AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) will unveil its latest earnings on Thursday, January 26, 2012. The average estimate of analysts is for net income of 48 cents per share, a rise of 6.7% from the company’s actual earnings for the same quarter a year ago. The average estimate is the same as three months ago. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate was unchanged. It also has not changed during the last month. Analysts are projecting profit to rise by 22.4% versus last year to $1.91.

Last quarter, the company saw profit of 48 cents per share versus a mean estimate of net income of 48 cents per share. This comes after two consecutive quarters of exceeding expectations. On average, analysts predict $3.5 billion in revenue this quarter, a rise of 7.7% from the year ago quarter. Analysts are forecasting total revenue of $13.64 billion for the year, a rise of 9.5% from last year’s revenue of $12.46 billion.

Competitors to Watch: Group one Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI), Penske Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE:PAG), Sonic Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:SAH), Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE:ABG), Copart, Inc. (NASDAQ:CPRT), CarMax, Inc (NYSE:KMX), Lentuo Intl. Inc (ADR) (NYSE:LAS), Lithia Motors, Inc. (NYSE:LAD), AutoChina Intl. Ltd. (NASDAQ:AUTC), General Motors (NYSE:GM), Toyota (NYSE:T), Ford (NYSE:F), CarMax (NYSE:KMX), AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) and America’s Car-Mart, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRMT).

United Continental Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:UAL) will unveil its latest earnings on Thursday, January 26, 2012. The average estimate of analysts is for profit of 18 cents per share, a decline of 59.1% 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 45 cents. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate was unchanged. It has since dropped over the last month. For the year, analysts are projecting net income of $3.38 per share, a decline of 21.4% from last year.

The company missed estimates last quarter after beating forecasts in the prior two. In the third quarter, the company reported profit of $1.97 per share versus a mean estimate of net income of $2.06 per share. In the second quarter, the company beat estimates by 7 cents. On average, analysts predict $8.94 billion in revenue this quarter, a rise of 6% from the year ago quarter. Analysts are forecasting total revenue of $37.08 billion for the year, a rise of 9% from last year’s revenue of $34.01 billion.

Competitors to Watch: Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL), US Airways Group, Inc. (NYSE:LCC), AMR Corporation (NYSE:AMR), Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK), JetBlue Airways Corp. (NASDAQ:JBLU), Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV), SkyWest, Inc. (NASDAQ:SKYW), Republic Airways Hldgs. Inc. (NASDAQ:RJET) and Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (NASDAQ:PNCL).

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