S&P 500 Earnings Beats Narrow to 2.7%, Weakest in Four Years Despite 84% of Companies Topping Forecasts

FactSet reports 84% of S&P 500 companies beat estimates, yet aggregate earnings exceeded consensus by only 2.7%, the weakest since 2022. The narrow beat suggests softening profit growth and reduced upside surprise, undermining earnings-driven support for equity valuations. Traders may reassess margin resilience and forward guidance, keeping index volatility elevated near-term.