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Business & Finance · October 20, 2026

General Motors is set to report earnings before the bell. Here's what Wall Street expects

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General Motors reported third-quarter 2026 results that exceeded Wall Street's expectations for revenue and adjusted earnings per share. Despite the top- and bottom-line beat, GM's stock price initially fell by approximately 6% due to 2026 full-year guidance that sat slightly below analyst midpoints. The automaker announced a new $20 billion multiyear stock buyback and updated its annual free cash flow expectations upward. Meanwhile, the company is undergoing a cultural and technological shift, focusing on developing lithium manganese-rich (LMR) battery chemistry to reduce costs and dependency on Chinese lithium iron phosphate (LFP) technology.

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Reported by multiple outlets

  • GM's Q3 2026 revenue was approximately $50 billion, beating analyst estimates.
  • Adjusted earnings per share for the third quarter were $3.70, exceeding the $3.63 expectation.
  • The company announced a new $20 billion multiyear stock buyback program.
  • GM raised its 2026 full-year free cash flow guidance to between $11.5 billion and $12.5 billion.
  • Inflationary commodity costs are expected to reach roughly $2 billion for the year.
  • North American operations remained the primary profit driver, accounting for $3.6 billion of the $4.1 billion adjusted EBIT.

Reported by only some outlets

  • GM is betting on lithium manganese-rich (LMR) battery cells for its next generation of electric trucks to reduce nickel and cobalt usage.
  • The company has recorded $11.2 billion in charges related to its electric vehicle pullback since last year.
  • GM is aiming for a two-year vehicle development cycle using AI and simulation.
  • Former Tesla executives Kurt Kelty and Sterling Anderson now hold leadership roles at GM.
  • GM stock was down about 6% in early trading following the report.

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