Earnings Preview: Praxair's EPS, Revenue Expected to Rise - Air Products & Chemicals (NYSE:APD)

Praxair PX releases its next round of earnings this Wednesday, October 26, 2011. Here's Benzinga's advanced look at Praxair's third quarter earnings report.

Earnings and Revenue:

Analysts are looking ahead to a positive EPS of $1.39/share and revenues of $2.83 billion. Praxair's latest numbers will no doubt be compared with the company's year-ago quarter, when it reported a profit of $1.21/share on revenues of $2.54 billion. We'll have to wait for Wednesday to see if Praxair has accomplished the estimated 14.9% rise in EPS and 11.4% increase 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:

Quarter	Q2	Q1	Q4	Q3
EPS Estimate	$1.37	$1.27	$1.23	$1.20
EPS Actual	$1.38	$1.29	$1.25	$1.21

Stock Performance:

At last check, shares of Praxair were trading at $101.55. Since January 1st, shares of Praxair have given investors a return of 8%. For a full 12 months, the return has risen by 15.7%. 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 Praxair is a Moderate Buy. This rating has strengthened slightly over the past ninety days.

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 Praxair's peers.

Air Products & Chemicals APD: Moderate Buy with a $1.46 recent quarter EPS
Airgas ARG: Moderate Buy with a $0.99 recent quarter EPS
Rentech (RTK): Hold with a $0.03 recent quarter EPS

The chemicals-diversified company's industry has seen price/earnings growth of 1.1% during the current fiscal year.

Finally, a description of the company's main areas of operation: Praxair produces and sells atmospheric, process and specialty gases, and high-performance surface coatings to industrial clients.

Take Action:

That's your advanced look at Praxair'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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