Earnings Preview: Traders Analyze 3 Stocks Before Releases

Avon Products, Inc. (NYSE:AVP) will unveil its latest earnings on Tuesday, February 14, 2012. The average estimate of analysts is for profit of 51 cents per share, a decline of 13.6% 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 55 cents. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved down. It also has dropped from 53 cents during the last month. For the year, analysts are projecting net income of $1.76 per share, a decline of 2.2% from last year.

The company has missed estimates in the last two quarters. In the third quarter, it missed the mark by 8 cents as a result of reporting profit of 38 cents against an estimate of net income of 46 cents per share. In the second quarter, the company fell short of forecasts by one cent. On average, analysts predict $3.11 billion in revenue this quarter, a decline of 2.2% from the year ago quarter. Analysts are forecasting total revenue of $11.35 billion for the year, a rise of 4.5% from last year’s revenue of $10.86 billion.

Competitors to Watch: The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL), Revlon, Inc. (NYSE:REV), Alberto-Culver Company (NYSE:ACV), Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:NUS), Inter Parfums, Inc. (NASDAQ:IPAR), Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL), USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:USNA), Elizabeth Arden, Inc. (NASDAQ:RDEN), Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF), and Parlux Fragrances, Inc. (NASDAQ:PARL).

FMC Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:FTI) will unveil its latest earnings on Tuesday, February 14, 2012. The average estimate of analysts is for profit of 50 cents per share, a rise of 47.1% 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 12.4% versus last year to $1.72.

Last quarter, the company topped estimates by 0 cents, coming in at net income of 50 cents per share against a mean estimate of profit of 47 cents. The company fell in line with estimates in the second quarter. Analysts are projecting a rise of 30.9% in revenue from the year-earlier quarter to $1.44 billion.

Competitors to Watch: Cameron Intl. Corp. (NYSE:CAM), T-3 Energy Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTES), Baker Hughes Incorporated (NYSE:BHI), Dril-Quip, Inc. (NYSE:DRQ), National-Oilwell Varco, Inc. (NYSE:NOV), Lufkin Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:LUFK), Flotek Industries, Inc. (NYSE:FTK), Oil States Intl., Inc. (NYSE:OIS), Bolt Technology Corp. (NASDAQ:BOLT), and Tesco Corporation (NASDAQ:TESO).

Zipcar Inc (NASDAQ:ZIP) will unveil its latest earnings on Tuesday, February 14, 2012. The company is looking to beat analyst estimates for the third quarter in a row. Last quarter, it beat estimates with profit of 2 cents per share against the mean estimate of one cent. In the prior quarter, the company reported net loss of 17 cents.

Competitors to Watch: Hertz Global Hldgs., Inc. (NYSE:HTZ), Avis Budget Group Inc. (NYSE:CAR).

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