With earnings season in full swing this week, NYSE Insider Jay Woods is keeping an eye on three stocks scheduled to report that he believes hold the key to the market. About 80 S&P 500 companies, including Alphabet and Tesla, are scheduled to report earnings. The announcement takes on added significance because last week the S&P 500 ended below its 50-day moving average for the second time since April, and the index hasn’t hit a new high since early June. IBM will report its financial results on Wednesday afternoon. IBM suffered its worst day in history on Tuesday, falling 25% after reporting preliminary results that missed revenue and profit expectations. Woods noted the potential for a relief rally and said he has identified interesting spots for quick trades if the stock can recoup some of its losses. ServiceNow is scheduled to report earnings on the same day as IBM. Despite the company’s struggles this year (down 30% in 2026), strong earnings could push the stock higher. He said the software company’s 50-day moving average sits near $103, giving it an opportunity to move higher. The stock is also below its 200-day moving average of around $128.40. “Some of the biggest bull runs occur below the 200-day average, which has already happened once with Service Now in June,” said Woods, chief market strategist at Freedom Capital Markets. “Now the question is: Is it a relief rally or is it the start of something new?” NOW YTD Line ServiceNow YTD The final AI player to watch is Intel, which will report earnings on Thursday. Intel is down more than 30% from its recent high in late June. But Woods believes the stock could rise again if earnings beat expectations. Woods noted that if Intel moves higher, investors should focus on its 50-day moving average near $117.
