Dated earnings briefing — October 23, 2026. The schedule below records what this briefing covered on that date; it is not today’s calendar. For the subsequent SLB results review, read our SLB Q3 earnings explanation.
American Express’s October 23 earnings show why reported profit and adjusted profit need separate columns. The company reported third-quarter revenue of $20.062 billion, up 9%, and diluted earnings per share of $5.42. Adjusted EPS was $4.68. Those measures describe different views of the same quarter and should not be used interchangeably.
This October 23, 2026 earnings briefing covers American Express’s verified release and the confirmed SLB earnings-call schedule. It offers a practical reading checklist for individual investors, with no live share-price quote, target price, or trade recommendation.
American Express Q3 2026: verified key numbers
The figures below come from the official American Express earnings release. The reporting period ended September 30, 2026; the announcement date is October 23.
| Measure | Q3 2026 | Prior-year comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue, net of interest expense | $20.062 billion | Up 9% |
| Billed business | $454.0 billion | Up 8% |
| Reported diluted EPS | $5.42 | Up 31% |
| Adjusted EPS | $4.68 | Up 13% |
| Provisions for credit losses | $1.0 billion | $1.3 billion a year earlier |
The adjustment excludes the gain from selling its GBTG equity interest, net of related restructuring. Management raised full-year reported EPS guidance to $18.30–$18.60; adjusted guidance is $17.60–$17.90. Guidance remains an expectation, not a completed result. Read the release’s reconciliation and risk discussion before drawing conclusions.
What the EPS gap changes in your analysis
A one-off gain can lift reported earnings without representing the same kind of repeatable activity as recurring customer transactions. An adjusted number can help examine the business from another angle, but choosing it requires understanding exactly what management removed. Neither column should disappear simply because one gives the more attractive growth rate.
Build a small comparison sheet with reported EPS, adjusted EPS, and the reason for the difference. Use the same basis on both sides of a year-over-year comparison. If a figure is unavailable, leave the cell unfilled until you find it. A missing value is more useful than a confident comparison built from incompatible measures.
Also read the share-count line and the explanation of changes. EPS is a per-share measure, so it can move differently from total profit. The goal is to identify the drivers rather than assuming that one headline percentage explains everything shareholders need to know.
Read spending and credit together
For a card-related business, customer spending is one part of the picture. Credit performance and the costs of serving customers matter too. A useful reading sequence asks whether activity grew, what supported revenue, what happened to expenses, and what the company says about expected losses.
Do not translate one lender’s figures into a conclusion about every American household. Customer mix, product mix, geography, and reporting definitions limit the comparison. Treat the results as evidence about that business first. A personal spending plan still needs to reflect your own income, bills, balances, and goals.
Likewise, a lower provision does not automatically prove that every measure of credit risk improved. Read the explanation of reserve changes and compare relevant loss measures using consistent definitions. Note what management reported and keep your interpretation in a separate column.
SLB: today’s confirmed earnings schedule
SLB’s official announcement set October 23 for its third-quarter release and call. It scheduled the release for 7:00 a.m. Eastern and the call for 9:30 a.m. Eastern, equivalent to 6:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Central on that date. The official event page provides the webcast information.
This briefing does not reproduce SLB result figures because the full current release was not verified in this review. A scheduled release time alone is insufficient evidence for a reported EPS or revenue number. Use the company’s quarterly-results page to reach the dated documents before filling in the worksheet.
For the review, list revenue by relevant business or region, the corresponding profitability measure, operating cash flow, capital spending, and management’s outlook. These are questions to examine, not claims about how SLB performed this quarter. Identify acquisitions, disposals, or changes in presentation before comparing periods.
A reusable earnings worksheet
| Question | Evidence to record | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| What period is this? | Quarter end and release date | Using an old result with today’s headline |
| Which earnings measure? | Reported or adjusted, with reconciliation | Comparing different bases |
| What drove the change? | Volume, mix, price, costs, or specific items | Explaining everything with revenue growth |
| What is expected next? | Dated guidance and assumptions | Treating expectations as guaranteed results |
| What remains uncertain? | One question to revisit next quarter | Turning a single report into a permanent conclusion |
Keep the original document link beside every number. Write a short note explaining why the measure matters to your thesis. If you cannot explain the link between the figure and the conclusion, continue reading before making a decision. A spreadsheet full of numbers can still hide a weak argument.
Connect research to a manageable investing plan
Decide how much money is available for investing before reacting to the release. Our guide to monthly investing amounts helps put that decision in the context of your broader finances. A company’s encouraging quarter does not increase the cash your household can safely commit.
Use the stock profit calculator for hypothetical entry prices, exit prices, and fees. Try both an unfavorable and a favorable scenario. These examples explain arithmetic and exposure; they do not estimate the probability of either outcome or establish a stock’s fair value.
Before any trade, record the reason, the amount at risk, and the information that would change your view. Revisit the actual business evidence at the next report. This creates a consistent decision process even when the market’s initial reaction is noisy or different from what you expected.
Frequently asked questions
What was American Express’s adjusted EPS?
The verified Q3 2026 release reports $4.68. Reported diluted EPS was $5.42, and the release explains the adjustment. Keep the two labels attached to the numbers.
Does raised guidance guarantee a higher stock price?
No. Guidance is management’s expectation. Valuation, existing market expectations, risk, and future developments can all affect prices.
Why are no SLB earnings numbers included?
The current full result release was not verified for this briefing. The official call date and times were verified, and links are provided for reading the company’s documents directly.
Can these results tell me how much to spend on my own credit card?
No. Corporate performance does not determine an individual’s affordable balance or spending limit. Use your own budget and repayment obligations.
What should I do with an uncertain figure?
Keep it marked unverified, locate the dated primary document, and read the definition and footnotes before using it in a comparison.
Prepared October 23, 2026. Sources: American Express official Q3 release and event materials; SLB official earnings schedule. General educational information, not individualized investment advice. Representative image is illustrative.
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