If you are looking for clues telling you which stocks have a good chance of increasing in value, you might want consider watching what insiders are doing. After all, talk is cheap, but when insiders put their own money on the line, you should sit up and take note.

American Superconductor Corp (AMSC) topped the insider-buying charts for the week ending July 9th as insiders snapped up 200,000 shares of company stock at a market value of $5,657,600. During the past six months, insiders have increased their overall holdings in the company by 27.24% and now own 10.05% of AMSC stock.

Mediamind Technologies Inc (MDMD) was not far behind, with insiders buying 380,200 shares at a market value of $4,372,302. Insiders now own 0.00% of the company's stock after decreasing their overall holdings by 0.00% during the past six months.

With the Memorial Day holiday in the U.S. and the fact that the earnings season has largely wound down, things will be fairly quiet on the economic calendar this week. Like the other big Canadian banks did last week, Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) is expected to post strong second-quarter results. The same is true of Shoe Carnival (SCVL) and its competitor Collective Brands (PSS). But the earnings highlight of the week may come from America's Car-Mart Inc. (CRMT).

Bentonville Ark.-based America's Car-Mart, the largest publicly traded used auto retailer in the U.S., opened new dealerships and upgraded its communications infrastructure in its fiscal fourth quarter. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect its earnings to have risen more than 25% from the same period of the previous year. Revenue for the three months that ended in April is expected to have risen about 14% in the past year. The consensus forecast for the full year has EPS up more than 30% and revenue up about 13%. The company's per-share earnings have beat consensus estimates in past four quarters, by as much as 45%.

Analyst Upgrades

• Piper Jaffray upgraded Clear Channel Outdoors (CCO) to neutral from underweight following the company's Q1 results. The firm also doubled its price target for shares to $12 from $6.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded MetroPCS (PCS) to buy from hold to reflect higher EBITDA assumptions and valuation while doubling its target price for shares to $14 from $7.
• Thomas Weisel upgraded America's Car-Mart (CRMT) to overweight from market weight ahead of the company's Q4 results and upped its target for shares to $31 from $30. The firm has increased confidence in its FY11 estimates for the company and sees potential upside in Q4.
• Esterline Technologies (ESL) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Stephens.
• Cheesecake Factory (CAKE) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Baird.
• J.B. Hunt (JBHT) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Longbow.

Here are some highlights from last week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) earnings prospects and declining sales resulted in a downgrade.
• America's Car-Mart Inc. (NASDAQ: CRMT) stronger-than-expected Q1 results led shares to a four-year high.
• ArcSight Inc. (NASDAQ: ARST) reported strong Q1 numbers on increasing demand for cyber security.
• Brown-Forman Inc. (NYSE: BF.B) Q1 results easily topped expectations despite a decline in revenue.
• Ciena Corp. (NASDAQ: CIEN) posted a Q3 loss but revenue improved sequentially, and shares rose.

America's Car-Mart, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRMT) surprised Wall Street this morning with stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings. The auto retailer banked a first-quarter profit of $7 million, or 60 cents per share, up from 45 cents per share in the year-ago period. Revenue climbed 11% to $83.8 million, buoyed by an 8.5% jump in same-store sales.

Both figures were better than analysts expected, with consensus estimates calling for a profit of 41 cents per share on $78.0 million in revenue. The company added to the glad tidings by reporting that its provision for credit losses dipped to 19.5% of sales, compared to 20.9% in the same quarter last year.

Summer is winding down and so is another earnings season. Most of the S&P 500 have reported results for the past quarter, but there are still a few things of note coming up this week.

In its second quarter, Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd. (NASDAQ: SNDA), one of the largest entertainment media companies in China, announced plans for an IPO for its Shanda Games business and bought a majority stake in music producer and distributor.

This week brings a small flurry of end-of-the-calendar-quarter earnings reports. And for the most part, the expectations of the analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters aren't very high. Companies expected to report declining earnings in the most recently concluded quarter include America's Car-Mart Inc. (NASDAQ: CRMT), Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY), ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE: CAG), Jabil Circuit Inc. (NYSE: JBL), Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. (NYSE: JTX), Monsanto Co. (NYSE: MON), and Sonic Corp. (NASDAQ: SONC).

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) was upgraded following its Q1 release and guidance.
• America's Car-Mart Inc. (NASDAQ: CRMT) posted higher earnings in Q3 and same-store sales growth.
• AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) was upgraded by an analysts who felt that consensus estimates are beatable.
• Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE BRK.A) suffered a big profit decline, its fifth straight quarterly decline.
• Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) posted horrible Q4 results as the values of its portfolio shrank.

While the release of economic data doesn't stop next week (see economic schedule highlights below), the earnings season does wind down dramatically. Most of the S&P 500 companies already have reported on the past quarter, which means dismal earnings news is largely behind us, at least for a while. About the only companies of note expected by analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters to report falling earnings this week are Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST), Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc. (NYSE: WEN), Foot Locker Inc. (NYSE: FL), Bank of Montreal (NYSE: BMO), and Steinway Musical Instruments Inc. (NYSE: LVB).

While PetSmart Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM) and Big Lots Inc. (NYSE: BIG) quarterly profits are expected to be about the same as a year ago, Liz Claiborne Inc. (NYSE: LIZ), Kenneth Cole Productions Inc. (NYSE: KCP), Ciena Corp. (NASDAQ: CIEN), and Trina Solar Ltd. (NYSE: TSL) are expected to have swung to losses in the most recent quarter.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Aeropostale Inc. (NYSE: ARO) strong Q3 results beat estimates despite the dismal retail environment.
• Alpha Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE: ANR) lowered its full-year forecast due to lower demand for coal.
• America's Car-Mart Inc. (NASDAQ: CRMT) reported higher Q2 earnings and higher same-store sales.
• Beazer Homes USA Inc. (NYSE: BZH) losses in Q4 more than tripled as revenue declined.
• Collective Brands Inc. (NYSE: PSS) Q3 profits were in line with estimates, enough to send shares higher.
• General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) cut its Q4 earnings forecast, which now falls in line with estimates.
• Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) warned that it may see its first quarterly loss ever in Q4.
• Guess? Inc. (NYSE: GES) strong Q3 results beat estimates but offered a conservative outlook.
• Infineon Technologies AG (NYSE: IFX) posted a wider Q4 loss on restructuring and warned of further losses.
• Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) 2009 earnings are expected to be diluted by an acquisition.
• Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: MRVL) reported strong Q3 numbers, sending shares higher.
• Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. (NYSE: MRX) earnings prospects after a settlement led to an analyst's upgrade.
• Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK) lowered its 2009 earnings guidance below analysts' expectations.
• Palm Inc. (NASDAQ: PALM) said that it expects Q2 revenues to come in below analysts' estimates.

It must be something in the water in Bentonville, Arkansas. The tiny town is home to Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT), of course, but also the less famous America's Car-Mart (NASDAQ: CRMT), which operates 92 used car dealerships in the South-Central United States.

While the auto industry is mired in the biggest downturn in its history, America's Car-Mart is posting some pretty impressive numbers.

The company reported its second quarter results today, and achieved same-store sales growth of 5.3%. That compares quite nicely to Carmax's (NYSE: KMX) 17% decline for its second quarter.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• America's Car-Mart Inc. (NASDAQ: CRMT) topped Q1 expectations on strong growth of same-store sales.
• Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE: CPB) strong Q4 results led shares to a new 52-week high.
• FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) boosted its Q1 forecast due to the recent drop in oil prices.
• Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (NYSE: KKD) narrowed its loss in Q2 but fell short of expectations.
• Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (NYSE: LEH) released Q3 results early to calm investor concerns.
• PharmaNet Development Group Inc. (NASDAQ: PDGI) was downgraded after lowering its guidance.
• Shuffle Master Inc. (NASDAQ: SHFL) fell short of analysts estimates, reporting flat year over year earnings.
• Texas Instruments Inc. (NYSE: TXN) reaffirmed its outlook when investors had expected a cut.
• Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. (NASDAQ: ULTA) beat estimates and offered Q3 and full-year outlook.
• Washington Mutual Inc. (NYSE: WM) was upgraded despite its disappointing Q3 results.

Upcoming quarterly reports include Kroger (NYSE: KR), Adobe (NASDAQ: ADBE), Best Buy (NYSE: BBY), Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), General Mills (NYSE: GIS), Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), ConAgra (NYSE: CAG), FedEx (NYSE: FDX), and Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.

America's Car-Mart (NASDAQ: CRMT) operates 91 automotive dealerships, located primarily in the smaller urban markets of eight South-Central states. The dealerships focus on selling and providing the financing for basic, affordable cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles. Competitors include AutoNation (NYSE: AN) and CarMax (NYSE: KMX).

The company pleased investors last week, when it reported fiscal Q1 EPS of 45 cents and revenues of $75.7 million. Analysts had been looking for 38 cents and $73.8 million. The CEO expressed confidence in the firm's ability to maintain a positive sales trend, noting that Q1 retail unit sales had increased 25.8% (yr/yr) and Q1 same store revenues had risen 28.5% (yr/yr).