confidence in future growth.
- GE HealthCare Downgrade: GE HealthCare's stock tumbled 12% after it lowered its full-year adjusted earnings forecast to a range of $4.80 to $5 per share, down from $4.95 to $5.15, reflecting significant earnings pressure on the company.
- Brinker International Strong Performance: Brinker International's stock jumped about 13% as its third-quarter adjusted earnings reached $2.90 per share, exceeding the market expectation of $2.86, and the company raised its full-year earnings forecast, showcasing business resilience.
- NXP Semiconductors Surge: NXP Semiconductors saw a nearly 25% stock increase after reporting first-quarter adjusted earnings of $3.05 per share, surpassing analyst expectations of $2.95, with revenue of $3.18 billion also exceeding forecasts, indicating strong market performance.
See More
Mixed US Stock Market as Soaring Oil Prices Impact Sentiment
- Oil Price Surge Affects Market: WTI crude oil prices have surged over 4% due to the US maintaining its naval blockade of Iran, reaching a two-week high, which has raised inflation expectations and negatively impacted the stock market.
- Strong Performance in Tech Stocks: The Nasdaq 100 index is up 0.20%, primarily driven by NXP Semiconductors and Seagate Technology, both rising over 10% after reporting stronger-than-expected earnings, indicating robust demand for AI infrastructure.
- Housing Data Exceeds Expectations: US March housing starts unexpectedly rose by 10.8% to 1.502 million, significantly surpassing the expected decline to 1.380 million, demonstrating resilience in the construction sector that may support the stock market.
- Stable Fed Policy Expectations: The market anticipates that the Fed will keep interest rates unchanged at the upcoming meeting, as further developments in oil prices and inflation are still under observation, reflecting a cautious approach to future economic policy.
See More
