Earnings Expectations for the Week of July 23 (MCD, AAPL, F, XOM)

The earnings crunch rolls on. Analysts are looking for strong earnings growth in this week's quarterly reports from Apple, Caterpillar, Starbucks and Visa. But ConocoPhillips, Ford and Netflix are among those expected to post significantly lower per-share earnings, compared to the same period of a year ago. Here is a day-by-day rundown of expectations for some of this week's most anticipated reports. Monday The forecast for McDonald's MCD has second-quarter earnings per share (EPS) just three cents higher than a year ago to $1.38. And revenue is expected to total $6.9 billion, which is about the same as a year ago. Note that the consensus EPS forecast has slipped from $1.42 in the past 60 days. Also on Monday, Hasbro HAS and Texas Instruments TXN are expected to post EPS that are more than 26 percent lower than a year ago, as well as lower revenue. EPS from Halliburton HAL are anticipated to be down less than 8 percent year over year. But the oilfield provider's revenue is expected to have jumped more than 17 percent. Tuesday Apple's AAPL third-quarter fiscal 2012 report will be the highlight on Tuesday. The consensus forecast calls for EPS of $10.35 on revenue of $37.2 billion. That would be up from $7.79 per share and $28.5 billion in the year-ago quarter. For the full year, analysts so far expect EPS to be about 19 percent higher and revenue to be up nearly 49 percent. Note that Apple fell short of EPS expectations in one of the past five quarters. EPS from ostensible economic bellwether United Parcel Service UPS are predicted to be about 8.5 percent higher year over year, while those of AT&T T and DuPont DD are more than 4.5 percent higher. Netflix NFLX, on the other hand, is expected to report that per-share earnings fell about 96 percent, despite a more than 12 percent rise in revenue. Aflac AFL, Norfolk Southern NSC, Reynolds American RAI and Rockwell Collins COL are expected to report earnings growth Tuesday. Lower EPS are anticipated from Lockheed Martin LMT and Whirlpool WHR. Wednesday Ford Motor F and PepsiCo PEP are scheduled to report second quarter results before the opening bell. The Big Three automaker is expected to report that EPS fell more than 42 percent to $0.28. Earnings from the soft drink and snack company are anticipated to be about 9 percent lower than a year ago to $1.10 per share. Revenue from both are predicted to have slipped as well. PepsiCo has not fallen short of estimates in recent quarters, but Ford has. Double-digit percentage year-over-year EPS growth is anticipated from Caterpillar CAT (to $2.28), Visa V (to $1.45) and Whole Foods Market WFM (to $0.61). But analysts foresee lower EPS from Boeing BA, Bristol-Myers Squibb BMY and ConocoPhillips COP. Revenue from Conoco is expect to have fallen about 86 percent. Others predicted to offer higher EPS Wednesday include Delta Air Lines DAL, WellPoint WLP and Wyndham Worldwide WYN. Year-over-year earnings declines are forecast for Corning GLW, Eli Lilly LLY, General Dynamics GD and Northrop Grumman NOC. Thursday Exxon Mobil XOM steps into the spotlight Thursday. Analysts are looking for earnings of $1.95 per share and revenue of $115.0 billion. That would be down from $2.18 per share on $125.5 billion in the same period of the previous year. The EPS estimate has also slipped from $2.09 some 60 days. And Exxon fell short of consensus estimates in two of the past four quarters. Year-over-year earnings growth of at least 8 percent is anticipated from Hershey HSY and Starbucks SBUX. But Amazon.com's AMZN profit is expected to have plunged about 95 percent despite a 30 percent rise in revenue. And Sprint Nextel S is expected to post another in a series of quarterly net losses stretching back to the beginning of 2008. Others predicted to report earnings growth on Thursday include Colgate-Palmolive CL, Covidien COV, Dr Pepper Snapple DPS, Kimberly-Clark KMB and Starwood Hotels & Resorts HOT. Per-share earnings from Raytheon RTN, New York Times NYT and United Technologies UTX are anticipated to be about the same as a year ago. But those from CME Group CME, Dow Chemical DOW, Noble Energy NBL and Occidental Petroleum OXY and forecast to be lower than a year ago. Friday Chevron CVX, like Exxon and Conoco, is expected to says that EPS are lower than a year ago, in this case by more than 16 percent. Per-share earnings from Newell Rubbermaid NWL are predicted to be the same as a year ago, though revenue has slipped by about 3 percent. Earnings and revenue growth are forecast for Newmont Mining NEM. And analysts expect Merck MRK to say that its Q2 EPS were about 6 percent higher while its revenue was flat year over year.