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.

The Greenbrier Companies (NYSE: GBX) stepped into the earnings spotlight this morning, with the rail-car maker reporting a fiscal third-quarter loss of $50.5 million, or $3 per share. The company chalked up its widened quarterly loss to $55.7 million in goodwill write-downs, as well as waning demand. Excluding that write-down, earnings would have arrived at three cents per share. Revenue for the period tumbled 36% to $244 million. Analysts were looking for a loss of five cents per share on $269 million in revenue.

GBX also announced that 550 additional workers will be furloughed as a result of continuing weakness in the economy and an uncertain outlook for the future. Greenbrier is pointing the finger at General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) for that cloudy forecast, claiming that the conglomerate is in breach of contract. "This limited visibility is exacerbated by GE's unilateral actions and the uncertainties surrounding our multiyear contract with them," stated CEO William Furman.

Agricultural issue Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) is sharply lower in today's trading after falling short of Wall Street's earnings expectations. The company confessed to a 98% slide in third-quarter net income, thanks to hefty investment losses and a weak pricing environment.

ADM reported a profit of $8 million, or 1 penny per share, compared to its year-ago results of $517 million, or 80 cents per share. Investment losses for the period totaled 36 cents per share. Revenue for the quarter tumbled 21% to $14.8 billion, impacted by strength in the U.S. dollar and softer commodity prices. As a result, gross margin contracted from 6.2% to 4.4%.