Constellation Brands Earnings Preview: Analysts Expect Falling Revenue, Rising EPS

Constellation Brands STZ unveils its next round of earnings this Thursday, October 6, 2011. Get prepared with Benzinga's ultimate preview for Constellation Brands' second quarter earnings.

Earnings and Revenue:

Ahead of the company's earnings announcement, analysts are expecting a positive EPS reading of 66 cents/share and revenues of $667.9 million. Constellation Brands' latest numbers will no doubt be compared with the company's year-ago quarter, when it reported a profit of 52 cents/share on revenues of $862.8 million. We'll have to wait for Thursday to see if Constellation Brands falls in line with analyst expectations and reports an increase in EPS and a slight decline in revenue from the year-ago quarter.

Here's how the company's reported EPS has stacked up against analyst estimates in the past:

Quarter	Q1	Q4	Q3	Q2
EPS Estimate	$0.37	$0.26	$0.61	$0.49
EPS Actual	$0.39	$0.35	$0.65	$0.52

Stock Performance:

At last check, shares of Constellation Brands were trading at $18. Since January 1st, shares of Constellation Brands have declined 18.7%. For a full 12 months, the return has risen by 7.9%. 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 for Constellation Brands is a Hold. 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 Constellation Brands' peers.

• Compania Cervecerias Unidas S.A. (ADR CCU: Moderate Buy with a $0.34 recent quarter EPS
• Fortune Brands FO: Hold with a $0.93 recent quarter EPS
• Diageo plc (ADR DEO: Moderate Buy

Finally, a description of the company's main areas of operation: Constellation Brands is a wine company with operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

Take Action:

Now that you're fully prepared, get ready to take quick action if the company reports any numbers significantly different from those listed above. Also, check back in with us after the announcement for a full recap and what-to-do-next guide.

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