Maidenform Brands Inc. (NYSE:MFB) reported its results for the third quarter. Maidenform Brands is a global intimate apparel company.

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Maidenform Brands Earnings Cheat Sheet for the Third Quarter

Results: Net income for Maidenform Brands Inc. rose to $10.2 million (44 cents per share) vs. $12.8 million (55 cents per share) in the same quarter a year earlier. This marks a 20% decrease from the year earlier quarter.

Revenue: Rose 1.6% to $148.2 million from the year earlier quarter.

Actual vs. Wall St. Expectations: MFB fell short of the mean analyst estimate of 57 cents per share. It fell short of the average revenue estimate of $161.9 million.

Quoting Management: “While we increased sales and market share in the third quarter, we are disappointed with our earnings performance, which was below our expectations. The quarter was impacted by several factors, including a decline in consumer traffic in our category, that suppressed sales and drove higher costs to promote and liquidate overstocks. We expect these conditions to persist in the fourth quarter andwe are taking action to mitigate them. To this end, we have instituted several new initiatives to increase sales, expand our gross margins and control our spending,andwe look forward to growing Maidenform’s profits in 2012 and beyond” stated Maurice S. Reznik, Chief Executive Officer.

Key Stats:

Gross margin shrank 4.2 percentage points to 32%. The contraction appeared to be driven by increased costs, which rose 8.4% from the year earlier quarter while revenue rose 1.7%.

Revenue has risen the past four quarters. Revenue increased 13.8% to $170 million in the second quarter. The figure rose 14.4% in the first quarter from the year earlier and climbed 8.7% in the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year from the year-ago quarter.

The company fell short of forecasts after beating estimates in the previous two quarters. In the second quarter, it topped the mark by 4 cents, and in the first quarter, it was ahead by 6 cents.

Looking Forward: For next quarter, analysts have a more positive outlook about the company’s expected results. The average estimate for the fourth quarter is 34 cents per share, up from 32 cents ninety days ago. Over the past three months, the average estimate for the fiscal year has climbed from $2.15 per to share to $2.24.

Competitors to Watch: Hanesbrands Inc. (NYSE:HBI), Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. (NYSE:RL), Liz Claiborne (NYSE:LIZ), Jones Apparel Group (NYSE:JNY), Guess? (NYSE:GES), Coach (NYSE:COH), V.F. Corporation (NYSE:VFC), J. Crew Group (NYSE:JCG), Wet Seal (NASDAQ:WTSLA), Express (NYSE:EXPR), Limited Brands (NYSE:LTD), bebe stores inc (NASDAQ:BEBE), Gap (NYSE:GPS), Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ:URBN), Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF), The Buckle (NYSE:BKE), American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE:AEO), Aeropostale (NYSE:ARO), Wacoal Hldgs. Corp. (NASDAQ:WACLY), The Warnaco Group, Inc. (NYSE:WRC), and Phillips-Van Heusen Corp. (NYSE:PVH).

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

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