Earnings season is in full swing, and many of the market’s most-watched companies are delivering their latest reports and 2026 outlooks. Many advisors and investors are keeping a close look on how these companies are performing.
JPMorgan Posts Strong Results Amid Apple Card Buy
For instance, on Tuesday, January 13, JPMorgan Chase released its fourth quarter 2025 earnings. Given how the bank performed throughout 2025, many were keen to see how JPMorgan closed out the year.
To start, the bank had positive news to report. Fourth-quarter profits had risen about 9% on an adjusted basis, due in part to JPMorgan’s impressive trading operations.
However, JPMorgan did note a one-time hit of 60 cents per share, due to previously reported news that the bank would buy the Apple Card credit card portfolio from Goldman Sachs. Notably, JPMorgan added $2.2 billion in loan-loss reserves to accommodate for the risk of the Apple Card buy.
Beyond the Apple Card buy, the bank still showed strong strong results. JPMorgan reported revenue of $45.8 billion, a 7% gain from last year’s numbers.
“These results were the product of strong execution, years of investment, a favorable market backdrop and selective deployment of excess capital,” noted Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase Chairman and CEO. “Looking ahead, we remain committed to investing our capital to drive future growth, and the Apple Card is one example of patient and thoughtful deployment of our excess capital into attractive opportunities.”
Delta Aims to Soar With 2026 Outlook
JPMorgan wasn’t the only company to report earnings today. Delta Air Lines also reported fourth quarter earnings today, posting mostly positive results.
For the fourth quarter, the airline reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.55, with revenue of $14.6 billion. Meanwhile, analysts were anticipating earnings per share of $1.53 on revenues of $14.7 billion.
Overall, these quarterly results came in about 1.2% higher compared to last year’s numbers. This actually is lower than the 2% gain the airline projected in its initial guidance. However, this discrepancy can be partially attributed to effects of the government shutdown.
“The Delta team delivered a strong close to our Centennial year, demonstrating the differentiation and durability we’ve built," said Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta. "Our industry-leading performance delivered for our customers and our employees, while creating value for our owners, consistent with our long-term financial framework.”
Delta didn’t just showcase how the airline performed in 2025, either. The company offered its guidance on how it expects to perform in the new year, as well. For the first quarter, Delta expects revenue to grow somewhere between 5% and 7%.
Across the year, the airline is projecting adjusted EPS of $6.50 to $7.50. However, it’s important to note that this EPS project came in below analyst expectations of $7.28.
Delta could be poised for a far more favorable year than it saw in 2025. Last year, the airline saw a significant impact from both tariffs and the government shutdown. However, 2026 is a new year, and investors may want to amplify their Delta exposure before the stock soars.
One of the more cost-advantageous ways of gaining exposure to these sorts of companies is through the ETF wrapper. For instance, a well-diversified large-cap ETF can let one amplify exposure to both Delta Air Lines and JPMorgan Chase, while remaining invested in other companies as well. This can help advisors and investors alike participate in any rallies that Delta or JP Morgan may see, while remaining unbeholden to these two companies in order to see positive performance.
Originally published by Advisor Perspectives
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