Snacks-and-soda stalwart PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE: PEP) is scheduled to unveil its third-quarter results before the market opens this Thursday, Oct. 8. Heading into the report, analysts are expecting PEP to bank a profit of $1.02 per share, according to Thomson Reuters, fractionally lower than its year-ago earnings of $1.06 per share.

PepsiCo has a healthy history in the earnings spotlight, having exceeded Wall Street's consensus expectations in each of the previous three quarters. Judging by recent option activity, traders are speculating on another upside surprise from the Frito-Lay firm.

El Paso Corporation (NYSE: EP) reported this morning that Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) has agreed to invest $700 million in EP's Ruby Pipeline project, which will transport natural gas from the Rocky Mountain region to the Western United States. Under the terms of the deal, GIP will receive a 50% equity interest in three major traunches of the project.

News of the lucrative investment has propelled EP to a gain of 1.7%, despite a downside bias in the broader equities market. The shares are positioned above support at their 10-week and 20-week moving averages, but potential resistance lies overhead in the $11 region. This area previously capped the stock's rally attempt in mid-June.

San Jose-based SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWRA) is scheduled to report its first-quarter earnings after the market closes this Thursday, April 23. Thomson First Call notes that analysts, on average, are expecting the solar issue to report a profit of 25 cents per share, down from 39 cents per share in the same quarter of 2008.

SPWRA has has an impressive history in the earnings spotlight, having exceeded the Street's profit expectations in each of the previous four reporting periods. Judging by option activity in recent weeks, some investors are betting on the stock to exceed earnings estimates yet again.

Bermuda-based shipping company Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd. (NYSE: EXM) is scheduled to release its fourth-quarter earnings Thursday morning. Ahead of the report, Thomson First Call notes that analysts are expecting a profit of $1.04 per share, down from $1.71 per share in the year-ago quarter. Sales are expected to arrive at $124 million.

Judging by recent option activity, many investors are speculating on an earnings miss for EXM. On the International Securities Exchange (ISE), the stock carries a 10-day put/call volume ratio of 0.66, which ranks higher than 72% of other such readings taken during the past year. In other words, option traders have bought to open the stock's puts at a faster pace only 28% of the time.