The Mosaic Company (NYSE:MOS) will unveil its latest earnings on Wednesday, January 4, 2012. The Mosaic Company is a producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients for the global agriculture industry.

The Mosaic Company Earnings Preview Cheat Sheet

Wall St. Earnings Expectations: The average estimate of analysts is for net income of $1.30 per share, a rise of 27.5% 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 $1.63. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved down. It also has dropped from $1.35 during the last month. Analysts are projecting profit to rise by 22.6% versus last year to $5.32.

Past Earnings Performance: The company missed estimates last quarter after beating forecasts in the prior two. In the first quarter, the company reported profit of $1.17 per share versus a mean estimate of net income of $1.27 per share. In the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year, the company beat estimates by 7 cents.

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Analyst Ratings: Analysts are bullish on Mosaic Company as eight analysts rate it as a buy, none rate it as a sell and eight rate it as a hold. Over the past 90 days, the average rating for the stock has moved up from hold to moderate buy.

A Look Back: In the first quarter, profit rose 76.7% to $526 million ($1.17 a share) from $297.7 million (67 cents a share) the year earlier, but fell short analyst expectations. Revenue rose 40.9% to $3.08 billion from $2.19 billion.

Key Stats:

The company has enjoyed double-digit year-over-year percentage revenue growth for the past four quarters. Over that span, the company has averaged growth of 44.7%, with the biggest boost coming in the second quarter of the last fiscal year when revenue rose 56.4% from the year earlier quarter.

The company has seen net income rise in three straight quarters. Net income rose 63.9% in the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year and more than twofold in the third quarter of the last fiscal year.

Competitors to Watch: Potash Corp./Saskatchewan (NYSE:POT), Agrium Inc. (NYSE:AGU), CF Industries Hldgs., Inc. (NYSE:CF), Intrepid Potash, Inc. (NYSE:IPI), AgFeed Industries (NASDAQ:FEED), Converted Organics Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) and Monsanto Company (NYSE:MON)

Stock Price Performance: During November 1, 2011 to December 29, 2011, the stock price had fallen $5.59 (-10%) from $55.87 to $50.28. The stock price saw one of its best stretches over the last year between May 20, 2011 and May 31, 2011 when shares rose for seven-straight days, rising 8.3% (+$5.42) over that span. It saw one of its worst periods between December 7, 2011 and December 15, 2011 when shares fell for seven-straight days, falling 11.1% (-$5.91) over that span. Shares are down $25.86 (-34%) year to date.

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

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