Earnings Preview: CONSOL Energy's EPS, Revenue Expected to Rise

CONSOL Energy (NYSE: CNX) releases its next round of earnings this Thursday, October 27, 2011. Here is Benzinga's everything-that-matters guide for this Thursday's third quarter earnings announcement.

Earnings and Revenue:

Analysts are looking ahead to a positive EPS of 65 cents/share and revenues of $1.39 billion. CONSOL Energy's latest numbers will no doubt be compared with the company's year-ago quarter, when it reported a profit of 44 cents/share on revenues of $1.35 billion. We'll have to wait for Thursday to see if CONSOL Energy reports higher EPS and a slight increase in revenue from the year-ago quarter, as analysts are expecting.

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

Stock Performance:

Shares of CONSOL Energy were trading at $41.46 as of October 21, 2011. Since January 1st, shares of CONSOL Energy have declined 14.4%. For a full 12 months, the return has risen by 9.4%. 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 CONSOL Energy is a Moderate Buy. The strength of this rating has declined slightly over the past three months.

Competitors:

Wondering how CONSOL Energy compares to rivals in the same sector? Here are a few of the company's peers.

• Arch Coal (NYSE: ACI): Moderate Buy with a $0.44 recent quarter EPS
• Alliance Holdings GP, L.P (NASDAQ: AHGP): Moderate Buy with a $0.89 recent quarter EPS
• Alpha Natural Resources (NYSE: ANR): Moderate Buy with a $0.96 recent quarter EPS
• Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU): Moderate Buy with a $1.11 recent quarter EPS

CONSOL Energy is in the coal industry, which has experienced price/earnings growth of 4.4%.

Finally, a description of the company's main areas of operation: Consol Energy is a coal and gas energy producer and energy services provider that mainly serves the electric power generation industry in the United States.

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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