Top Earnings Previews For The Week Ahead (ATVI, HL, LDK, RAX, SLW, TSN, CSIQ, DF, HELE, JASO, MCP, STEC, DIS, WEN, MT, CSCO, M, SYMC, TEVA, TM, JWN, NVDA, SPWRA, URBN)

Earnings season is slowing down as we have over 80% of the S&P 500 companies having reported earnings for the first quarter of 2011.  We do still have key companies reporting earnings and we wanted to highlight these with detailed previews.  You will notice at the end that many solar companies are reporting earnings as well.

Our key earnings previews are in the following: Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI); Hecla Mining Co. (NYSE: HL); LDK Solar Co., Ltd. (NYSE: LDK); Rackspace Hosting Inc. (NYSE: RAX); Silver Wheaton Corporation (NYSE: SLW); Tyson Food, Inc. (NYSE: TSN); Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ); Dean Foods Co. (NYSE: DF); Helen of Troy Corporation (NASDAQ: HELE); JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: JASO); Molycorp Inc. (NYSE: MCP); STEC Inc. (NASDAQ: STEC); The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS); Wendy’s/Arby’s Group Inc. (NYSE: WEN); ArcelorMittal SA (NYSE: MT); Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO); Macy’s Inc. (NYSE: M); Symantec Corporation (NASDAQ: SYMC); Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ: TEVA); Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM); Nordstrom Inc. (NYSE: JWN); NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA); SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWRA); and Urban Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN).

We have provided more detailed previews on the major stocks and the sector-moving stocks and just added in color on the rest. Included on all are price action and Thomson Reuters estimates.

Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) follows EA and expectations will be high now that EA performed well this last week.  It reports on Monday after the Close of trading. Thomson Reuters has estimates of -$0.36 EPS and $515.06 million in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.15 EPS and $925.93 million in revenues. With shares at $21.78 late Friday the 52-week range is $14.06 to $22.17 and that $22.17 high was hit on Friday.

Hecla Mining Co. (NYSE: HL) will be key to watch after its big drop this last week.  It is due to report Monday morning. Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.13 EPS and $118.57 million in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.14 EPS and $124.43 million in revenues.

LDK Solar Co., Ltd. (NYSE: LDK) reports Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.85 EPS and $783.87 million in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.70 EPS and $801.64 million in revenues.  Shares were at $10.34 late Friday against a 52-week range of $4.97 to $15.10.

Rackspace Hosting Inc. (NYSE: RAX) reports Monday and Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.12 EPS and $226.26 million in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.13 EPS and $238.62 million in revenues. This will be one more high-flying cloud play on deck and with shares close to $43 late Friday its 52-week range is $15.15 to $46.49.  With a super-high earnings multiple and a very strong performance, we think it has to beat estimates and raise guidance.  If not, look out below.  Also the company has said it wants to remain independent.

Silver Wheaton Corporation (NYSE: SLW) reports Monday and it has been very volatile with silver this last week. Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.42 EPS and $199.23 million in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.51 EPS and $233.93 million in revenues.  Shares were close to $36.00 late on Friday and the 52-week range is $17.00 to $47.60.

Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) reports Monday and Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.43 EPS and $7.52 billion in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.47 EPS and $8.05 billion in revenues. With flooding this last week and a tornado swarm the prior week, investors will want to know more on its outlook. SHares were around $19.00 late Friday and the 52-week range is $14.59 to $20.12.

Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) reports Tuesday. Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.41 EPS and $423.49 million in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.39 EPS and $437.31 million in revenues. Shares were at $9.75 late Friday against a 52-week range of $8.99 to $17.63.

Dean Foods Co. (NYSE: DF) reports Tuesday morning. This one has recovered handily from its lows as the stock turnaround continues.  Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.06 EPS and $3.07 billion in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.13 EPS and $3.19 billion in revenues.  Shares were up at $11.20 late on Friday and the 52-week range is $7.13 to $15.28.  Imagine a 50% bounce from the lows in a milk company.

Helen of Troy Corporation (NASDAQ: HELE) reports Tuesday morning. Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.63 EPS and $235.13 million in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.76 EPS and $263.2 million in revenues. Shares are back up to $29.66 and the 52-week range is $21.00 to $32.95 and this has a very low earnings multiple compared to other consumer products companies.  We continue to see value here, particularly after its latest acquisition.  Hopefully this is not a value trap.

JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: JASO) reports Tuesday before the open. Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.32 EPS and $551.5 million in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.33 EPS and $572.82 million in revenues. Shares were at $6.18 late Friday against a 52-week range of $4.22 to $10.24.

Molycorp Inc. (NYSE: MCP) is due Tuesday after the close and if this high-flying rare earth stock is not one to watch then nothing else is either. Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.10 EPS and $41.68 million in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.40 EPS and $103.92 million in revenues. Our target remains that this continues to be a story for late-2011 (estimate is $1.77 EPS and $422.29 million in sales) and then in 2012 with estimates at $3.32 EPS and $674.99 million in sales.  This is now at a $5.7 billion market cap and the $69.35 price compares to a post-IPO range of $12.10 to $79.16. Volatility is Molycorp’s middle name.

STEC Inc. (NASDAQ: STEC) reports Tuesday after the close, Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.32 EPS and $91.59 million in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.31 EPS and $93.74 million in revenues. STEC is unimportant in the grand scheme of the market, but it is a flash solid-state drive maker and has long been considered a potential buyout candidate. At $20.20 late on Friday, the 52-week range is $10.63 to $25.44 and the market cap is right at $1 billion now.

The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) reports after the close of trading on Tuesday. Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.56 EPS and $9.13 billion in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.79 EPS and $10.63 billion in revenues. Shares were at $43.05 late on Friday and the 52-week range is $30.72 to $44.34.  This DJIA component continues to grow.

Wendy’s/Arby’s Group Inc. (NYSE: WEN) is due Tuesday… or is it Wendy’s Day? Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.02 EPS and $845.59 million in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.06 EPS and $895.06 million in revenues. This is a turnaround and restructuring stock so will be worth a watch.  At $4.91, its 52-week range is $3.83 to $5.32.

ArcelorMittal SA (NYSE: MT) reports early Wednesday. Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.48 EPS and $22.03 billion in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.90 EPS and $24.31 billion in revenues. Shares were $35.15 late on Friday and the 52-week range is $26.28 to $38.88.

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is due Wednesday after the close. This one will be key to watch as it has been in a quiet period.  We expect layoffs to be announced as part of the restructuring.  Around $17.54 late on Friday, its 52-week range is $16.52 to $26.80 and analysts have a mean target of about $22.50 on the stock now.  The only good news here is that estimates have come down enough that the bar is set rather low.  Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.37 EPS and $10.86 billion in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.42 EPS and $11.68 billion in revenues. Our caveat here is simple… Wall Street is fickle enough that John Chambers is going to have fight for his CEO life if the company is much more pessimistic than peers all over again for the coming year.  The good news about the Chambers ouster theory is that it is very possible he could hod on to the Chairman role and hand the CEO role over to a successor.

Macy’s Inc. (NYSE: M) is due Wednesday after the close.  Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.17 EPS and $5.81 billion in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.42 EPS and $5.73 billion in revenues. At $26.33 late on Friday, its 52-week range is $16.93 to $26.99. Watch for valuations here.

Symantec Corporation (NASDAQ: SYMC) is due Wednesday afternoon and this one is back at the top of a key long-term trading range that has been in place. At $19.42 late on Friday, the 52-week range here is $12.04 to $19.82.  The old rule has been to buy under $15 and sell as it gets close to $20, so we’ll see if it can finally change that.  Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.36 EPS and $1.6 billion in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.36 EPS and $1.55 billion in revenues.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ: TEVA) is due Wednesday morning, Thomson Reuters has estimates of $1.04 EPS and $4.26 billion in revenues; next quarter estimates are $4.52 billion EPS and $4.52 in revenues. Teva is at the lower end of its 52-week range and it is involved in an acquisition now.  Shares remain cheap, but the trading for the last half-year suggests there is a reason for that.  At $47.25 late on Friday, the 52-week range is $44.86 to $60.38.

Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM) is due Wednesday and of course we’ll be looking for more impact from the Japan catastrophe and more details on the wind-down of all those past recalls. Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.64 EPS and $63.42 billion in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.50 EPS and $64.13 billion in revenues. At $79.09 per ADR late on Friday, the 52-week range is $67.56 to $93.90 for the ADRs.

Nordstrom Inc. (NYSE: JWN) is due Thursday after the close.  Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.66 EPS and $2.2 billion in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.75 EPS and $2.62 billion in revenues. Shares were around $47.50 late Friday and the 52-week range is $28.44 to $48.70.

NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) is due Thursday after the close and we’ll be looking for more data on its expectations for sales of its new chips and processors.  Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.19 EPS and $946.89 million in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.24 EPS and $992.11 million in revenues.  Shares were at $19.38 late on Friday and the 52-week range is $8.65 to $26.17.

SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWRA) is due Thursday after the close. Thomson Reuters has estimates of $0.17 EPS and $482.19 million in revenues; next quarter estimates are $0.31 EPS and $600.32 million in revenues. The latest deal from Total has been a game-changing event.  Shares popped significantly on that.  The stock was at $21.40 late on Friday and the 52-week range is $9.61 to $22.60.

As a reminder, these are not the only earnings reports due and some of these dates and estimates may have already changed.

You are invited to join our free daily email distribution list to hear more about analyst upgrades and downgrades, top day trader and active trader alerts, dividend trends, news on Buffett and other investment gurus, IPOs, secondary offerings, private equity, and more.

JON C. OGG