Earnings Preview: Procter & Gamble Company's EPS, Revenue Expected to Rise

Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG) announces its next round of earnings this Thursday, October 27, 2011. Here's Benzinga's essential guide to Procter & Gamble Company's first quarter earnings report.

Earnings and Revenue:

Analysts are looking ahead to a positive EPS of $1.03/share and revenues of $21.55 billion. Procter & Gamble Company's latest numbers will no doubt be compared with the company's year-ago quarter, when it reported a profit of $1.02/share on revenues of $20.12 billion. We'll have to wait for Thursday to see if the company has accomplished the estimated 1% rise in EPS and 7.1% 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:

Stock Performance:

At last check, shares of Procter & Gamble Company were trading at $64.51. Shares are up 3.5% year to date. For a full 12 months, the return has risen by 5.6%. 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 is a Moderate Buy. 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 Procter & Gamble Company's peers.

• Church & Dwight (NYSE: CHD): Hold with a $0.57 recent quarter EPS
• Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE: CL): Hold with a $1.26 recent quarter EPS
• Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX): Hold with a $1.29 recent quarter EPS

The soap and cleaning products company's industry has seen price/earnings growth of 1.8% during the current fiscal year.

Finally, a description of the company's main areas of operation: Procter & Gamble sells and markets consumer products such as pharmaceuticals, cleaning supplies, personal care, and pet supplies in more than 180 countries.

Take Action:

Now that you have reviewed all the numbers, be ready to move if the upcoming Procter & Gamble Company earnings report has any surprises. Also, come back to Benzinga after the announcement for a full recap and a guide to your next steps.

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