Online marketing specialist ValueClick (VCLK) is scheduled to unveil its fourth-quarter earnings after Tuesday's closing bell. Ahead of the announcement, analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are anticipating a profit of 23 cents per share, on average, which would represent an improvement over ValueClick's year-ago earnings of 18 cents per share.

ValueClick has a strong history in the earnings spotlight, having surpassed analysts' bottom-line expectations in each of the past four quarters. However, a quick scan of the stock's sentiment backdrop reveals a nearly palpable pessimism among both traders and analysts.

Last year, Coca-Cola (KO) acquired Coca-Cola Enterprises' North American bottling operations. In addition, volume in North America rose 3%, excluding acquisitions and the currency impacts. These two factors gave the company an outstanding quarter. The company has taken market share from its rival PepsiCo (PEP).

Coca-Cola reported Wednesday earnings of $5.77 billion, or $2.46 a share, up from $1.54, or 66 cents per share, a year ago, according to The Wall Street Journal. Excluding benefits from bottling acquisition, earnings were 72 cents a share. Revenues increased 40% to $10.5 billion, and were up 45% excluding currency impacts. Gross margins fell to 59.2% from 64.7%.

Bellwether technology company Cisco Systems (CSCO) reported second-quarter profit fell, although it still topped analysts forecasts. Net income sank 18% to $1.5 billion or 27 cents a share, from $1.9 billion or 32 cents a year ago, as reported in the New York Times.

Revenue climbed 6% to $10.4 billion from $9.8 billion in the quarter a year ago.

On an adjusted basis, income was 37 cents a share, beating Thomson Reuters forecast of 35 cents a share on revenue of $10.24 billion.

Tyson Foods (TSN) is on the front line of food inflation. While the Federal Reserve holds that inflation is just 2%, Donnie Smith, CEO of Tyson said that "domestic food inflation will likely overtake U.S. government forecasts as crop and animal feed prices continue to rise," The Wall Street Journal reported.

Last week, Tyson reported a profit of $298 million for the quarter to Jan. 1, compared with $160 million a year ago. Per share earnings rose to 78 cents from 42 cents. Revenue was up 15% to $7.6 billion.

Cosmetics giant Avon Products (AVP) unveiled its fourth-quarter earnings this morning, and the results fell short of Wall Street's expectations. AVP's quarterly profit slipped 15% to $229.5 million, or 53 cents per share. Excluding restructuring expenses, earnings from continuing operations declined to 59 cents per share from 68 cents in the year-ago quarter. Revenue rose 1.2% to $3.18 billion.

By contrast, analysts were looking for a profit of 67 cents per share on revenue of $3.28 billion. AVP's fourth-quarter performance was negatively impacted by currency fluctuations, as well as higher product costs.

Dow Chemical (DOW) had a spectacular quarter. It saw profits nearly triple. Companies such as Dow are vulnerable during times of recession as demand falls off. Now that demand has risen for its basic chemicals, agriculture and other products, the company revved up its profit engine.

Dow reported a profit of of $511 million, or 37 cents a share, up from $172 million, or eight cents a share, a year ago, as reported in the Wall Street Journal (subscription required). Excluding restructuring charges, earnings were 47 cents a share.

Shares of Level 3 Communications (LVLT) have taken a turn for the worse, after the firm's fourth-quarter earnings report landed with a thud. The company confessed to a net loss of $52 million, or 3 cents per share, narrowed from its year-ago deficit of $182 million, or 11 cents per share. Revenue for the quarter declined to $921 million from $924 million.

The results actually surpassed Wall Street's consensus forecast, which called for a net loss of 10 cents per share on revenue of $920.1 million. However, traders seem none too pleased with Level 3's earnings performance, as the stock plummeted roughly 7% Wednesday morning. In particular, it seems the market may be taking issue with Level 3's warning that it expects free cash flow to be negative for fiscal 2011.

Shares of Patriot Coal (PCX) surged to a new annual high of $27.54 right out of the gate Tuesday, as traders cheered the energy issue's latest quarterly report.

Patriot announced that its fourth-quarter net profit dwindled 33% to $7.3 million, or 8 cents per share, from its year-ago results of $10.9 million, or 12 cents per share. Revenue for the quarter climbed 5% to $528.2 million, but selling and administrative expenses swelled 35% to $14 million. Likewise, Patriot's operating cost per ton increased 9.5% to $55.70.

Juniper Networks (JNPR) is on the upswing, with the stock catching a 6% boost Wednesday morning on the heels of a well-received fourth-quarter earnings report. Juniper reported a quarterly profit of $190.2 million, or 35 cents per share, substantially improved from its year-ago results of $22.9 million, or 4 cents per share. Excluding items, earnings improved to 42 cents from 32 cents per share on a year-over-year basis.

Meanwhile, revenue for the quarter increased 26% to $1.19 billion. Gross margin retreated slightly, falling to 66.6% from 67.1%.

Blue-chip burger baron McDonald's (MCD) was in focus Monday morning after the company unveiled its fourth-quarter earnings. The fast-food chain reported net income of $1.24 billion, or $1.16 per share, slightly improved from its year-ago profit of $1.22 billion, or $1.11 per share. Revenue for the quarter climbed 4% to $6.21 billion.

The fourth-quarter results were more or less in line with Wall Street's expectations, but the same can't be said of its December sales. Global same-store sales rose 3.7% across the board, led by an 8.9% gain in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA). U.S. same-store sales increased 2.6% in December, while sales at restaurants open at least 13 months declined 0.5% in Europe.

LeapFrog Enterprises (LF) plummeted more than 25% this morning, after the company warned that its full-year earnings will fall below Wall Street's expectations. The maker of educational toys expects to bank a profit of 3 cents to 6 cents per share for fiscal 2010, way below analysts' consensus estimate of 28 cents per share.

"After a solid start to the holiday season, demand softened late in the quarter relative to our expectations," explained CEO Bill Chiasson. "While sales of interactive reading products continued to grow at retail, the growth was less than we had forecasted and contributed to lower earnings growth than expected."

KB Home (KBH) is ending the week on a high note, after the homebuilder comfortably surpassed Wall Street's fiscal fourth-quarter earnings expectations. Bright and early Friday morning, KBH announced quarterly net income of $17.4 million, or 23 cents per share, on revenue of $451 million. Adjusted housing gross margins improved to 19.7% from 19%.

This marks KBH's first quarterly profit, without the aid of tax gains, in almost four years. Analysts were anticipating KBH to swallow a deficit of 17 cents per share on revenue of $441.3 million, so these results definitely qualify as a positive surprise.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) has taken a drastic dive, with the stock staging a bearish gap with the sound of Friday's opening bell. Thursday night, the company unveiled its fiscal fourth-quarter results, and also confessed to a disappointing outlook for the first quarter.

Specifically, Green Mountain said it banked a fourth-quarter profit of $27 million, or 20 cents per share, up from its year-ago earnings of $14.1 million, or 12 cents per share. Sales for the quarter climbed 73% to $373.1 million. The results fell roughly in line with Wall Street's expectations, which called for a profit of 20 cents per share on revenue of $359.2 million.

Diamond Foods (DMND) was on the upswing Thursday, as traders cheered the company's latest earnings report. Diamond said it banked a fiscal first-quarter profit of $14.2 million, or 64 cents per share. Excluding items, earnings arrived at 65 cents per share, while revenue increased 40% to $252.6 million.

The results comfortably exceeded Wall Street's expectations, which called for a profit of 60 cents per share on revenue of $239.8 million.