Retail giant Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT) and natural foods retailer Whole Foods International Market (NASDAQ: WFMI) are scheduled to report earnings later today. Here's a quick peek at them ahead of results.
Wal-Mart has only fallen short of earnings expectations in one of the past ten quarters. When the company reported third-quarter fiscal 2008 results back in November, earnings came to 69 cents per share, beating the consensus forecast of analysts polled by Thomson Financial by two cents. Earnings were 72 cents per share in the previous quarter, and 62 cents in the third quarter of 2007. For the current quarter, analysts expect earnings of $1.02 per share, compared to 92 cents in the year-ago quarter.
Wal-Mart's 10.6% earnings per share growth forecast for the next year is better than the industry average and the S&P 500. The analysts' consensus recommendation has been to buy Wal-Mart for at least six months. Shares reached a 52-week high of $51.48 in the beginning of February, but closed Friday at $49.44.
For news on Wal-Mart and its rivals that could influence the earnings results, see BloggingStocks' Wal-Mart coverage.
Whole Foods has missed earnings expectations in three of the past four quarters. When it reported fourth-quarter results in November, its 24 cents per share earnings fell short of the consensus forecast of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial by six cents. Full-year earnings of $1.29 per share missed estimates of $1.35. For the current quarter, analysts expect 36 cents per share, down from 38 cents in the year-ago quarter.
The company's earnings per share growth forecast for the next year is 8.5%, which is better than the industry average and the S&P 500. But the consensus analysts' recommendation is to hold Whole Foods, and has been for at least six months. Shares closed Friday at $39.12, up from a 52-week low of $34.14 in January.
For the move to plastic-free and other news that could influence the earnings results, see BloggingStocks' Whole Foods coverage.
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