Apple Earnings Preview: Analysts Expect Higher EPS, Revenue

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) announces its next round of earnings this Tuesday, October 18, 2011. Here is Benzinga's everything-that-matters guide for this Tuesday's fourth quarter earnings announcement.

Earnings and Revenue:

Wall Street expects an EPS of $7.22/share and revenues of $29.24 billion. Apple's latest numbers will no doubt be compared with the company's year-ago quarter, when it reported a profit of $4.64/share on revenues of $20.34 billion. We'll know on Tuesday whether Apple has managed the estimated 55.6% increase in EPS and 43.8% rise in revenues on a year-over-year basis.

Here's how the company's reported EPS has stacked up against analyst estimates in the past:

Stock Performance:

Shares of Apple were trading at $402.19 as of October 12, 2011. Since January 1st, shares of Apple have given investors a return of 24.7%. For a full 12 months, the return has risen by 29.9%. 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 Apple is a Moderate Buy. The strength of this rating has declined slightly over the past three months.

Competitors:

Want to check out the performance of Apple closest competitors? Take a look at some of the company's peers in the information technology sector.

• Adobe Systems (NASDAQ: ADBE): Hold with a $0.44 recent quarter EPS
• Dell (NASDAQ: DELL): Hold with a $0.54 recent quarter EPS
• Google (NASDAQ: GOOG): Moderate Buy with a $7.66 recent quarter EPS
• Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HPQ): Hold with a $1.10 recent quarter EPS

The computers-microprocessors company's industry has seen price/earnings growth of 0.9% during the current fiscal year.

Finally, a description of the company's main areas of operation: Apple offers a range personal computers, mobile devices, and portable digital music and video players. The company also sells related software, services, peripherals, and networking solutions.

Take Action:

Now that you've gotten an advanced peak at Apple's upcoming earnings numbers, keep an eye out for any surprises in the report and be ready to take action. Also, check back in with us after the announcement for a full recap and a guide to your next steps.

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