Consolidated Edison Earnings Preview: Analysts Expect Higher EPS, Revenue

Consolidated Edison ED announces its next round of earnings this Tuesday, November 1, 2011. Here is Benzinga's everything-that-matters guide for this Monday's third quarter earnings announcement.

Earnings and Revenue:

Wall Street expects an EPS of $1.33/share and revenues of $3.98 billion. Consolidated Edison's latest numbers will no doubt be compared with the company's year-ago quarter, when it reported a profit of $1.32/share on revenues of $3.71 billion. We'll have to wait for Monday to see if the company has accomplished the estimated 0.8% rise in EPS and 7.3% 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 Consolidated Edison were trading at $58.82. Shares are up 22.8% year to date. For a full 12 months, the return has risen by 22.5%. 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 is a Moderate Sell. The strength of this rating has stayed consistent over the past three months.

Competitors:

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

• Avista AVA: Hold with a $0.39 recent quarter EPS
• CH Energy Group CHG: Hold with a $0.38 recent quarter EPS
• CMS Energy CMS: Moderate Buy with a $0.26 recent quarter EPS
• FirstEnergy FE: Moderate Buy with a $0.64 recent quarter EPS

The utility-electric power company's industry has seen price/earnings growth of 28% during the current fiscal year.

Finally, a description of the company's main areas of operation: Consolidated Edison provides electric, gas, and steam utility services to customers through its subsidiaries.

Take Action:

There is your peek into Consolidated Edison's upcoming earnings numbers, including some competitors to watch around the time of the announcement. Check back in with us after the announcement for a full recap. In the meantime, here are some links to explore today.

• To see up-to-date news on Consolidated Edison, click here
• To see other trading ideas, click here
• To see other company earnings recaps, click here