MetLife Earnings Preview: Analysts Expect Higher EPS, Revenue - Lincoln National (NYSE:LNC), CNO Finl Group (NYSE:CNO)

MetLife MET unveils its next round of earnings this Thursday, October 27, 2011. Get the latest predictions in Benzinga's essential guide to the company's third quarter earnings report.

Earnings and Revenue:

Analysts are predicting an EPS reading of $1.14/share and revenues of $16.49 billion. MetLife's latest numbers will no doubt be compared with the company's year-ago quarter, when it reported a profit of 99 cents/share on revenues of $12.98 billion. We'll know on Thursday whether MetLife has managed the estimated 15.2% increase in EPS and 27% rise 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:

Quarter	Q2	Q1	Q4	Q3
EPS Estimate	$1.11	$1.26	$1.10	$1.03
EPS Actual	$1.24	$1.33	$1.14	$0.99

Stock Performance:

As of October 21, 2011, MetLife's current share price was $33.51. Shares are down 24.6% year to date. For a full 12 months, the return has declined by 15.5%. 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 for MetLife is a Moderate Buy. Over the past three months this rating's strength has declined slightly.

Competitors:

Want to check out the performance of MetLife closest competitors? Take a look at some of the company's peers in the financials sector.

Conseco CNO: Hold with a $0.20 recent quarter EPS
Lincoln National LNC: Moderate Buy with a $1.09 recent quarter EPS

The insurance-multiline company's industry has seen price/earnings growth of 0.7% during the current fiscal year.

Finally, a description of the company's main areas of operation: MetLife provides individual insurance, employee benefits, and financial services.

Take Action:

There is your peek into MetLife'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.

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