BB&T Earnings Preview: Analysts Expect Falling Revenue, Rising EPS
BB&T (NYSE: BBT) releases its next round of earnings this Thursday, October 20, 2011. Here's Benzinga's essential guide to BB&T's third quarter earnings report.
Earnings and Revenue:
Analysts are predicting an EPS reading of 49 cents/share and revenues of $2.18 billion. BB&T's latest numbers will no doubt be compared with the company's year-ago quarter, when it reported a profit of 30 cents/share on revenues of $2.42 billion. We'll have to wait for Thursday to see if BB&T 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 | Q2 | Q1 | Q4 | Q3 |
| EPS Estimate | $0.43 | $0.31 | $0.26 | $0.26 |
| EPS Actual | $0.44 | $0.32 | $0.30 | $0.30 |
Stock Performance:
At last check, shares of BB&T were trading at $22.54. Since January 1st, shares of BB&T have declined 12.1%. For a full 12 months, the return has risen by 2.5%. 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 BB&T is a Hold. Over the past three months this rating's strength has declined slightly.
Competitors:
Wondering how BB&T compares to rivals in the same sector? Here are a few of the company's peers.
- Bank of America (NYSE: BAC): Hold with a -$0.90 recent quarter EPS
- First Citizens BancShares (NASDAQ: FCNCA): Strong Buy with a $2.04 recent quarter EPS
- First Horizon National (NYSE: FHN): Hold with a $0.16 recent quarter EPS
The banks-major regional 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: BB&T is a financial holding company which, through its subsidiary Branch Banking and Trust, provides a range of banking services and loans to individuals and businesses.
Take Action:
Now that you're fully prepared, get ready to take quick action if the company reports any numbers significantly different from those listed above. Also, check back in with us after the announcement for a full recap and what-to-do-next guide.
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