Quarterly reports continue to roll out this week, with results due from Allstate Corp. (ALL), Coca-Cola Co. (KO), Marriott International Inc. (MAR), Molson Coors Brewing Co. (TAP), New York Times Co. (NYT), Pepsico Inc. (PEP), Sprint Nextel Corp. (S), Viacom (VIA), Walt Disney Co. (DIS) and many others. Here's a look at a few of the companies that analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect to be the biggest earnings gainers this week.
Analysts are looking for Coinstar Inc. (CSTR), which distributes coin-counting, DVD-rental, and other self-service kiosks, to report that its fourth-quarter earnings more than doubled from a year ago to $0.32 per share. Revenue for the three months that ended in December is expected to have jumped 26.1% to $329.2 million. The analysts' forecast for the full year calls for earnings of $0.94 per share (+46.8%) on $1.2 billion in revenue (+25.9%). Coinstar has beat earnings estimates in the past three quarters, by as much as six cents per share.
Coinstar's long-term EPS growth forecast is 27.3% and its earnings multiple is 19x. The First Call consensus recommendation has been to buy CSTR for more than 90 days. The mean price target is $39.55. The Motley Fool sees Coinstar as underestimated by Wall Street, and the stock was recommended here on Bloggingstocks recently for its diversity and growth. Coinstar shares are 16.1% lower than three months ago and closed the week at $26.73.
Agilent Technologies Inc. (A) is a Santa Clara, Calif.-based producer of scientific testing equipment. In the three months that ended in January, Agilent completed an acquisition, while another was cleared by regulators, and launched a YouTube channel. Analysts expect Agilent to report fiscal first-quarter earnings of $0.32 per share, up from $0.20 per share in the same period of last year. Revenue for the quarter is expected to be 1.2% higher to $1.2 billion. Looking ahead to the second quarter, the current forecast is for sequential and year-over-year earnings growth. Agilent bested consensus earnings estimates in the past three quarters, by eight cents per share in the fourth quarter.
Agilent's long-term EPS growth forecast of 12.5% is better than that of competitor Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO). Agilent's earnings multiple of 20x is less than the industry average. The consensus recommendation is to buy Agilent, with a mean price target of $33.50. Shares have fallen 5.8% in recent weeks and closed Friday at $29.17.
Analysts anticipate that Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG) will report that its earnings rose 34.2% from a year ago to $0.79 per share for the three months that ended in December. Revenue is expected to total $387.9 million, up 12.3% from a year ago, during a fourth quarter in which it finalized plans for its first European location and announced a solar power initiative, and shareholders approved a stock conversion. The full-year forecast is for earnings of $3.76 per share (+37.2%) on $1.5 billion in revenue (+14.1%). This Denver-based eatery chain topped consensus earnings estimates in the past four quarters, by as much as 22 cents per share.
Chipotle's long-term EPS growth forecast is 19.7%, which is better than that of competitor Brinker International Inc. (EAT), and its earnings multiple of 25x is less than the industry average. CMG recently was a Jim Cramer Mad Money pick. Shares are 10.9% higher than three months ago but have retreated from the recent 52-week high of $102.90.
Leading Chinese-language Internet search provider Baidu Inc. (BIDU) entered a partnership with a music downloading service and moved to new headquarters in the three months that ended in December. Analysts expect Baidu to report fourth-quarter earnings of $1.68 per share, up 27.4% from the same period of last year. Revenue is expected to be 36.5% higher to $180.0 million. For the full-year, analysts are looking for earnings of $6.17 per share (+28.9%) on $635.9 million in revenue (+36.8%). Baidu fell short of the consensus earnings estimate in onlyt one of the past five quarters, and topped estimates by 23 cents in the third quarter.
Baidu's long-term EPS growth forecast of 39.2% is better than that of rival Google (GOOG), and its earnings multiple is 56x, though that's much less than the industry average. The consensus recommendation is to buy BIDU, with a mean price target of $456.72. TheStreet.com named it a pick for February and others believed it may benefit from Google's recent difficulties in China. Shares are 13.3% higher than three months ago and closed the week at $448.40.
In its fourth quarter, Hasbro Inc. (HAS) announced a partnership with Sesame Street, management for Hasbro Studios and a quarterly dividend. For the three months that ended in December, this Rhode Island-based toymaker is expected to post earnings of $0.81 per share, up from $0.62 in the same period of last year. Revenue for the period is expected to be 8.6% higher to $1.3 billion. The full-year forecast calls for earnings of $2.20 per share (+9.1%) on $4.0 billion in revenue (+0.4%). Hasbro fell short of the consensus earnings estimate in just one of the past five quarters, and topped estimates by six cents in the third quarter.
Hasbro's long-term EPS growth forecast of 10.0% is better than that of competitor Mattel (MAT). Hasbro's earnings multiple is 14x. The consensus recommendation shifted from holding to buying HAS in the past 90 days. The mean price target is $34.21. The Motley Fool likes Hasbro as a growth stock, and Jim Cramer and Bloggingstocks contributor Sheldon Liber see it as a bargain. Shares have risen 11.1% in the past three months and are down a couple of bucks from the 52-week high of $32.75.
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