Sara Lee Earnings Preview: Analysts Expect Falling Revenue, Rising EPS
Sara Lee (NYSE: SLE) unveils its next round of earnings this Thursday, August 11, 2011. Get the latest predictions in Benzinga's essential guide to the company's fourth quarter earnings report.
Earnings and Revenue:
Analysts are predicting an EPS reading of 20 cents/share and revenues of $2.22 billion. Investors will be keen to see how this quarter's numbers compare to the year-ago quarter's positive EPS of 9 cents/share on revenues of $2.77 billion. We'll have to wait for Thursday to see if Sara Lee falls in line with analyst expectations and reports an increase in EPS and a slight decline in revenue from the year-ago quarter.
Here's how the company's reported EPS has stacked up against analyst estimates in the past:
| Quarter | Q3 | Q2 | Q1 | Q4 |
| EPS Estimate | $0.25 | $0.25 | $0.18 | $0.20 |
| EPS Actual | $0.24 | $0.31 | $0.13 | $0.09 |
Stock Performance:
Shares of Sara Lee were trading at $18.49 as of August 5, 2011. Shares are up 6.9% year to date. For a full 12 months, the return has risen by 38.2%. Given that these returns are generally positive, long-term shareholders are probably satisfied going into this earnings release.
- Long-term shareholders are already enjoying 12-month gains prior to the announcement
Average Stock Rating:
The average rating by analysts for Sara Lee is a Hold. The strength of this rating has declined slightly over the past three months.
Competitors:
Looking for a sympathy stock to trade or interested in the performance of other companies in the same sector? Take a look at some of Sara Lee's peers.
- Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (NASDAQ: GMCR): Moderate Buy with a $0.49 recent quarter EPS
- Hain Celestial Group (NASDAQ: HAIN): Moderate Buy with a $0.36 recent quarter EPS
- Flowers (FLO): Hold with a $0.33 recent quarter EPS
Sara Lee is in the food-miscellaneous/diversified industry, which has experienced price/earnings growth of 4.3%.
Finally, a description of the company's main areas of operation: Sara Lee is a global consumer-goods company, manufacturing and marketing a range of high-quality branded meats, bakery, and beverage products.
Take Action:
That's your advanced look at Sara Lee's upcoming earnings numbers -- be ready to take quick action if the company's report contains any surprises. Also, check back in with us after the announcement for a full recap and what-to-do-next guide.
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