Next week on the stock market

Following an upgrade after its third-quarter numbers, AstraZeneca expects to deliver high-teens growth for both revenue and underlying earnings per share in next week’s full-year results. Attention will now turn towards the outlook for the current year both in terms of sales and profits, but also the key clinical programmes from Astra’s deep research pipeline.

Investors are also likely to be sensitive to any word on fraud investigations by the Chinese Authorities into certain senior staff members. The company will be hoping that reported moves to overhaul its management in the region will give some grounds for optimism that the fallout can be limited.

Disney’s performance in recent years has been a far cry from the fairytale management and investors were hoping for. But after years of hard work and investment, things may just be about to turn. Growth in streaming profits at the likes of Disney+ are finally at a point where they can more than offset declines in linear TV. Alongside a much-improved content slate and reduction in customers switching to peers, its competitive position is looking much stronger.

There’s also the parks, which have received a step-up in investment in recent years, driving hopes of strong profit growth for the foreseeable future. But with the opening of Comcast’s new Epic Universe theme park later this year, we wonder if Disney may turn slightly more cautious on its parks outlook in the near term.

Investor confidence was buoyed by the group issuing three-year guidance last quarter. With high single-digit earnings per share (EPS) growth expected this year, we’ll be keen to see how much early progress the group has made when it announces first-quarter results next week.

Palantir has become a standout in the AI revolution, capturing attention with its innovative data-driven products and a CEO who knows how to tell a compelling story. While its growth potential is exciting, the key question is whether it can deliver earnings fast enough to justify its steep valuation - around 150 times next year’s expected earnings. This sets high stakes for next week’s fourth quarter results, where nothing shy of perfect execution will be tolerated.

Markets expect a 28% rise in revenue and a 45% jump in underlying operating income, driven by growth in government and commercial contracts. A spotlight will be on Palantir's AI platform, with investors eager to see how it’s driving enterprise adoption and converting pilot programs into full-scale deals.