QuantumScape Company QS is slated to release second-quarter 2026 results on July 22, after the closing bell. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the to-be-reported quarter’s loss per share is pegged at 18 cents.
For the second quarter, the consensus estimate for QuantumScape’s loss has widened by a penny over the past 90 days. Its bottom-line estimates imply a growth of 10% from the year-ago reported numbers.
The company's earnings beat estimates in one of the trailing four quarters, matched twice and missed once, delivering an average surprise of 1.22%. This is depicted in the graph below:
QuantumScape Corporation Price and EPS Surprise
QuantumScape Corporation price-eps-surprise | QuantumScape Corporation Quote
Q1 Highlights
In the first quarter of 2026, QuantumScape reported a loss of 16 cents per share, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 18 cents. It delivered an earnings surprise of 11.1%. The quarter also showed improving year-over-year performance, with loss per share narrowing from 21 cents in the year-ago period.
Things to Note
QuantumScape remains pre-revenue and does not provide GAAP revenue guidance, so near-term monetization can be volatile. The company’s customer billings metric is non-GAAP and can swing with activity. PowerCo’s project contributions are tied to technical milestones, and the company reported no such payments in the first quarter. This structure could lead to periods of limited recognized revenue despite ongoing activity, reducing financial clarity and increasing short-term earnings unpredictability.
The company reiterated full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA loss guidance of $250-$275 million, indicating that meaningful profitability remains distant. In the first quarter of 2026, GAAP net loss was $100.8 million, reflecting continued spending to ramp the pilot line and advance product development. Even with customer billings, the accounting treatment and timing of partner payments may not align with the expense run-rate. Until higher-volume shipments and licensing economics begin to scale, losses are likely to persist.
Limited revenue visibility and expected EBITDA losses are likely to weigh on the company’s second-quarter results.
Earnings Whispers
Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for QuantumScape for the quarter to be reported, as it does not have the right combination of the two key ingredients. A positive Earnings ESP, combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold), increases the odds of an earnings beat. This is not the case here.
Earnings ESP: QS has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. This is because the Most Accurate Estimate is pegged in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: It currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
Stocks With the Favorable Combination
Here are a few players from the auto space that, per our model, have the correct ingredients to post an earnings beat this time.
Gentex Corporation GNTX is slated to release second-quarter 2026 results on July 24. The company has an Earnings ESP of +0.67% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GNTX’s to-be-reported quarter’s earnings and revenues is pegged at 50 cents per share and $669 million.
Cummins Inc. CMI is slated to release second-quarter 2026 results on August 4. The company has an Earnings ESP of +0.43% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CMI’s to-be-reported quarter’s earnings and revenues is pegged at $7.34 per share and $9.33 billion.
BorgWarner Inc. BWA is slated to release second-quarter 2026 results on August 5. The company has an Earnings ESP of +0.62% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BWA’s to-be-reported quarter’s earnings and revenues is pegged at $1.26 per share and $3.58 billion.
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QuantumScape Corporation (QS): Free Stock Analysis Report
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).