S&P 500 (NYSE:SPY) component Entergy Corp (NYSE:ETR) will unveil its latest earnings on Tuesday, January 31, 2012. Entergy is an energy company involved in electric power production and retail electric distribution operations.

Entergy Corp Earnings Preview Cheat Sheet

Wall St. Earnings Expectations: The average estimate of analysts is for net income of 97 cents per share, a decline of 25.4% 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 $1.03. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved down. It has risen from 89 cents during the last month. Analysts are projecting profit to rise by 7% versus last year to $7.60.

Past Earnings Performance: Last quarter, the company beat estimates by 17 cents, coming in at profit of $3.53 a share versus the estimate of net income of $3.36 a share. It marked the fourth straight quarter of beating estimates.

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Wall St. Revenue Expectations: On average, analysts predict $2.56 billion in revenue this quarter, a rise of 1.2% from the year ago quarter. Analysts are forecasting total revenue of $11.27 billion for the year, a decline of 1.9% from last year’s revenue of $11.49 billion.

Analyst Ratings: Analysts seem relatively indifferent about Entergy with 11 of 14 analysts surveyed maintaining a hold rating.

A Look Back: In the third quarter, profit rose 27.1% to $633.1 million ($3.53 a share) from $497.9 million ($2.62 a share) the year earlier, exceeding analyst expectations. Revenue rose 1.9% to $3.4 billion from $3.33 billion.

Key Stats:

The company has seen net income rise in three straight quarters. Net income rose 0.1% in the second quarter and 15.9% in the first quarter.

A year-over-year revenue increase in the third quarter snapped a streak of two consecutive quarters of revenue declines. Revenue fell 2.1% in the second quarter and 7.9% in the first quarter.

Competitors to Watch: Exelon Corporation (NYSE:EXC), The Southern Company (NYSE:SO), El Paso Electric Company (NYSE:EE), NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE), American Electric Power Co., Inc. (NYSE:AEP), Cleco Corporation (NYSE:CNL), PPL Corporation (NYSE:PPL), OGE Energy Corp. (NYSE:OGE), Progress Energy, Inc. (NYSE:PGN), and TECO Energy, Inc. (NYSE:TE).

Stock Price Performance: During November 25, 2011 to January 25, 2012, the stock price had risen $4.35 (6.5%) from $66.54 to $70.89. The stock price saw one of its best stretches over the last year between April 18, 2011 and April 28, 2011 when shares rose for eight-straight days, rising 6.1% (+$3.86) over that span. It saw one of its worst periods between July 25, 2011 and August 4, 2011 when shares fell for nine-straight days, falling 9.1% (-$6.07) over that span.

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

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