Early February saw corporate earnings results and outlooks from a diverse roster of big companies in entertainment, tech, and other sectors as tariff talk dominated the headlines.

While there’s no downplaying the potential impacts that U.S. tariffs can have on corporate earnings, some companies aren’t anticipating major ill-effects, while others touted their resiliency.¹

That was the message that toymaker Mattel delivered after posting strong fourth-quarter profits and a better-than-expected earnings forecast. The company said it has spent years building up and diversifying its supply chain to avoid being overly reliant on China or any single country.²

Mattel produces less than 40% of its toys in China, below the industry average of around 80%. Still, the maker of Hot Wheels and Barbies isn’t ruling out price increases as the tariff situation unfolds.³ 

Grown-ups might be happy to know that Ferrari doesn’t seem to have tariff angst. The Italian sports-car maker is forecasting robust revenue and earnings gains for 2025 thanks to continued high demand for its models and customized vehicles in the U.S. and elsewhere.⁴  

The luxury brand’s high margins and strong pricing power are seen as buffers to any U.S. tariffs on European imports. Ferrari also has a big surprise in the works for 2025: an all-electric model that the company says will be “unique” in style and performance.⁵

Read more: The 6 items you may want to buy before tariffs return

Diesels and data 

Americans aren’t likely to associate diesel truck maker Cummins with cloud computing and artificial intelligence data, but more should.⁶ The company’s power generation units have been in high demand from energy-intensive data centers, helping offset declining truck sales. Investors cheered the company’s 2025 outlook.⁷

Palantir Technologies, a software company that creates AI-based platforms for analyzing big data, was a big winner while results were mixed elsewhere among technology companies.⁸ Best known for its national security work, Palantir has also been adding commercial customers and sees “untamed organic growth” on the road ahead.⁹ 

The growing adoption of AI was one of the major themes in Yum Brands’ successful quarter and outlook. The parent company of KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut unveiled Byte by Yum!, an AI-driven software collection that will manage digital sales, inventory and menus, labor, and other operations at many of its roughly 25,000 locations.¹⁰

Yum Brands said that more than half of its sales are digital, which includes online and mobile orders, delivery orders, and in-store kiosks.¹¹

Stream on 

Empower research shows that more than half of Americans define financial peace of mind as being able to afford everyday luxuries like dining out and streaming service subscriptions.

Music streamer Spotify Technology reported its first full year of profitability, thanks in part to pricing power. After spending over $1 billion on podcasting during its growth phase, the company shifted to cost controls and raised subscription rates, which start at $11.99 for individual plans.¹²

Music and podcast lovers seem to be ok with it — monthly active users climbed 12% to a record 675 million in the fourth quarter.¹³

It was a similar story for entertainment and theme-park giant Disney, where streaming services Disney + and Hulu helped generate better-than-expected revenue for the company. Streaming was unprofitable a year ago, but generated $293 million in profit for the latest quarter, as customers accepted higher subscription prices.¹⁴

Movie and television lovers seemed willing to spend on Netflix, which added 19 million new subscribers in its latest quarter and saw revenue jump 16%. The streaming service also announced price hikes last month.¹⁵

Most streaming services have raised their prices, but it’s a tricky game. Americans are increasingly willing to cancel, rotate, and resubscribe to streaming services based on the best deals and the timing of their favorite shows.¹⁶

Read more: One thing: The subscription economy

Fewer tariff worries 

Streaming companies aren’t the only companies seen as having strong immunity to tariffs. Image-sharing platform Pinterest had its first ever billion-dollar revenue quarter and a very strong 2025 outlook that investors cheered.¹⁷

It isn’t just tech-focused companies. Some consumer staples might not source much of their materials from U.S. trading partners, while others might fulfill household or health needs.¹⁸ 

Cleaning products maker Clorox raised sales and earnings guidance for 2025 after reporting a strong fourth quarter. The bleach maker is spending more on marketing and has introduced new items like Burt’s Bees lip balms with vitamins and a heavy-duty, 30-day kitty litter.¹⁹

Many food and beverage chains have been in turnaround mode since the pandemic by revamping menus and marketing plans to attract customers.²⁰ One clear winner has been Chili’s parent company Brinker International, which had better-than-expected quarterly earnings and a strong 2025 outlook.²¹

Empower Personal Dashboard^TM shows Americans are spending nearly $40 a month on fast-casual food and visiting their favorite locations once or twice a month.

*Source: Empower Personal DashboardTM data, January 2024 – December 2024.

The must haves at Chili’s include the $11.99 “Big Smasher” burger, which competes with fast-food offerings thanks to endless fries and soft-drink refills. The chain’s biggest hit is the “Triple Dipper,” a mix-and-match tray of various appetizers and dipping sauces that’s immensely popular among social media fans eager to showcase their pairing skills.²²