Stocks & Investing

Earnings (Earnings Report)

Also called: earnings call

A company’s quarterly update on how much money it made.

Every public company reports results four times a year, usually with a call where management explains them. Earnings dates are known in advance and are the most predictable source of big stock moves, which also makes them the most dangerous time to gamble. Smart traders know when earnings are and manage around them instead of guessing the outcome.

For example

A stock can gap up or down 20% overnight on an earnings surprise. Selling a put right before earnings means you may be assigned into that gap.

Back to the full glossary · Educational content only, not investment advice.