Earnings-season lightning is about to strike. In the week ahead, several heavyweight companies across technology and healthcare will drop their quarterly results. For an active trader, this is a dual-edged opportunity: huge profit potential, but also substantial risk. The players to watch: AMD (Advanced Micro Devices), HIMS (Hims & Hers Health), NVO (Novo Nordisk), OSCR (Oscar Health), and PLTR (Palantir Technologies).
These are not sleepy names. They occupy sectors where growth expectations run high – chips & AI, tele‐health/consumer health, pharma/biotech, healthcare disruptive models, and software/AI analytics.
And with high expectations comes high volatility.
Disclaimer: the content provided in this article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It reflects the author’s opinions and research at the time of writing and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor or professional before making any investment or financial decisions. The blog and its authors are not responsible for any losses or damages resulting from the use of the information provided.
In this article we’ll:
- examine the macro backdrop and what it means for earnings season;
- dive into each of the five companies, summarizing expectations, risks and trading implications;
- highlight key technical and risk management considerations for traders;
- provide actionable ideas on how to position (or avoid) trades;
- underscore the importance of discipline, stop-losses and managing emotions.
Macro & Market Backdrop
Before looking at individual names, it’s critical to situate the broader market environment. A few key themes will shape earnings reactions:
- AI / semiconductor supply chain tensions Companies such as AMD are squarely in the crosshairs of AI infrastructure demand (and supply chain constraints). For instance, AMD reported 2Q 2025 revenue of US $7.7 billion (~€7.1 billion) with some headwinds tied to export controls and inventory charges.
- Healthcare cost pressures & regulation In healthcare and pharma (HIMS, NVO, OSCR), cost inflation, drug-pricing scrutiny, regulatory headwinds (especially in U.S. and EU) and reimbursement dynamics are major tail-risks.
- Elevated valuation expectations Many of these companies already trade at stretched multiples relative to traditional benchmarks. That means that if earnings or guidance stumble—even modestly—the downside move can be sharp (and swift).
- Volatility is high Earnings periods amplify market reactions. Traders should expect gaps, large intraday swings, and the possibility of whipsaws. According to earnings calendars, the week of 3-7 Nov 2025 features dozens of major reports.
- Risk of surprise guidance It’s not just about beat or miss; often the market focuses more on forward guidance. A company could beat EPS but warn weakly, and the stock might drop.
Given that backdrop, positioning for this earnings week is like walking a tightrope. You need to be prepared for spectacular moves either way—and risk management becomes paramount.
Company-by-Company Breakdown
1. AMD (Advanced Micro Devices)
Scheduled earnings: 4 November 2025, after market close.
Recent performance & context:
- Q1 2025 revenue came in at US $7.44 billion (~€6.9 billion) with adjusted EPS = US $0.96.
- Q2 2025 revenue was US $7.7 billion (~€7.1 billion).
- Analysts are expecting strong AI-driven growth going into Q3, but concerns remain about China export controls, margin pressure and inventory build.
Key risks/triggers for trading:
- If AMD beats on revenue and guidance: expect a sharp early move upward. Target zones could exceed the prior swing highs.
- If AMD misses or issues weak guidance: the drop could be abrupt, especially as valuation is high and expectations seem baked in.
- Watch the data-centre segment (AI chips) and margin commentary. If AI backlog is strong, that’s bullish; if supply constraints or weaker demand surface, bearish.
Trading implications:
- Consider a stratified approach: buy a small position ahead of earnings with a tight stop (e.g., 3-5% below entry) then consider adding if favourable pre-market activity emerges.
- Or use an options strategy (e.g., buying a straddle or call + put) to hedge around the event.
- Important: Because of potential gap moves at open, ensure stop-loss orders are placed outside the earnings event (for example, set a bracket stop once the market opens).
Suggested focus:
- Monitor pre-market/after-market reaction to guidance.
- Assess reaction of peer chip stocks (e.g., NVDA, INTC) as a leading indicator.
- If reaction is muted or negative, that may serve as a warning for broader semiconductor space.
Useful links and sources
AMD Official Website – https://amd.com
AMD Finance – https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/AMD/
2. HIMS (Hims & Hers Health)
Scheduled earnings: 3 November 2025, after market close.
Context:
- HIMS is in the telehealth/consumer health space. These businesses have growth potential but are exposed to changing consumer behaviour, reimbursement risk and regulatory scrutiny.
- Analysts expect HIMS to post EPS around US $0.09 (~€0.08) for the upcoming quarter.
Risks/triggers:
- A beat may drive the stock higher, but given the company’s risk profile, the upside may be capped unless growth guidance is very bullish.
- A miss or weak outlook could spark a pronounced drop, as investor sentiment in this space can swing fast.
Trading take:
- This is more of a speculative trade than a core position. If you choose to play it, size it small relative to your overall portfolio/trading risk.
- Consider entering only if you have a conviction on the growth narrative (e.g., rising membership, improved margins).
- Because the risk of “big surprise negative” is significant, some traders might sit out or hedge the position.
Focus points leading into the report:
- Subscriber growth (or equivalent metric).
- Margins and guidance for next quarter.
- Any commentary on regulation or competitive threats.
Useful links and sources
HIMS Official Website – https://www.hims.com
HIMS Finance – https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/HIMS/
3. NVO (Novo Nordisk ADR)
Scheduled earnings: 4 November 2025 (some sources list 5 November) for the quarter.
Context:
- Novo Nordisk is a major player in diabetes care, obesity treatments and GLP-1 drug space. That puts it at the heart of one of the hottest healthcare trends.
- High expectations: if the company delivers strong growth (especially in its newer obesity/GLP-1-related products), the stock can benefit strongly.
Risks/triggers:
- If growth is strong but the company signals cost pressure, regulation risk (price reductions in Europe, for example), or margin compression, the market may punish the stock.
- If growth disappoints, given high valuations, the downside can be sharp.
Trading approach:
- For a less risky trade compared to a pure speculative name: consider entering prior to earnings if you believe the GLP-1 momentum story is still under-appreciated.
- But set a tight stop-loss, given the risk of guidance or regulatory headwinds.
- Alternatively, if you prefer event-risk off the table, wait for the earnings release and then trade the reaction after the initial surge/fall.
Focus areas:
- Growth in obesity/GLP-1 segment.
- Margin guidance, regulatory commentary.
- European market trends (pricing pressure, reimbursement changes).
Useful links and sources
NVO Official Website – https://www.novonordisk.com
NVO Finance – https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/NVO/
4. OSCR (Oscar Health)
Scheduled earnings: 6 November 2025 (before market open).
Context:
- Oscar Health is a newer entrant in health insurance/technology-driven healthcare.
- The company’s business model is more vulnerable to macro/consumer insurance risk, regulatory policy changes and competitive disruption.
Risks/triggers:
- The greatest risk: if guidance is weak (e.g., membership growth slower than expected, losses widen) the market may react harshly.
- On the flip side, a strong beat may trigger a sizable move upward, but historically insurance/disruptive healthcare stocks can be volatile and sentiment-driven.
Trading strategy:
- This is higher risk. Possibly only appropriate for traders comfortable with event-risk and willing to accept a sharp draw-down.
- If trading this: keep position size small, emphasise stop-loss discipline, potentially use options to limit downside.
Focus metrics:
- Membership growth, loss ratios, guidance for upcoming quarters.
- Cash-flow and burn metrics.
- Regulatory commentary (OTI, healthcare policy shifts).
Useful links and sources
OSCR Official Website – https://hioscar.com
OSCR Finance – https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/OSCR/
5. PLTR (Palantir Technologies)
Scheduled earnings: 3 November 2025, after market close.
Context:
- Palantir is positioned at the intersection of enterprise software, big data, and AI analytics—very much in the thematic spotlight.
- Analysts expect revenue growth of around US $1.09 billion (~€1.0 billion) for the quarter.
Risks/triggers:
- A strong beat (especially with guidance) could fuel a major upside move, given the AI/analytics narrative.
- However, because the narrative is already priced in to a large extent, any sign of slower commercial growth, softer guidance or increased competition could produce outsized negative moves.
Trading approach:
- For aggressive traders: consider a pre-earnings long with tight stop and defined risk.
- For more conservative traders: wait for the earnings release and trade the reaction after the initial volatility subsides (30–60 minutes after open).
Focus issues:
- Commercial vs government growth splits.
- New contract wins or losses.
- Guidance for upcoming quarters.
- Any commentary on AI adoption, margin expansion, international growth.
Useful links and sources
PLTR Official Website – https://www.palantir.com
PLTR Finance – https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/PLTR/
Risk Management & Trading Discipline
What separates profitable traders during earnings season from the rest is management of risk and emotions. Here are key principles:
1. Use Stop-Losses and Define Risk
This cannot be overstated. Earnings reactions can gap substantially. If you enter ahead of the event, decide beforehand how much you are willing to lose (e.g., 2-3% of position, or 1% of portfolio). Use bracket orders or alerts.
Stop-loss discipline is especially critical when trading high-volatility names.
2. Position Sizing
Because earnings trades are inherently higher risk, your position sizes should be smaller than your typical trades unless you have strong conviction and are comfortable with large swings.
Remember: “never ignore your stop loss” is not optional—it is essential.
3. Trade the Reaction, Not the Hype
Sometimes the story looks perfect but the market expects perfection. A beat might still disappoint relative to guidance or internal metrics.
If you don’t want to risk a pre-earnings trade, wait for the initial 30–60 minutes post-earnings release, assess the reaction, then act.
4. Be Prepared for Whipsaws
Especially in names with large short interest or high option flows, the first move post-earnings may reverse quickly.
Consider: after the initial spike or drop, is there follow-through? If not, reduce exposure or exit.
5. Align Time-Frame with Strategy
If you are a shorter-term trader (intra-day or 1-3 day timeframe), set tighter targets and stop-losses.
If you are a swing trader (holding 5-10 days), you must be comfortable absorbing initial volatility and giving the trade room—but also have a plan if the trend reverses.
6. Emotional Discipline
Don’t let the fear of missing out (FOMO) drive you into a trade without a plan. Conversely, don’t let a small loss affect your judgment for the next trade.
Remain unemotional: trade your plan.
Combined Strategy Ideas
Disclaimer: personally, I believe the best investment is in common stocks, so I avoid using options or leverage. I always start with small positions and then adjust them according to stock price movements. I advise against using options or leverage, as they involve a very high risk factor. Investing in common stocks allows you to sleep soundly, but never forget to use stop losses to ensure your capital isn’t depleted.
Here are a few tactical ideas for the week ahead:
- Idea A (Moderate Risk, Pre-Earnings): Select one “favoured” stock from the list (say AMD or PLTR) where you believe the narrative is strong. Enter ahead of the release with a small position (e.g., 20–30% of your usual sizing), set a stop-loss at a pre-defined level (e.g., -4%-5%) and target a reward (e.g., +8-12%) if the earnings beat and guidance is strong.
- Idea B (Lower Risk, Reaction Trade): Wait for earnings to drop. Use the first 30-60 minutes of trading after market open to assess the reaction. If the stock is moving in one direction strongly with volume, you can jump in the same direction but only once a clear breakout (or breakdown) is confirmed. Then apply tighter stops because the major move may already be underway.
- Idea C (Hedge / Options): If you believe a big swing is possible but uncertain about direction, consider buying a straddle (call + put) around the earnings event or buying an option with limited downside risk and unlimited (or large) upside. Note: option premiums will be elevated going into earnings.
- Idea D (No-Trade Option): If your analysis shows the stock has already run up materially, valuation is extended, or you don’t have a strong edge—opt out. Sitting on the sidelines and preserving capital is perfectly valid.
My advice is to play it safe: don’t use options or leverage.
Why This Week Matters
- The concentration of major reports in tech and healthcare means that sector sentiment may shift quickly. If AMD disappoints, chips and AI stocks may broadly suffer. If HIMS or OSCR disappoint, health/consumer names may become riskier.
- These companies are seen as bellwethers: their guidance and commentary often signal broader themes (e.g., how strong is AI infrastructure demand, what’s happening in health consumer behaviour).
- Trader-friendly conditions: volatility, large moves, opportunities to capture momentum or overshoot. But also high risk of being on the wrong side of a surprise.
- The narrative are strong: AI for AMD & PLTR; digital/telehealth disruption for HIMS & OSCR; obesity/GLP-1 boom for NVO. Narratives attract speculative capital—but when everyone owns the story, the market starts trading expectations rather than fundamentals.
Final Thoughts & Checklist
Before you trade:
- Confirm the earnings date and time for each company (when is the release: before market open / after market close).
- Review recent company performance and analyst consensus (EPS, revenue forecast).
- Review recent guidance or commentary to identify what the market may be expecting.
- Check option open interest and implied volatility for signs of market expectations.
- Plan entry price, stop-loss, and target price before the event.
- Ensure trade size fits your risk tolerance.
- Be prepared to act quickly post-earnings: either lock in profits or cut losses.
- Stay disciplined: if your stop hits, accept the loss and move on. Do not double-down unless you have a revised thesis.
Key reminder: Even the best setups can turn against you — especially during earnings season when surprises lie in wait. Discipline in risk management is your edge.
Stay sharp, trade smart!
⚠️ Not financial advice. Do your own research and consult your financial advisor.⚠️