Top Earnings Previews For Thursday (ATVI, BG, CBOE, DNKN, EXPE, LNKD, MPEL, NUAN, PEP, PBR, PM, RSG, SIRI, SON, TDC)

This week should be the last waves of the normalized quarterly earnings reports for companies with December 31 quarter-end dates.  We are also starting to get a few of the first waves of the earnings reports from companies with off-normal quarter-ends.  Wednesday is going to be another busy day with many earnings.  The earnings previews are for the following: Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI); Bunge Ltd. (NYSE: BG); Carbonite Inc. (NASDAQ: CARB); CBOE Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: CBOE); Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc. (NASDAQ: DNKN); Expedia Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE); LinkedIn Corporation (NYSE: LNKD); Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. (NASDAQ: MPEL); Nuance Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN); PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE: PEP); Petroleo Brasileiro (NYSE: PBR); Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE: PM); Republic Services Inc. (NYSE: RSG); Sirius XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI); Sonoco Products Co. (NYSE: SON); and Teradata Corporation (NYSE: TDC).

We have compiled earnings preview on each company using Thomson Reuters consensus estimates and added color on each if applicable.  Some of these are market moving, some are sector moving, and some are just interesting for traders to watch around the earnings reports.

Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) estimates are $0.56 EPS and $2.2 billion in revenues. At $12.55, the maker of World of Warcraft has been very range bound.

Bunge Ltd. (NYSE: BG) estimates are $1.57 EPS and $13.73 billion in revenues.

Carbonite Inc. (NASDAQ: CARB) estimates are -$0.23 EPS and $16.78 million in revenues. This will be a first real look of a full quarter and unfortunately this one has been cut in half as investors have tempered expectations for the personal data backup service provider.

CBOE Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: CBOE) estimates are $0.35 EPS and $121.55 million in revenues. This one has a restructuring freshly announced and that may cloud the guidance or the report.

Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc. (NASDAQ: DNKN) estimates are $0.28 EPS and $160.06 million in revenues.  Another fresh IPO with a first full quarterly report is coming.

Expedia Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE) estimates are $0.54 EPS and $812.66 million in revenues.  This stock is still down by almost half from its 2011 high.

LinkedIn Corporation (NYSE: LNKD) estimates are $0.07 EPS and $159.72 million in revenues.  This has traded all over and the post IPO range is $55.98 to $122.70.

Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. (NASDAQ: MPEL) estimates are $0.16 EPS and $970.66 million in revenues.  Melco has recovered from the lows of under $8 in the 2011 sell-off but the pre-dump path had this one headed to well over $15.00.  At $11.60 ahead of the report, analysts see a target of $14.88 as consensus.

Nuance Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) estimates are $0.36 EPS and $386.2 million in revenues.  By powering the Siri search on the iPhone, investors have been invigorated here.  Some investors (well, speculators) are hoping it gets acquired.  Shares are near an all-time high but this one now trades at “only” 18-times fiscal September 2012 earnings estimates despite stock screeners still showing Nuance as trading with a P/E ratio in the triple-digits on a net earnings per share basis.

PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE: PEP) follows Coca-Cola after it reported earlier this week.  Estimates are $1.13 EPS and $19.91 billion in revenues.  As a reminder, many Pepsi investors have been wanting more and the Pepsi share performance has been lacking.

Petroleo Brasileiro (NYSE: PBR), or Petrobras, will be converted from Reals and estimates are $0.86 EPS.  This one never has recovered from its massive government share sale.

Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE: PM) will have massive currency fluctuations because its operations are all ex-U.S. operations.  Estimates are $1.09 EPS and $7.38 billion in revenues.

Republic Services Inc. (NYSE: RSG) estimates are $0.45 EPS and $2.02 billion in revenues.

Sirius XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) is always a gamble because the massive float keeps the earnings always around a tiny figure per share.  Estimates are $0.01 EPS and $785.49 million in revenues.  If we are really going to get an explosive auto market later on in 2012, SIRIUS XM stands to win.

Sonoco Products Co. (NYSE: SON) estimates are $0.46 EPS and $1.13 billion in revenues.

Teradata Corporation (NYSE: TDC) estimates are $0.62 EPS and $639.38 million in revenues. Some have considered this a special situation stock.