The Week in Preview: Eye on General Mills, Tiffany, Williams-Sonoma and more

Its long-term EPS growth forecast is 12.3%, a bit better than that of competitor Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY), and the earnings multiple is 24x, which is less than the industry average. Also, the company has built up its cash on hand over the past few reporting periods. The stock was recently recommended here by BloggingStocks contributor Joseph Lazzaro for its prospects as the economy recovers, and Zacks called it a top performer. Shares are trading near the 52-week high of $25.00 after rising 17.5% in the past month.

New York-based Phillips-Van Heusen (PVH), which recently agreed to acquire Tommy Hilfiger, reported strong third-quarter results and raised its quarterly and full-year guidance during its fiscal fourth quarter. Earnings for that period are expected to have nearly doubled from a year ago to $0.59 per share, which is about a nickel higher than that guidance. Revenue for the three months that ended in January is expected to have risen 5.5% to $609.3 million, also higher than guidance. The forecast for the full year calls for earnings of $2.80 per share (-5.1%) on $2.4 billion in revenue (-4.0%). Phillips-Van Heusen has topped earnings estimates in recent quarters, by as much as 19 cents per share.

The long-term EPS growth forecast of 15.0% is better than that of competitor Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. (RL). The earnings multiple is 16x, which is much lower than the industry average. The First Call consensus recommendation is to buy PVH, and it has a mean price target is $59.10. One analyst boosted its target to $65 following the Tommy Hilfiger announcement, and Zacks called the stock a powerful buy. Shares are trading near the 52-week high of $54.75 after jumping 26.8% in the past month.

Analysts anticipate that New York-based Tiffany & Co. (TIF) will report that its per-share earnings rose 24.8% from a year ago to $1.13 for the three months that ended in January. Revenue is expected to have risen 15.4% from a year ago to $970.9 million, for a fiscal fourth quarter in which it reported strong holiday sales and boosted its quarterly dividend. The full-year forecast calls for earnings of $2.07 per share (-11.2%) on $2.7 billion in revenue (-5.5%). This specialty retailer has not missed consensus earnings estimates in the past five quarters, beating them by as much as 10 cents per share.

Tiffany's long-term EPS growth forecast is 11.3%. Its earnings multiple of 20x is much less than the sector average. And net cash flow from operations swung into the black in the previous reporting period. The consensus recommendation remains to buy TIF, and the mean price target is $51.69. Zacks called the stock a powerful buy. Shares are 11.7% higher than three months ago and trading near the 52-week high of $48.38. (For more on Tiffany, see our earnings preview.)

Progress Software Corp. (PRGS) appointed a chief product officer and a new chief technology officer, as well as announced an acquisition, in the three months that ended in February. Analysts expect this enterprise software provider to post fiscal first-quarter earnings of $0.46 per share, up from $0.39 per share in the same period of last year. Its revenue is expected to have grown 3.8% year over year to $127.1 million. Looking ahead, analysts anticipate sequential and year-over-year increases in both EPS and revenue in the second quarter. Progress has not missed consensus earnings estimates in the past five quarters, topping them by as much as six cents per share.

Progress has a long-term EPS growth forecast of 14.0%, which is better than Oracle's, and an earnings multiple of 14x. The consensus recommendation has been to buy PRGS for more than 90 days; the stock received a recent upgrade. The mean price target is $36.00. Shares are 27.2% higher than three months ago and reached a 52-week high of $32.77 at the end of the week.

Analysts are looking for General Mills Inc. (GIS), the Minneapolis-based maker of Cheerios and Wheaties, to report that its fiscal third-quarter earnings totaled $0.93 per share, up from $0.79 per share a year ago. During the three months that ended in January, General Mills announced plans to reduce sugar in its breakfast cereals, presented its long-term growth plans and declared a quarterly dividend, and revenue for the period is expected to have grown 2.5% to $3.6 billion. So far, analysts foresee full-year earnings of $4.60 per share (+13.5%) on $14.8 billion in revenue (+0.7%). General Mills earnings beat consensus estimates in the past three quarters, by as much as 25 cents per share.

The long-term EPS growth forecast for General Mills is 9.8%, and its earnings multiple is 15x, which is less than the industry average. Analysts on average recommend buying GIS and have for more than 90 days. The mean price target is $77.00. A Morgan Stanley analyst prefers General Mills to Kraft Foods Inc. (KFT), and Investopedia expects another upside surprise this week. Shares have risen steadily over the past year and reached a 52-week high of $73.95 on Friday.

Other companies expected to report earnings growth this week include Cost Plus World Market Inc. (CPWM), Darden Restaurants Inc. (DRI), Jabil Circuit Inc. (JBL), lululemon athletica inc. (LULU) and McCormick & Co. Inc. (MKC). Also, analysts anticipate that homebuilders KB Home (KBH) and Lennar Corp. (LEN) will report narrower losses.