Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:
- Analogic Corp. (NASDAQ: ALOG) beat estimates and announced an acquisition.
- AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (NYSE: ANN) swung to a loss in the fourth quarter on restructuring costs.
- Big Lots Inc. (NYSE: BIG) beat fourth-quarter earinings estimates and offered revised guidance.
- Bon-Ton Stores Inc. (NASDAQ: BONT) posted disappointing fourth-quarter and full-year results.
- Carrols Restaurant Group (NASDAQ: TAST) posted solid results on same-store sales for certain chains.
- Ferrellgas Partners (NYSE: FGP) saw profit fall in what should have been its strongest quarter.
- Foot Locker Inc. (NYSE: FL) fourth-quarter profit fell on weaker same-store sales.
- Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) cut its first-quarter and full-year forecasts on higher expenses.
- Imax Corp. (NASDAQ: IMAX) widened its losses for the fourth quarter and the full year.
- Jones Soda Co. (NASDAQ: JSDA) swung to a loss due to costs related to distributing in product in cans.
- K-Tron International Inc. (NASDAQ: KTII) said fourth-quarter and full-year earnings soared.
- Liz Claiborne Inc. (NYSE: LIZ) posted disappointing fourth-quarter and full-year results.
- Six Flags Inc. (NYSE: SIX) narrowed its fourth-quarter and full-year losses.
- Texas Instruments Inc. (NYSE: TXN) lowered its forecast on fewer orders from a key client.
- United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) warned it may miss first quarter estimates due to the slowing economy.
- Vail Resorts Inc. (NYSE: MTN) second-quarter profit slipped due to lack of snow early in the season.
Also, analysts are pessimistic about earnings for the first half of the year. Jim Cramer sees earnings as the other shoe after good news from the Fed, and things look grim for auto makers as well as for smaller companies. At least one analyst expects a big earnings miss from Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG). Target's (NYSE: TGT) moves into consumer credit may come back to hurt its first-quarter results. But some analysts are bullish about Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) ahead of earings next week. Georges Yared wonders if Wal-Mart's (NYSE: WMT) earnings make it a good buy for the long term. And the SEC may change reporting rules for financial firms.
Upcoming results to watch for include Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), Lehman Bros. (NYSE: LEH), Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), Bear Stearns (NYSE: BSC), Nike (NYSE: NKE), General Mills (NYSE: GIS), FedEx (NYSE: FDX), Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS),
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