Aon and Simon Property Building Investor Interest Before Earnings

Aon Corp (NYSE:AON) will unveil its latest earnings on Friday, February 3, 2012. The average estimate of analysts is for profit of 96 cents per share, a rise of 14.3% 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 $1.01. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved down. It also has dropped from 97 cents during the last month. Analysts are projecting profit to rise by 5.1% versus last year to $3.28.

The company fell short of estimates last quarter after topping forecasts the quarter prior. In the third quarter, it reported net income of 69 cents per share against a mean estimate of 73 cents. Two quarters ago, it beat expectations by one cent with profit of 83 cents. Analysts are projecting a rise of 3.1% in revenue from the year-earlier quarter to $3 billion.

Competitors to Watch: Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG), Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE:BRO), Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC), Willis Group Holdings PLC (NYSE:WSH), CNinsure Inc. (NASDAQ:CISG), Fortegra Financial Corp (NYSE:FRF), InsWeb Corporation (NASDAQ:INSW) and eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ:EHTH).

Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE:SPG) will unveil its latest earnings on Friday, February 3, 2012. The average estimate of analysts is for profit of $1.90 per share, a rise of 5.6% 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 13.9% versus last year to $6.87.

The company has beaten estimates the last four quarters and is coming off a quarter where it topped forecasts by 4 cents, reporting net income of $1.71 per share against a mean estimate of profit of $1.67 per share. Analysts are projecting a rise of 3.6% in revenue from the year-earlier quarter to $1.16 billion.

Competitors to Watch: General Growth Properties, Inc (NYSE:GGP), Developers Diversified Realty Corp. (NYSE:DDR), Pennsylvania R.E.I.T. (NYSE:PEI), Kimco Realty Corporation (NYSE:KIM), Ramco-Gershenson Properties Trust (NYSE:RPT), Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc. (NYSE:SKT), Regency Centers Corp. (NYSE:REG), Glimcher Realty Trust (NYSE:GRT), American Assets Trust, Inc (NYSE:AAT), and Kite Realty Group Trust (NYSE:KRG).

To contact the reporter on this story: Derek Hoffman at staff.writers@wallstcheatsheet.com

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Damien Hoffman at editors@wallstcheatsheet.com