Liberty Media Earnings Preview: Analysts Expect Rising Revenue, Falling EPS

Liberty Media LINTA releases its next round of earnings this Tuesday, November 8, 2011. Here's Benzinga's essential guide to Liberty Media's third quarter earnings report.

Earnings and Revenue:

Ahead of the company's earnings announcement, analysts are expecting a positive EPS reading of 14 cents/share and revenues of $2.1 billion. Liberty Media's latest numbers will no doubt be compared with the company's year-ago quarter, when it reported a profit of 17 cents/share on revenues of $1.97 billion. We'll have to wait for Tuesday to see if the company reports a decline in EPS and a boost in revenue from the year-ago quarter, as analysts are predicting.

Stock Performance:

At last check, shares of Liberty Media were trading at $16.05. Shares are up 1.8% year to date. For a full 12 months, the return has risen by 3.7%. 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 is a Moderate Buy. This rating has remained steady over the past ninety days.

Competitors:

Wondering how some of the other consumer discretionary companies are doing? Here are a few of Liberty Media's peers in that sector.

• CBS CBS: Moderate Buy with a $0.58 recent quarter EPS
• Discovery Communications (DISCA): Hold with a $0.59 recent quarter EPS
• Liberty Media (LCAPA): Moderate Buy with a $0.27 recent quarter EPS

The cable TV company's industry has seen price/earnings growth of 1.2% during the current fiscal year.

Finally, a description of the company's main areas of operation: Liberty Media is engaged in the video and on-line commerce, media, communications, and entertainment industries. .

Take Action:

Now that you've gotten an advanced peak at Liberty Media'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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