Earnings Preview: Walt Disney Company's EPS, Revenue Expected to Rise

Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) releases its next round of earnings this Thursday, November 10, 2011. Get prepared with Benzinga's ultimate preview for Walt Disney Company's fourth quarter earnings.

Earnings and Revenue:

Ahead of the company's earnings announcement, analysts are expecting a positive EPS reading of 55 cents/share and revenues of $10.36 billion. Walt Disney Company's latest numbers will no doubt be compared with the company's year-ago quarter, when it reported a profit of 45 cents/share on revenues of $9.74 billion. We'll have to wait for Thursday to see if the company has accomplished the estimated 22.2% rise in EPS and 6.4% 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:

Stock Performance:

At last check, shares of Walt Disney Company were trading at $34.76. Since January 1st, shares have declined 7.3%. For a full 12 months, the return has declined by 6.5%. Given that these returns are generally negative, long-term shareholders are probably a little upset going into this earnings release.

• Long-term shareholders are already wary of 12-month losses prior to the announcement

Average Stock Rating:

The average rating by analysts is a Hold. The strength of this rating has declined slightly over the past three months.

Competitors:

Want to check out the performance of Walt Disney Company closest competitors? Take a look at some of the company's peers in the consumer discretionary sector.

• CBS (NYSE: CBS): Moderate Buy with a $0.50 recent quarter EPS
• Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA): Moderate Buy with a $0.33 recent quarter EPS
• Entercom Communications (ETM): Moderate Buy with a $0.22 recent quarter EPS

The media conglomerate company's industry has seen price/earnings growth of 1.3% during the current fiscal year.

Finally, a description of the company's main areas of operation: Walt Disney is an entertainment company with operations in: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, and consumer products.

Take Action:

Now that you've gotten an advanced peak at Walt Disney Company's upcoming earnings numbers, keep an eye out for any surprises in the report and be ready to take action. Also, check back in with us after the announcement for a full recap and a guide to your next steps.

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