Gartner Inc. (IT) surged 21.12% after delivering second-quarter results that topped forecasts, with robust earnings and a sizable acceleration in share buybacks driving strong investor interest. The move is further supported by the stock's position above its 20-day and 50-day moving averages, showing sustained bullish momentum despite lingering long-term resistance right at current levels.
Highlights
- Gartner exceeded consensus with adjusted EPS of $4.37 and raised its 2026 full-year adjusted EBITDA, EPS, and free cash flow guidance.
- Quarterly revenue was $1.68 billion, flat year-on-year but ahead of analyst forecasts, with $547 million spent on share buybacks.
- Gartner stock surged 21.12%, approaching critical resistance at $183.61, with technicals signaling strong bullish momentum but clear overbought conditions and rising volatility.
Upgraded guidance follows earnings surprise and increased buyback activity
Gartner reported adjusted earnings per share of $4.37 for the second quarter of 2026, exceeding consensus estimates. Quarterly revenue totaled approximately $1.68 billion, remaining flat year-on-year but coming in above analyst forecasts. The company recorded net income of $275.5 million, maintained a net margin of 11.44%, and increased its share buyback activity with 3.6 million shares repurchased for $547 million. Guidance for full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EPS, and free cash flow was raised following these results.
Sustained bullish momentum meets overbought alerts at resistance
Gartner is trading above its 20-day and 50-day moving averages ($141.95 and $145.43), but just below the 200-day moving average ($183.61), signaling strong short- to medium-term momentum with notable long-term resistance overhead. For the current session, the key technical floor is $182.98 and resistance sits at $183.61, both nearly matching the current price. The bullish bias is confirmed by a positive MACD, while the ADX remains neutral, and both RSI and CCI flag overbought conditions. Buyers dominate the intraday action as indicated by the Bull/Bear Power metric, and the positive AO supports the prevailing trend. The stock opened with a 3.81% upside gap and trades near session highs, posting significant intraday volatility of 17.08%. Price action reflects powerful upward momentum into the upper end of the recent range, but caution is warranted due to pronounced overbought signals.
In a recent review, analysts highlighted that Gartner’s upgraded global IT spending outlook and accelerating AI investment were supporting a cautious, buyer-driven setup, tempered by lingering long-term resistance and overbought signals. The latest earnings beat and aggressive buybacks strengthen the bullish case, but with volatility at elevated levels, a sustained break above $183.61 remains the key trigger for the next directional move.