S&P 500 (NYSE:SPY) component Comerica, Inc. (NYSE:CMA) will unveil its latest earnings on Friday, January 20, 2012. Comerica is a financial holding company that operates in business, retail, and wealth management.

Comerica, Inc. Earnings Preview Cheat Sheet.

Wall St. Earnings Expectations: The average estimate of analysts is for net income of 46 cents per share, a decline of 13.2% from the company’s actual earnings for the same quarter a year ago. During the past three months, the average estimate has moved down from 53 cents. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved down. It also has dropped from 48 cents during the last month. Analysts are projecting profit to rise by 164.6% versus last year to $2.09.

Past Earnings Performance: Last quarter, the company beat estimates by 10 cents, coming in at profit of 62 cents a share versus the estimate of net income of 52 cents a share. It marked the fourth straight quarter of beating estimates.

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Wall St. Revenue Expectations: Analysts are projecting a rise of 0.2% in revenue from the year-earlier quarter to $621.1 million.

Analyst Ratings: Analysts seem relatively indifferent about Comerica with 14 of 27 analysts surveyed maintaining a hold rating.

A Look Back: In the third quarter, profit rose 66.1% to $98 million (51 cents a share) from $59 million (33 cents a share) the year earlier, exceeding analyst expectations. Revenue rose 3.4% to $664 million from $642 million.

Key Stats:

A year-over-year revenue increase in the third quarter snapped a streak of three consecutive quarters of revenue declines. Revenue fell 5.5% in the second quarter, 4.3% in the first quarter and 4.8% in the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year.

Competitors to Watch: U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB), University Bancorp, Inc. (UNIB), Dearborn Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:DEAR), Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC), Bank of America Corp. (NYSE:BAC), Regions Financial Corp. (NYSE:RF), JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM), Citizens Republic Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRBC), and Old National Bancorp (NYSE:ONB).

Stock Price Performance: During December 14, 2011 to January 13, 2012, the stock price had risen $4.42 (17.7%) from $25.02 to $29.44. The stock price saw one of its best stretches over the last year between December 30, 2011 and January 13, 2012 when shares rose for 10-straight days, rising 14.1% (+$3.64) over that span. It saw one of its worst periods between July 21, 2011 and August 2, 2011 when shares fell for nine-straight days, falling 9.4% (-$3.16) over that span.

(Company fundamentals by Xignite Financials. Earnings estimates provided by Zacks)

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