Energy Stocks Preparing to Share Earnings With Investors

NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG) will unveil its latest earnings on Tuesday, February 28, 2012. The average estimate of analysts is for a loss of 70 cents per share, a wider loss from the year-earlier quarter net loss of 7 cents. During the past three months, the average estimate has moved up from a loss of $1.40. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved up. It has risen from a loss of 82 cents during the last month. Analysts are projecting profit to rise by 19.6% compared to last year’s $1.48.

The company’s quarterly results have come in above estimates for the last three quarters. Last quarter, the company booked net income of 43 cents per share versus a mean estimate of profit of 35 cents per share. On average, analysts predict $3.28 billion in revenue this quarter, a rise of 80.2% from the year-ago quarter. Analysts are forecasting total revenue of $9.75 billion for the year, a rise of 10.2% from last year’s revenue of $8.85 billion.

Competitors to Watch: Dynegy Inc. (NYSE:DYN), Constellation Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE:CEG), The AES Corporation (NYSE:AES), Genon Energy Inc (NYSE:GEN), Calpine Corporation (NYSE:CPN), Edison International (NYSE:EIX), NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE), Xcel Energy Inc. (NYSE:XEL), The Southern Company (NYSE:SO), and Exelon Corporation (NYSE:EXC).

FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE:FE) will unveil its latest earnings on Tuesday, February 28, 2012. The average analyst estimate is for net income of 76 cents per share, a rise of 7% from the company’s actual earnings for the year-ago quarter. During the past three months, the average estimate has moved up from 75 cents. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved down. It has risen from 72 cents during the last month. Analysts are projecting profit to rise by 1.4% compared to last year’s $3.67.

The company beat estimates last quarter after falling short in the prior two. In the third quarter, the company reported profit of $1.34 per share versus a mean estimate of net income of $1.23 per share. In the second quarter, the company missed estimates by 8 cents. On average, analysts predict $5.19 billion in revenue this quarter, a rise of 61.2% from the year-ago quarter. Analysts are forecasting total revenue of $17.16 billion for the year, a rise of 28.6% from last year’s revenue of $13.34 billion.

Competitors to Watch: American Electric Power Co., Inc. (NYSE:AEP), Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED), CH Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE:CHG), Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (NYSE:PEG), NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE), PPL Corporation (NYSE:PPL), The Southern Company (NYSE:SO), Pepco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:POM), Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK), and Exelon Corporation (NYSE:EXC).

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