Upcoming second-quarter earnings season is likely to be mostly positive for a majority of S&P 500 stocks. But it's going to be a rough period for some.
Five stocks in the S&P 500, including Albemarle, Dow and Nike, are expected to report second-quarter earnings drops of 80% or more, says an Investor's Business Daily analysis of data from S&P Global Market Intelligence and MarketSurge.
Such massive plunges in earnings are the exception not the rule. Overall, S&P 500 earnings are seen rising 4.6% in the quarter, says FactSet. That's below the five-year average of 9.1%, but positive nonetheless. And that's why there's reason to beware the stocks with big earnings drops coming.
Look Out Below: Albemarle
Charlotte, N.C.-based Albemarle is the S&P 500 stock likely to take the hardest earnings hit, analysts say. Analysts think the power storage company will lose 77 cents a share in the quarter, down a brutal 2,020% from the same year-ago period when it earned four cents a share.
The company is expected to report results on July 30. Albemarle continues to suffer from weak lithium prices. It's trying to cut costs. But the chart is feeling the pain. Shares are down more than 18% this year. The RS Rating is just 21 and EPS Rating 19. For the year, the company is seen losing $2.01 a share, slightly less than what it lost in 2024.
Other Drops In Earnings On The Way
Chemical firm Dow is expected to lose 16 cents a share in the quarter, a drop of 123% from the 68 cents a share it earned in the same period a year ago.
The stock, too, isn't great. It's off 30% this year, giving the shares an RS Rating of just 8. The EPS Rating is only 6. Analysts forecast an 87% drop in profit this year, but a 380% jump in 2026.
So while earnings season is likely to be mostly positive, expect big drops from some spots.
Biggest Expected Earnings Drops
For second quarter of 2025
| Company Name | Ticker | EPS Q2 2025 Gr. | Sector | Reporting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albemarle | ALB | -2,020.4% | Materials | 7/30/2025 |
| Dow | DOW | -122.9% | Materials | 7/24/2025 |
| NIKE | NKE | -87.9% | Consumer Discretionary | 9/25/2025 |
| Estée Lauder | EL | -85.8% | Consumer Staples | 8/20/2025 |
| Centene | CNC | -84.1% | Health Care | 7/25/2025 |
