Top Earnings Previews For The Rest Of The Week (AMD, F, FFIV, UNH, UNP, GOOG, APD, ARG, BAC, GE, SLB)

Earnings season is well under way now and we wanted to offer previews for the biggest impact stocks which have earnings on Thursday and Friday.  The remaining most important earnings we are tracking will be from Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NYSE: AMD), Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F), F5 Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV), UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH), Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP), Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), Air Products and Chemicals Inc. (NYSE: APD), Airgas, Inc. (NYSE: ARG), Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC), General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE), and Schlumberger Ltd. (NYSE: SLB).  We have added updated all consensus estimates and share price action that we have seen, and we have added in extra color if appropriate.

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NYSE: AMD) is due to report after the close of trading on Thursday and we’ll get to likely find out a lot more about Dirk Meyer’s sudden “amicable and mutual departure” from the company.  Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.11 EPS and $1.63 billion in revenues, and next quarter estimates are $$0.07 EPS and $1.54 billion in revenues.  Even with shares under $8.00, shares were under $6.00 back in September and shares were under $7.50 as recently as the start of December.  After the CEO departure, it is safe to assume that the whispers and unofficial estimates have been lowered rather than raised.

Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) is due Thursday morning as the poster-child of the turnaround in the U.S. auto sector.  It is safe to assume that Alan Mulally will be in his normal great mood.  Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.48 EPS and $30.57 billion in revenues.  What is interesting is that investors have lightened up on Wednesday as Ford is down close to 4% and back just under $18.00.  Analysts have a median price target of about $20.00 and it is going to take stellar earnings and guidance to appease some concerns over how much shares should have run up.

F5 Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV) was one we had expected Thursday but it reported earnings after the close on Wednesday and let’s just say that the drop in the after-hours on mixed guidance is awful due to it being such a high-flying stock with gains of about 200% over the last year.  Its $11.1 billion market cap and index-adds will have F5 and its network optimization technology under a larger focus now. Thomson Reuters had estimates of $0.83 EPS and $270.34 million in revenues.

On Thursday morning before the open comes the earnings report from the poster-child of U.S. healthcare via UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH).  The insurance giant just hit a new 52-week high of $41.02 this morning and that is almost a 2-year high.  The insurance giant is expected to post $0.84 EPS and $23.74 billion in revenues.  In case it offers longer-term guidance, estimates for 2011 are $3.74 EPS and $100.13 billion in revenues.

Transportation and rail shipping giant Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) reports earnings on Thursday.  Estimates are $1.48 EPS and $4.35 billion in revenues.  With shares around $97.00, the stock has risen from under $85.00 just 90 days ago and shares were under $70 last summer.  For the largest rail carrier to continue its surge, it will have outperform handily and show positive guidance ahead with the comments that it holds great visibility.

Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) reports Thursday after the closing bell.  Estimates are $8.07 EPS and $6.05 billion in revenues.  As a reminder, those revenues are ex-TAC revenues for traffic acquisition costs.  Google often holds back on formal guidance, but estimates for Q1-2011 are $7.97 EPS and $6.06 billion in revenues.  Shares are back above $630.00 but it hit a 52-week high of $642.96 on Wednesday.  That is up from under $560 at the end of November but it is not really up that much at all from 90-days ago.  Shares were trading down around $450 at the lows of the last summer.

Friday morning brings the perpetual merger story of both Air Products and Chemicals Inc. (NYSE: APD) and Airgas, Inc. (NYSE: ARG).  Air Products is expected to post $1.34 EPS and $2.35 billion in revenues.  Airgas is expected to report $0.79 EPS and $1.03 billion in revenues.  These would not be the most important earnings for the week if it were not for the never-ending merger saga.

Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC) is due Friday morning and estimates are $0.15 EPS and $24.98 billion in revenues.  Shares were back above $15.00 just recently but the bank has sold off to under $14.50 as the bank earnings reports so far have not inspired much buying.  Bank of America was flirting with $11.00 per share just at the end of November as its mortgage mess surfaced.  Shares would have to go up to $19 before it gets close to a 52-week high.

General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) is also due on Friday morning and earnings expectations for the conglomerate are $0.32 EPS and $39.9 billion in revenues.  For the Q1-2011 earnings, the estimates are $0.29 EPS and $33.75 billion in revenues.  GE shares were getting close to $19.00 but shares have pulled back marginally to $18.25.  The conglomerate was trading under $16.00 as recently as the end of November.

Schlumberger Ltd. (NYSE: SLB) will mark the beginning of the oil services companies with its earnings due Friday morning.  Estimates are $0.77 EPS and $8.70 billion in revenues.  Shares are above $86.75 a new 52-week high of $87.70 was put in on Wednesday.  It should be noted that Schlumberger’s stock has risen more than $20 per share in just the last quarter.

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JON C. OGG