ITG Investment Analyst Previews Wal-Mart's Earnings

ITG Investment Research Analyst John Tomlinson told Benzinga that he expects Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. WMT to report a relatively in-line fourth quarter results on Thursday before market open.

Tomlinson siad that overall, sales trends on the domestic side are expected to be in-line with a same-store sales growth of 0.7 percent at Wal-Mart and 1.5 percent comps at Sam's Club, excluding the impact of gas. His estimates are in-line with the general Street expectations.

Tomlinson, however, said that his international assumptions are higher due to the stronger U.S. dollar. As a result, the analyst suggested that the earnings per share consensus estimate of $1.54 may prove to be "on the high end."

The analyst also noted that the stock's movement will also be determined by management's outlook on the U.S. business (including how the low end consumer is reacting to lower oil prices) as well as the company's guidance for 2015 or fiscal 2016.

Jayson Derrick and Brianna Valleskey contributed to this report.