Stock Market Earnings Preview for December 8–15, 2025: Oracle, Broadcom, Costco and GameStop Lead a Fed‑Heavy Week

The coming week on Wall Street (December 8–15, 2025) combines one of the most closely watched Federal Reserve meetings of the year with a concentrated burst of high‑profile earnings from tech, retail, housing and the “meme stock” corner of the market. Oracle (ORCL), Broadcom (AVGO), Adobe (ADBE), Costco (COST), GameStop (GME), Lululemon (LULU), Chewy (CHWY), AutoZone (AZO), Synopsys (SNPS) and others are set to report, making volatility likely even in what is otherwise the tail end of earnings season. ^[1]

Below is a structured, SEO‑friendly guide to the key reports and themes to watch for December 8–15, 2025.

1. Macro backdrop: Fed rate cut, late‑season earnings and data delays

The Federal Reserve’s final meeting of 2025 will dominate the macro narrative. Markets widely expect the Federal Open Market Committee to cut rates for a third straight time, with futures pricing a move that would bring the federal funds target range down to roughly 3.5%–3.75%. ^[2]

Unusually, policymakers will be making that decision without a full set of fresh economic data because several government reports are still delayed following the fall shutdown. Investors will be listening for Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference on Wednesday, December 10, for clues about how aggressively the Fed plans to ease into 2026. ^[3]

Important U.S. indicators clustered around the week include:

Job openings (JOLTS) and NFIB small-business optimism (Tuesday)
The delayed Employment Cost Index and monthly federal budget (Wednesday)
Weekly jobless claims and wholesale inventories (Thursday) ^[4]

This macro backdrop matters for rate‑sensitive sectors like homebuilders (Toll Brothers), discretionary retail (Costco, Lululemon, GameStop) and high‑multiple AI and software plays (Oracle, Broadcom, Adobe, Synopsys), which are all on deck this week. ^[5]

2. Tech & AI in focus: Oracle, Broadcom, Adobe, Synopsys, Nordson

Oracle (ORCL): Can AI cloud growth justify the debt load?

Oracle reports Q2 FY 2026 results on Wednesday, December 10, after the close. ^[6]

Wall Street expectations:

EPS: around $1.61–$1.65, with one widely cited consensus at $1.64, up roughly 12% year‑on‑year ^[7]
Revenue: about $16.2–$16.3 billion, ~15% YoY growth and at the upper end of Oracle’s own 12–14% guidance range ^[8]

Key storylines:

Oracle’s massive $300 billion, five‑year AI cloud deal with OpenAI has become the defining narrative around the stock, driving a huge backlog but also raising questions about capital intensity and leverage. ^[9]
Analysts will zero in on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) revenue growth (expected to run in the mid‑30% range), remaining performance obligations (RPO) and free‑cash‑flow trends to judge whether AI infrastructure spending is creating durable value or just bloating the balance sheet. ^[10]

With Oracle shares having sold off on concerns about rising debt and the pace of AI monetization, a clean beat and strong AI cloud commentary could spark a relief rally; a miss or cautious outlook could reinforce worries about an “AI bubble” in infrastructure stocks. ^[11]

Broadcom (AVGO): AI chips, VMware and Google’s Gemini

Broadcom posts fiscal Q4 2025 earnings on Thursday, December 11, after the close. ^[12]

Consensus and preview data suggest:

EPS: around $1.66 per share, with some previews flagging upside scenarios closer to $1.87–$1.96, implying roughly 30%+ profit growth ^[13]
Revenue: about $17.5 billion, ~24% YoY growth and in line with management guidance and Citi’s projections ^[14]
AI revenue: Broadcom already booked roughly $5.2 billion in AI‑related sales last quarter, with bulls expecting that figure to climb toward about $6.2 billion in Q4, driven by hyperscale orders and demand related to Google’s Gemini AI rollout. ^[15]

Key issues to watch:

The integration of VMware, which has turned Broadcom into a hybrid chip and infrastructure‑software powerhouse, with software revenue up in the mid‑40% range year‑on‑year last quarter. ^[16]
Whether AI‑related demand from Google, Meta and reportedly OpenAI continues to offset weaker legacy segments and cyclical chip softness. ^[17]

Given the stock’s strong run and “top pick for 2026” status among some analysts, expectations are high; even a small guidance wobble could trigger a sharp move. ^[18]

Adobe (ADBE): AI monetization test for creative software

Adobe will release Q4 FY 2025 numbers on Wednesday, December 10, after market close. ^[19]

What the Street is looking for:

EPS: around $5.40, up about 12–13% YoY ^[20]
Revenue: near $6.1–$6.125 billion, roughly 9% YoY growth, at or slightly above the upper end of management’s guidance. ^[21]

Segment guidance includes:

Digital Media revenue of roughly $4.53–$4.56 billion
Digital Experience revenue of $1.495–$1.515 billion ^[22]

The big debate:

Investors are wrestling with fears that generative AI could commoditize parts of Adobe’s toolkit. Yet several recent analyses argue that those worries are overdone, noting resilient ARR growth and unusually low valuation multiples for a software leader, with many analysts still rating the stock a “Strong Buy.” ^[23]

Key metrics to watch on the call:

Adoption and monetization of Firefly and other AI features
Net new Digital Media ARR
Any commentary on competition, especially from AI‑native upstarts

A beat paired with confident AI commentary could help repair sentiment after a choppy year for the shares.

Synopsys (SNPS): Nvidia’s $2 billion bet ahead of Q4

Chip‑design software leader Synopsys reports Q4 FY 2025 results on Wednesday, December 10, after the close, with a conference call at 5:00 p.m. ET. ^[24]

Expectations:

Consensus EPS: around $2.79
Revenue: near $2.25 billion, with some third‑party models projecting mid‑30%+ revenue growth for Q4 and even faster growth in early 2026. ^[25]

What’s new this quarter is the $2 billion equity investment by Nvidia, announced on December 1, which deepens the companies’ partnership in AI‑driven chip and system design tools. Synopsys shares jumped more than 7% on the news. ^[26]

Investors will focus on:

How the Nvidia partnership could accelerate Synopsys’s AI‑assisted EDA roadmap
Integration progress following its $35 billion acquisition of Ansys, which bolsters simulation and digital‑twin capabilities
Any update on earlier guidance, given prior quarters’ mixed results and recent estimate cuts ^[27]

Synopsys sits at the intersection of AI, chip design and multiphysics simulation; strong guidance could reinforce the idea that EDA is a structural winner in this cycle.

Nordson (NDSN): Industrial insight in a tech‑heavy week

Nordson, a specialist in precision dispensing and industrial technology, will release Q4 and full‑year 2025 earnings on Wednesday, December 10, after the close, followed by a webcast on Thursday morning. ^[28]

While not as high‑profile as the mega‑cap tech names, Nordson’s commentary on demand in industrial, electronics and packaging markets offers another window into the health of global manufacturing heading into 2026.

3. Retail, consumer and “meme” names: Costco, Lululemon, GameStop, Chewy, AutoZone, Campbell & Cracker Barrel

Costco (COST): Earnings meet a tariff fight

Costco reports Q1 FY 2026 earnings on Thursday, December 11, after the close, with analysts expecting EPS around $4.24–$4.25 on roughly $67 billion in revenue. ^[29]

Recent data points:

November net sales of $23.64 billion, up 8.1% YoY, with comparable sales up 6.4% and e‑commerce sales surging over 20%. ^[30]
Full‑year 2025 sales of about $269.9–$275.2 billion, reflecting high‑single‑digit growth and sustained strength in membership renewals. ^[31]

What makes this call politically charged is Costco’s lawsuit against the U.S. government seeking to preserve potential refunds of Trump‑era tariffs if the Supreme Court ultimately rules against the legality of those levies. ^[32]

Investors will listen for:

Any hints about the potential financial impact of tariff refunds or adverse rulings
How tariffs and sourcing shifts are affecting margins and pricing, especially in categories like imported consumer goods ^[33]

With the stock trading at a rich multiple near 50x earnings, expectations are high that Costco will continue to deliver steady growth and perhaps discuss the odds of another special dividend. ^[34]

Lululemon (LULU): Demand slowdown under the microscope

Lululemon releases Q3 FY 2025 results on Thursday, December 11. ^[35]

Key expectations from recent previews:

Earnings are projected to decline year‑on‑year, even as revenue still grows modestly, with one analysis pointing to revenue growth slowing to roughly 3.3% YoY (down from mid‑single‑digit growth in prior quarters). ^[36]
Headwinds include tariffs, intensifying competition in athleisure and signs of softer demand in North America. ^[37]

With LULU shares down sharply year‑to‑date, the bar for sentiment is low, but guidance and commentary on inventory, discounting and China growth will be critical to determining whether the stock has finally found a floor.

GameStop (GME): Meme sentiment meets fundamentals

GameStop will report Q3 FY 2025 results on Tuesday, December 9, with the company’s own press release confirming the date. ^[38]

Analyst expectations:

EPS: around $0.20, up from $0.06 in the prior‑year quarter
Revenue: roughly $987 million, implying about 15% year‑on‑year growth ^[39]

Previews note that GameStop has missed earnings estimates only twice in the last nine quarters, even as the stock is down more than 25% in 2025 amid meme‑driven volatility. ^[40]

Investors will watch:

Progress on shifting the business toward higher‑margin digital and collectibles
Any update on balance‑sheet strategy, including prior flirtations with crypto‑linked initiatives
Trading volatility around the print, given the stock’s history of large moves on earnings

Chewy (CHWY): Pet spending and margin expansion

Chewy reports Q3 FY 2025 earnings on Wednesday, December 10, before the open. ^[41]

Guidance and consensus point to:

Net sales: about $3.07–$3.10 billion, 7–8% YoY growth ^[42]
Adjusted EPS: guided to $0.28–$0.33, above prior consensus of roughly $0.23, helped by better profitability. ^[43]

Analysts will focus on:

Active customer trends and autoship penetration, key drivers of recurring revenue
Gross margin improvements as Chewy leans into private‑label and healthcare offerings

Chewy has quietly turned itself into a profitable e‑commerce player; a strong report could reinforce the idea that pet spending remains resilient even as consumers grow more selective.

AutoZone (AZO): Can the auto parts specialist regain momentum?

AutoZone posts Q1 FY 2026 results on Tuesday, December 9, before the open. ^[44]

Expectations:

EPS: roughly $32.35, modestly above last year, with estimates recently nudged higher ^[45]
Revenue: about $4.64 billion, up low‑single digits year‑on‑year ^[46]

In the prior quarter AutoZone missed consensus EPS and revenue, as heavier spending on new stores and distribution weighed on margins. ^[47]

Investors will be watching:

Same‑store sales trends in DIY vs. commercial customers
Any commentary on credit‑stressed consumers and bad‑debt levels
Capital allocation (buybacks vs. store growth) in a higher‑rate environment

Campbell Soup (CPB), Cracker Barrel (CBRL) and other consumer names

Earlier‑in‑the‑week consumer staples and restaurants add more color on spending patterns:

Campbell Soup (CPB) reports on Tuesday morning, with consensus pointing to stable earnings and modest revenue growth as the company navigates pricing and volumes. ^[48]
Casey’s General Stores (CASY), Cracker Barrel (CBRL), Dave & Buster’s (PLAY) and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet (OLLI) are among the other consumer names reporting Tuesday, providing a mix of convenience, value‑oriented and experiential spending reads. ^[49]

4. Housing, industrials and materials: Toll Brothers, Compass Minerals, Nordson, Johnson Outdoors

Toll Brothers (TOL): Luxury housing vs. falling rates

Luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers kicks things off Monday and hosts its Q4 FY 2025 earnings call on Tuesday, December 9. ^[50]

Recent notes highlight:

Solid EPS and revenue growth in recent quarters, with TOL ranked near the top of its homebuilder peer group. ^[51]
Technical strength, with the stock forming a bullish “cup‑with‑handle” pattern as investors bet that lower mortgage rates could unlock pent‑up demand. ^[52]

Investors will focus on order trends, cancellation rates and commentary on buyer sentiment now that rate‑cut expectations are firming up.

Compass Minerals (CMP) and Phreesia (PHR): Niche exposure

On Monday, December 8, after the close, two more specialized names report:

Compass Minerals (CMP) – a producer of road salt and specialty plant nutrients; estimates call for earnings of roughly $0.25 per share as investors watch for updates on weather‑driven demand and fertilizer pricing. ^[53]
Phreesia (PHR) – a health‑tech platform; consensus sees results roughly around breakeven EPS as management continues to invest in growth. ^[54]

These aren’t headline grabbers but can matter for sector specialists.

Johnson Outdoors (JOUT): Outdoor recreation check‑in

Johnson Outdoors will release Q4 FY 2025 results on Friday, December 12, before the open, followed by an 11:00 a.m. ET conference call. ^[55]

As a maker of fishing electronics, camping and diving gear, JOUT offers a niche read on outdoor‑recreation demand heading into 2026, after several years of normalization post‑pandemic.

5. Smaller‑cap names into Monday, December 15

While the marquee names taper off after Friday, Monday, December 15 still brings a cluster of small‑ and micro‑cap earnings:

Red Cat Holdings (RCAT), U.S. Gold (USAU), Immersion (IMMR), RCI Hospitality (RICK), Quipt Home Medical (QIPT), Ocean Power Technologies (OPTT), Veru (VERU) and BriaCell Therapeutics (BCTX)feature on several options and earnings calendars. ^[56]
Dividend calendars also highlight names like Energy Services of America (ESOA) and Mitek Systems (MITK)around that date. ^[57]

These tickers generally trade with lower liquidity and higher event‑driven volatility. For traders, they can offer opportunities — but risk management and position sizing are critical.

6. Day‑by‑day highlights: December 8–15, 2025

Monday, December 8

Notable earnings: Toll Brothers (TOL – after close), Compass Minerals (CMP – after close), Phreesia (PHR – after close) ^[58]
Macro: Quiet day on U.S. data, but markets will already be positioning for the Fed and the AI/tech reports later in the week. ^[59]

Tuesday, December 9

Key earnings before open: AutoZone (AZO), Campbell Soup (CPB), Caseys (CASY) ^[60]
Key earnings after close: GameStop (GME), Cracker Barrel (CBRL), Dave & Buster’s (PLAY), AeroVironment (AVAV), others across consumer and defense. ^[61]
Macro: JOLTS job openings and NFIB small‑business optimism. ^[62]

Wednesday, December 10

Big tech/AI earnings after close: Oracle (ORCL), Adobe (ADBE), Synopsys (SNPS), Nordson (NDSN); Chewy (CHWY) reports before the open. ^[63]
Macro: Fed interest‑rate decision, Powell press conference, Employment Cost Index and federal budget data. Expect heightened volatility across indices and rate‑sensitive sectors. ^[64]

Thursday, December 11

Headline earnings after close: Broadcom (AVGO), Costco (COST), Lululemon (LULU), Ciena (CIEN), Netskope (NTSK). ^[65]
Macro: Trade deficit, weekly jobless claims, wholesale inventories. ^[66]

Friday, December 12

Smaller names: Johnson Outdoors (JOUT) and Value Line (VALU) are among the notable reports before the open. ^[67]
Macro: A quieter day, but Fed speakers could shape how markets interpret Wednesday’s decision. ^[68]

Monday, December 15

Small/micro caps: A cluster of niche energy, biotech and tech names including RCAT, ESOA, VERU, IMMR and others. ^[69]
No major macro events, but markets will be digesting the prior week’s earnings and the fresh Fed path.

7. Key themes for investors and traders

AI infrastructure at an inflection point
Oracle, Broadcom, Adobe and Synopsys will give investors their best look yet at whether AI‑related demand is translating into profitable, recurring revenue rather than just capex‑heavy hype. Cloud bookings, AI‑linked revenue and commentary on customer budgets will be closely parsed. ^[70]
Consumer resilience vs. tariff and inflation pressures
Costco, Lululemon, Chewy, Campbell, Cracker Barrel and GameStop span everything from value bulk retail and athleisure to pet supplies and discretionary outings. Their results should clarify how lower‑ and middle‑income consumers are coping with elevated prices — and in Costco’s case, how tariffs and legal battles intersect with margins. ^[71]
Housing sensitivity to rates
Toll Brothers’ order and pricing trends could either validate or challenge the view that Fed cuts will quickly revive higher‑end housing demand. ^[72]
Late‑cycle volatility in a light calendar
With a relatively narrow group of large‑caps driving most of the earnings narrative, single‑stock moves could be outsized — especially in names like GameStop, Lululemon and smaller AI plays, where positioning and options activity can amplify swings. ^[73]
Fed signaling as the tie‑breaker
Ultimately, how markets digest this earnings week will depend heavily on Powell’s tone. A rate cut paired with hints of more easing in early 2026 could provide a tailwind for growth stocks; a more cautious message could magnify negative reactions to any earnings misses. ^[74]

8. Final note

All earnings figures above are analyst estimates or company guidance as of December 7, 2025 and can change before reports are released. Dates and times occasionally shift, so traders and investors should confirm details on each company’s investor‑relations site or trusted financial calendar before making decisions. Nothing here is investment advice; it’s informational context to help you follow what promises to be an eventful week for markets.

References