Earnings Expectations for the Week of December 10

There will not be much on the earnings front this week to distract from the wrangling over the so-called fiscal cliff and debt ceiling, as well as the Federal Reserve's latest rate decision and any changes to quantitative easing. The only S&P 500 components on deck to share their most recent quarterly reports are Adobe Systems

, Costco Wholesale

, Dollar General

and Joy Global

. Here is a quick look at what analysts expect from these and a few of the week's other most prominent earnings reports:

This San Jose-based software company is expected to report Thursday afternoon that for its fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 it had a profit of $0.57 per share. That compares to earnings of $0.67 per share in the same period in the previous year. Analysts on average expect quarterly revenues to total $1.10 billion, which would be down more than four percent from a year ago. The full-year forecast calls for EPS down marginally to $2.32 on revenues that are more than three percent higher to $4.35 billion.

First-quarter fiscal 2013 earnings from this warehouse retailer are expected to come to $0.93 per share, on revenues of $23.66 billion. In the same quarter of the previous year, the company matched EPS estimates when it posted $0.80 per share and $21.63 billion in sales. Analysts have underestimated Costco's per-share earnings in the past three quarters. For the current quarter, sequential and year-over-year growth of EPS and revenue is forecast. Costco is scheduled to share its results Wednesday before the opening bell.

For the third quarter of fiscal 2012, this Tennessee-based variety store operator is forecast to post earnings of $0.60 per share, while revenues totaled $3.96 billion. The consensus EPS estimate has not changed in the past 60 days. In the same quarter of last year, the company reported better-than-expected EPS of $0.50 per share and $3.60 billion in revenue. And for the current quarter, sequential and year-over-year growth of EPS and revenue is expected. Dollar General is due to share its results on Tuesday.

In its Thursday morning report, this residential home builder is expected report a net loss of $0.06 per share for its fiscal fourth quarter. That compares to a net loss of $0.90 per share in the year-ago quarter. The full-year EPS estimate of $0.09 compares to a net loss of $2.85 per share in the previous year. Hovnanian Enterprises'

fourth-quarter revenues are expected to total $461.11 million, which would be about 35 percent higher than a year ago, while analysts predict that full-year sales will total $1.45 billion, or about 28 percent higher.

Fourth-quarter fiscal 2012 earnings from this Milwaukee-based mining equipment maker are forecast to come to $1.91 per share, while revenues totaled $1.42 billion. In the same quarter of last year, the company missed EPS estimates when it posted $1.83 per share and $1.34 billion in sales. The full-year forecast calls for EPS up more than 16 percent to $7.11 on revenues that are more than 24 percent higher to $5.49 billion. Neither the quarterly nor full-year EPS estimates have changed in the past 60 days. Joy Global steps into the earnings spotlight Wednesday morning.

In its report Thursday afternoon, industrial equipment maker Nordson

is expected to say earnings rose more than 16 percent from a year ago to $1.03 per share for its fiscal fourth quarter. That consensus estimate has not changed in the past 60 days. Quarterly revenues are forecast to total $418.02 million, which would be more than 26 percent higher than a year ago. For the full year, analysts are looking for $3.54 per share on $1.39 billion in revenue. That would be up from $3.27 per share and $1.23 billion in the previous year.

VeriFone

provides electronic payment systems and is expected to report Thursday that its fourth-quarter fiscal 2012 earnings were $0.76 per share, which would be up from $0.53 per share a year ago. Full-year EPS are forecast to be about 30 percent higher to $2.74. Analysts are looking for revenue of $495.20 million for the quarter and $1.89 billion for the year. That would be up more than 20 percent and almost 45 percent, respectively.