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

• Acuity Brands Inc. (AYI) Q2 results were essentially flat but an analyst's upgraded helped boost shares.
• Borders Group Inc. (BGP) reported strong Q4 earnings due to cost cutting but revenue continued to decline.
• Cal-Maine Foods Inc. (CALM) received an analyst's downgrade on valuation following release of its Q3 report.
• CarMax Inc. (KMX) rose to a new 52-week high following better-than-expected Q4 earnings and sales results.
• Charming Shoppes Inc. (CHRS) posted a smaller-than-expected Q4 net loss and said same-store sales declined.

Wednesday after the closing bell, Norcross, Ga.-based Immucor Inc. (BLUD) reported a third-quarter net income of $20.1 million, or 28 cents per share, up from $19.5 million, or $0.27 per share, in the same quarter a year ago. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had expected earnings of $0.27 per share for the quarter, so this blood-test equipment maker manages to hang on to its streak of quarterly earnings beats.

Revenue for this quarter rose 7% from a year ago to $80.5 million, primarily due to price contributions and currency. But that fell just short of analysts' estimates of $80.9 million.

Autumn has arrived and the quarter winds down this week. The Dow has been inching toward 10,000 for a while now, though it closed lower in the past three sessions. Can it make it to 10,000 for the start of the third quarter? If so, what will push it higher? If not, what will drag it down further?

• Monday is Yom Kippur, the most solemn of the Jewish holidays; trading likely will be lighter than usual. In the evening, the FDIC meets to discuss how to rebuild the Bank Deposit Insurance Fund.
• Tuesday, the Consumer Confidence Index for September is due and the SEC holds a public meeting to consider more short sale actions.

Blood-transfusion leader Immucor (BLUD) introduced Geoffrey S. Crouse as the company's new Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Crouse will have worldwide responsibility for manufacturing and distribution in the new position, he will also be responsible for marketing and customer service. In his previous position at Millipore Corporation, Crouse led the Life Science Strategic Business Unit - helping improve manufacturing operations, leading acquisitions, all the while increasing sales and profitability.

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

• Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY) easily topped Q4 earnings estimates but same-store sales fell.
• Brinker International Inc. (NYSE: EAT) forecast Q3 earnings that are well above analysts' estimates.
• Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE: STZ) said it narrowed its loss in Q4 despite restructuring costs.
• Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd. (NYSE: EXM) is expected to fall short of Q4 earnings expectations.
• Family Dollar Stores Inc. (NYSE: FDO) reported strong Q2 results and and raised its outlook for Q3.

Immucor Inc. (NYSE: BLUD), a producer of blood-testing systems, reported Monday that thinner profit margins were offset by increased sales in its fiscal third quarter, resulting in a narrowly higher profit.

In the three months that ended Feb. 28, Immucor's net income increased to $19.5 million, or 27 cents per share, from $19.3 million in the same period of last year. Revenue rose 12% to $75.3 million. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters had forecast a profit of 22 cents per share and $73.2 million in revenue.

Two leading growth stock expert, Brandon Clay, editor of Invest with an Edge, and Alexander Green, editor of The Oxford Club, turn to automated blood testing equipment maker Immucor (NASDAQ: BLUD) as a recession-resistant buy.

Clay suggest, "A good bet is to go with the strongest stock in that particular sector at the time of your pickThat way, the company you select at least has the momentum of the sector backing it. Typically the medical industry performs better than the overall market in a downturn. This recession has been no different.

"As we dug deeper into health care, one company surfaced that was worth our attention. Immucor is a blood testing equipment manufacturer specializing in pre-transfusion diagnostics.

"Established in 1982, they brought their first patent to market four years later. Since then they've become a leader in blood diagnostics and blood bank technology.

Even if the national headlines weren't already providing enough focus on the economy, plenty of economic data is due out as the month and the quarter wind down. U.S. economic data scheduled to be released this week include:

• Personal income (Aug. 2008): Monday 8:30 AM
• Consumer confidence index (Sept, 2008): Tuesday 10:00 AM
• Challenger job cut announcement (Sept, 2008): Wednesday 7:30 AM
• ISM manufacturing survey (Sept. 2008): Wednesday 10:00 AM
• Construction spending (Aug. 2008): Wednesday 10:00 AM
• New motor vehicle sales (Sept. 2008): Wednesday 4:00 PM
• Monster employment index (Sept. 2008): Thursday 6:00 AM
• Factory orders (Aug. 2008): Thursday 10:00 AM
• Employment situation (Sept. 2008): Friday 8:30 AM
• ISM nonmanufacturing survey (Sept. 2008): Friday 10:00 AM

Other economic events scheduled for this week include:

• Fed's Hoenig speaks on "The Economy and Monetary Policy": Monday 9:45 PM
• Fed's Lockhart speaks on the economic outlook: Tuesday 1:00 PM
• Ford Motor Co. September 2008 Sales Conference Call: Wednesday 1:00 PM
• AMETEK Inc. at Oppenheimer Industrials Conference: Thursday 8:00 AM
• DuPont at Citigroup Ethanol on the Cob Conference: Thursday 12:50 PM
• Fed's Evans speaks at Agricultural Markets and Food Price Inflation conference: Thursday 1:00 PM
• Fed's Bullard speaks at Indiana University Department of Economics: Thursday 7:00 PM
• Fed's Hoenig speaks on "The Economy and Monetary Policy": Thursday 9:45 PM
• National Association for Business Economics 50th Annual Meeting to address Future Economic Challenges: Friday 9:00 PM

Monday, June 2

• Lions Gate Entertainment (NYSE: LGF) reporting Q4 earnings; conference call at 9:00am.
• Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) conference call at 9:30am on new multimedia computer-on-a-chip products.
• Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ: LULU) reports Q1 earnings; conference call at 4:30pm

Tuesday, June 3

• Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) to report May sales at 1:00pm.
  
• General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) to report May sales at 2:00pm.
  
• Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE: TOL) to report Q2 earnings; conference call at 2:00pm.
• Bob Evans Farms Inc. (NASDAQ: BOBE) to report Q4 earnings; conference call at 4:00pm.

As one quarter rolls over into the next, here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Best Buy Inc. (NYSE: BBY) beat fourth-quarter expectations and offered a positive outlook for fiscal 2009.
• CarMax Inc. (NYSE: KMX) beat Wall Street earnings estimates for the fourth quarter.
• Citi Trends Inc. (NASDAQ: CTRN) beat fourth-quarter estimates and offered a rosy outlook for fiscal 2009.
• Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE: STZ) swung to a fourth-quarter loss but beat estimates.
• Family Dollar Stores (NYSE: FDO) beat second-quarter estimates but slashed its full-year outlook.
• Immucor Inc. (NASDAQ: BLUD) beat third-quarter expectations and offered a positive full-year outlook.
• Monsanto Co. (NYSE: MON) beat second-quarter expectations but the full-year outlook disappointed.
• Mosaic Co. (NYSE: MOS) third-quarter earnings surged on strong demand and higher crop prices.
• Paychex Inc. (NASDAQ: PAYX) results on path to continue an 18-year earnings/revenue growth streak.
• Red Hat Inc. (NYSE: RHT) posted solid fourth-quarter results on strength of JBoss and other offerings.
• Research in Motion Ltd. (NASDAQ: RIMM) fourth-quarter earnings and revenue more than doubled.
• Ruby Tuesday Inc. (NYSE: RT) third-quarter earnings beat low expectations; full-year outlook is bleak.
• Scholastic Corp. (NASDAQ: SCHL) announced disappointing third-quarter results post-Harry Potter.
• UBS (NYSE: UBS) writes off $19 million for the first quarter and shows chairman the door.

Also, prospects look grim for some newspapers. The financial crisis in the U.S. prompted the IMF to cut its global growth forecast.

Upcoming results to watch for include Alcoa (NYSE: AA), Circuit City Stores (NYSE: CC), Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY), and General Electric (NYSE: GE).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.

Immucor (NASDAQ: BLUD) provides automated systems used by hospitals, clinical laboratories and blood banks to detect and identify certain properties of the cell and serum components of human blood prior to transfusion. Products are primarily used to type blood and detect foreign antibodies. Immucor sells its systems and reagent tests directly in North America, Western Europe and Japan.

The company made news earlier in the week, when it reported Q3 EPS of 27 cents and revenues of $67.3 million. Analysts had been looking for 22 cents and $62.9 million. Management also guided FY08 EPS to at least 96 cents (92 cent consensus) and FY08 revenues to at least $257 million ($255.89M consensus).

Monday, January 4

• Teleflex Incorporated (NYSE: TFX) to give preliminary business outlook at 9:00am.
• LifeCell Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFC) to give guidance at 10:00am.
• Atlanta Fed Reserve Bank President Lockhart to speak on the economy in Atlanta, GA at 12:40pm.
• Lawson Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: LWSN) to report Q2 earnings; conference call at 4:30pm

Tuesday, January 5

• Immucor Inc. (NASDAQ: BLUD) to report Q2 earnings; conference call at 8:30am.
• Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ) to report Q3 earnings; conference call at 10:00am.
• Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: EK) conference call from the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas at 12:00pm.
• Conceptus, Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTS) to give 2008 guidance at 4:30pm.
• PDUFA Date for Omrix Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: OMRI) Evicel a Fibrin Sealant for Hemostasis (bleeding control) during kidney surgery.

Wednesday, January 6

• Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. (NYSE: NM) to discuss launch of their South American Logistics business at 8:30am.
• Pharmaceutical Product Development, Inc. (NASDAQ: PPDI) to give guidance at 9:00am.
• Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA) to report Q4 earnings; conference call at 5:00pm.

Thursday, January 7

• The Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) to report monthly sales at 8:00am, Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) to report monthly sales at 8:30am.
• Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis Bank President Hoenig to speak on economic outlook in St. Louis, Missouri at 1:00pm.

Friday, January 8

• PDUFA Date for Biogen Idec Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) and Elan Corporation, plc (ADR) (NYSE: ELN) Tysabri for treating moderately to severely active Crohn's Disease.

Given the steady need for emergency and surgical transfusions, it's imperative that routine blood bank tests be performed quickly and accurately. A leading maker of systems that automate such work is headquartered in Norcross, Georgia.

Immucor (NASDAQ: BLUD) provides automated systems used by hospitals, clinical laboratories and blood banks to detect and identify certain properties of the cell and serum components of human blood, prior to transfusion. Products are primarily used to type blood and detect foreign antibodies. The firm received FDA clearance for its third-generation automated analyzer, the Galileo Echo, in June of this year.