Markets & Finance

Microsoft's fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 earnings release is scheduled for after market close on July 29, with analyst consensus revenue estimates clustered around $87.6 billion to $87.7 billion and EPS near $4.23 to $4.25. Azure cloud growth, guided by management to 39–40% in constant currency, will serve as the primary operating signal, while capital expenditures exceeding $40 billion for the quarter raise questions about margin compression. Operating margin is expected to fall to roughly 44% from 46.3% in Q3 as datacenter and AI infrastructure costs continue to outpace efficiency gains.

Seven & i Holdings has terminated negotiations to acquire a minority stake of several tens of percent in Polish convenience-store operator Żabka Group, with the parties unable to reach terms satisfactory to shareholders. The proposed deal, estimated at several hundred billion yen, would have given the Japanese retailer its first foothold in Eastern Europe. No financial penalties were disclosed, and no verified statement from Seven & i indicates plans to pursue alternative European acquisitions.

Qualcomm's fiscal third-quarter 2026 earnings release arrives after market close on July 29, with guidance set at $9.2 billion to $10.0 billion in revenue and non-GAAP EPS of $2.10 to $2.30. The most closely watched disclosures will be whether Chinese handset revenue has bottomed as management projected and whether automotive revenue, which hit a quarterly record of $1.326 billion in Q2, continues its 38% year-over-year growth trajectory. Qualcomm has set a $65 billion automotive design-win pipeline and a $10 billion automotive revenue target for fiscal 2029, making segment execution data more informative than the consolidated headline figure alone.