Esterline, which announced that it is acquiring specialized fastener maker NMC Group, is expected to report profits that are 25.7% higher than a year ago, or $1.05 per share. Revenues are estimated to total $416.6 million, up 12.4%. The aerospace company and defense contractor has topped expectations in the past three quarters, by as much as 75.4%. Shares have declined 32.7% in the past three months, and the consensus recommendation is to buy ESL.

Apparel maker G-III Apparel Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: GIII), container maker Greif Inc. (NYSE: GEF), tech company Analogic Corp. (NASDAQ: ALOG), Memphis-based AutoZone Inc. (NYSE: AZO), Cincinnati-based grocer Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST), and Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) also are scheduled to report quarterly results this week, and they are expected to post more modest profit gains. Of these, only Costco doesn't have a consensus buy recommendation.

Analysts expect next week's big earnings decliners to include telecom Ciena Corp. (NASDAQ: CIEN), which announced layoffs in October, and IT education company Learning Tree International Inc. (NASDAQ: LTRE), which in October took itself off the selling block.

Ciena is expected to report fiscal fourth-quarter earnings of only $0.05 per share, down 89.6% from the same period of last year, and revenues of $198.9 million, which is 8.0% lower than a year ago. Profits have topped expectations in most recent quarters, but were in line with estimates in the third quarter. Shares have fallen 48.8% in the past three months and are trading a little above a recent 52-week low of $5.07.

Learning Tree's fourth-quarter profits are expected to come in at $0.16 per share, 66.7% lower than a year ago. Revenues are expected to total $45.6 million, 3.2% higher. The company's earnings have fallen short of estimates in the past three quarters by two or three cents per share. The share price has fallen 23.5% in the past three months, and analysts on average recommend buying LTRE.

Other companies expected to report double-digit earnings declines this week include snow blower maker Toro Co. (NYSE: TTC), Hooker Furniture Corp. (NASDAQ: HOFT), apparel maker Oxford Industries Inc. (NYSE: OXM), California-based National Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE: NSM), and Houston-based NCI Building Systems Inc. (NYSE: NCS). All are trading near their 52-week lows.

While analysts are looking for global tax-preparer H&R Block Inc. (NYSE: HRB), New Jersey-based telecom IDT Corp. (NYSE: IDT), and propane retailer Ferrellgas Partners (NYSE: FGP) to have narrowed their quarterly losses by pennies per share, Ocean Power Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: OPTT), ski resort operator Vail Resorts Inc. (NYSE: MTN), and FuelCell Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: FCEL) are expected to have widened their losses when compared to the year ago quarter.

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