On Friday, July 23, American Express (NYSE:AXP) will release its latest earnings report. Benzinga's report can help you figure out the ins and outs of the earnings release.

What Are Earnings, Net Income, And Earnings Per Share?

Earnings and EPS are useful metrics of profitability. Total earnings also known as net income is equal to total revenue minus total expenses. Dividing net income by the total number of shares outstanding yields EPS.

Earnings And Revenue

Based on management's projections, American Express analysts model for earnings of $1.58 per share on sales of $9.54 billion. In the same quarter last year, American Express posted EPS of $0.29 on sales of $7.67 billion.

What Are Analyst Estimates And Earnings Surprises, And Why Do They Matter?

The Wall Street estimate would represent a 444.83% increase in the company's earnings. Revenue would be up 24.3% from the year-ago period. Here is how the American Express's reported EPS has stacked up against analyst estimates in the past:

Want Real-Time Earnings Calendar Updates?

Benzinga consistently updates its earnings calendars to stay up-to-date with the latest company earnings reports. Check out the full earnings calendar list updated in real-time by following this link.

Stock Performance

Shares of American Express were trading at $172.51 as of July 21. Over the last 52-week period, shares are up 81.33%. Given that these returns are generally positive, long-term shareholders are probably satisfied going into this earnings release.

Do not be surprised to see the stock move on comments made during its conference call. American Express is scheduled to hold the call at 08:30:00 ET and can be accessed here.