S&P 500 (NYSE:SPY) component PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG) will unveil its latest earnings on Thursday, January 19, 2012. PPG Industries makes coatings, glass, and chemical products.

PPG Industries, Inc. Earnings Preview Cheat Sheet.

Wall St. Earnings Expectations: The average estimate of analysts is for net income of $1.28 per share, a rise of 2.4% 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 $1.49. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved down. It also has dropped from $1.32 during the last month. For the year, analysts are projecting profit of $6.78 per share, a rise of 30.4% from last year.

Past Earnings Performance: Last quarter, the company beat estimates by 3 cents, coming in at net income of $1.96 a share versus the estimate of profit of $1.93 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 3.6% in revenue from the year-earlier quarter to $3.5 billion.

Analyst Ratings: Analysts seem relatively indifferent about PPG Industries with seven of 13 analysts surveyed maintaining a hold rating.

A Look Back: In the third quarter, profit rose 18.7% to $311 million ($1.96 a share) from $262 million ($1.58 a share) the year earlier, exceeding analyst expectations. Revenue rose 11.2% to $3.85 billion from $3.46 billion.

Key Stats:

The company has seen net income rise in three straight quarters. Net income rose 25% in the second quarter and more than sevenfold in the first quarter.

Revenue has risen the past four quarters. Revenue rose 15.3% in the second quarter from the year earlier, climbed 13% in the first quarter from the year-ago quarter and 8.4% in the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year.

Competitors to Watch: The Valspar Corporation (NYSE:VAL), RPM International Inc. (NYSE:RPM), Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE:SHW), E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. (NYSE:DD), Akzo Nobel N.V. (AKZOY), Southwall Technologies (SWTXD), Olin Corporation (NYSE:OLN), Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW), and FMC Corporation (NYSE:FMC).

Stock Price Performance: During December 14, 2011 to January 13, 2012, the stock price had risen $7.32 (9.1%) from $80.20 to $87.52. The stock price saw one of its best stretches over the last year between December 19, 2011 and December 27, 2011 when shares rose for six-straight days, rising 6.1% (+$4.83) 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 9.2% (-$8.15) over that span.

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

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