Fourth quarter earnings season is here and, as usual, it is being kicked off by the big banks and a handful of other bellwether companies, including transports and healthcare.

It’s not easy to be first during earnings season.

These companies will not only be providing fourth quarter results but they will likely also share guidance and insight into what the first quarter and 2020 will look like.

With the bulls still galloping, these reports are likely to set the tone for the rest of earnings season.

5 Bellwether Earnings Charts to Watch This Week

1.    UnitedHealth Group (UNH Quick QuoteUNH - Free Report) has a fantastic earnings record. It hasn’t missed in 5 years. Shares rallied at the end of 2019 despite Medicare-for-All fears and the upcoming election. Usually health insurer stocks tread water heading into a national election. Will UNH buck the trend in 2020?

2.    PPG Industries (PPG Quick QuotePPG - Free Report) has only missed once in 5 years. That’s an impressive record. Shares finally busted out to new 5-year highs in 2019 but they’re now trading at 19x. Can this rally continue?

3.    Bank OZK (OZK Quick QuoteOZK - Free Report) is a regional Arkansas bank that has been lending to apartment developers in big cities across America. Is it paying off? It has missed twice in a row and shares are still near 5-year lows. Are the jitters overdone?

4.    Kansas City Southern has beat 4 quarters in a row. Shares of this North American railroad are up 54% in the last year, easily beating the S&P 500 during that time. Now trading at 20x, are they too hot to handle?

5.    Fastenal (FAST Quick QuoteFAST - Free Report) doesn’t get much publicity, but it was one of the top 20 stocks in the S&P 500 over the last 30 years. Shares recently hit new all-time highs but they’re not cheap, at 25x. It has only missed one time in the last 3 years. What will the company tell us about manufacturing?

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