Woodward Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD) will unveil its latest earnings on Monday, January 23, 2012. Woodward designs, manufactures, and services energy control systems and components for aircraft and industrial engines and turbines.

Woodward Inc. Earnings Preview Cheat Sheet.

Wall St. Earnings Expectations: The average estimate of analysts is for profit of 45 cents per share, a rise of 40.6% 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 47 cents. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved down. It has been unchanged at 45 cents during the last month. For the year, analysts are projecting net income of $2.29 per share, a rise of 21.2% from last year.

Past Earnings Performance: The company’s quarterly results have come in above estimates for the last three quarters. Last quarter, the company booked profit of 60 cents per share versus a mean estimate of net income of 54 cents per share.

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Wall St. Revenue Expectations: On average, analysts predict $424.9 million in revenue this quarter, a rise of 16.4% from the year ago quarter. Analysts are forecasting total revenue of $1.92 billion for the year, a rise of 12.3% from last year’s revenue of $1.71 billion.

Analyst Ratings: Analysts are bullish on this stock with eight analysts rating it as a buy, none rating it as a sell and none rating it as a hold.

A Look Back: In the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year, profit rose 27.6% to $41.7 million (60 cents a share) from $32.7 million (47 cents a share) the year earlier, exceeding analyst expectations. Revenue rose 18.8% to $489.3 million from $412 million.

Key Stats:

The company has seen net income rise in three straight quarters. Net income rose 13.6% in the third quarter of the last fiscal year and 33.3% in the second quarter of the last fiscal year.

Revenue has risen the past four quarters. Revenue rose 23% in the third quarter of the last fiscal year from the year earlier, climbed 19.9% in the second quarter of the last fiscal year from the year-ago quarter and 7.6% in the first quarter of the last fiscal year.

Competitors to Watch: Parker-Hannifin Corp. (NYSE:PH), General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX), Honeywell Intl. Inc. (NYSE:HON), Broadwind Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:BWEN), Ocean Power Tech., Inc. (NASDAQ:OPTT), Capstone Turbine Corp. (NASDAQ:CPST), Goodrich Corporation (NYSE:GR), Generac Holdings Inc. (NYSE:GNRC).

Stock Price Performance: During October 19, 2011 to January 17, 2012, the stock price had risen $12.68 (40.9%) from $31.02 to $43.70. The stock price saw one of its best stretches over the last year between October 7, 2011 and October 14, 2011 when shares rose for six-straight days, rising 8.6% (+$2.53) over that span. It saw one of its worst periods between July 22, 2011 and August 8, 2011 when shares fell for 12-straight days, falling 30.2% (-$11.07) over that span.

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

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