Top Earnings & Economic Previews For The Day Ahead (ANF, A, NILE, CLWR, CMCSA, NVDA, PCG, DVN, DE, GG, WFR, NTAP, TEVA)

Wednesday is a fairly busy day for earnings expectations.  We are expecting the following reports: Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF); Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: A); Blue Nile Inc. (NASDAQ: NILE); Clearwire Corporation (NASDAQ: CLWR); Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA); NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA); PG&E Corp. (NYSE: PCG); Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE: DVN); Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE); Goldcorp Inc. (NYSE: GG); MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. (NYSE: WFR); NetApp, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTAP); and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (NASDAQ: TEVA).  We have used the consensus estimate data from Thomson Reuters and compiled additional data on each.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) is expected to report $1.12 EPS on $1.33 billion in sales; shares are very close to 52-week lows and the downward channel in the chart continues.

Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: A) $0.69 EPS and $1.65 billion in sales.  Interestingly enough, this one was one of the stocks outperforming Apple so far in 2012.

Blue Nile Inc. (NASDAQ: NILE) $0.42 EPS on $123.17 million.

Clearwire Corporation (NASDAQ: CLWR) -$0.35 EPS and $356.72 million in sales; we will be watching closely for any discussions about funding its business plan.

Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) $0.41 EPS on $14.87 billion in sales; shares are very close to a 52-week high at $27.20 versus a high of $27.52.

NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) $0.19 EPS on $950.44 million in sales; expected 7% sales growth and a drop in earnings.  The most recent Rambus pact details may become more clear as those patent agreements were not disclosed.

PG&E Corp. (NYSE: PCG) $0.85 EPS on $3.49 billion in sales.  PG&E shares are off of highs more than other utilities in general and room for the 4.4% dividend to be discussed.

Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE: DVN) $1.48 EPS

Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) $1.23 EPS on $6.49 billion in sales; watch currency discussions for guidance ahead.

Goldcorp Inc. (NYSE: GG) is one of the top gold companies with a $36.5 billion market value.  Estimates are $0.60 EPS and $1.49 billion in revenue.

MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. (NYSE: WFR) is now down big again due to Energy Conversion Devices bankruptcy on fears that the solar sector is again going to crumble.  This has moved from a value stock to a value trap now that it is expected to lose money.  Estimates are -$0.06 EPS and $769.49 million in sales.

NetApp, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTAP) $0.58 EPS on $1.56 billion in sales; next quarter $0.63 EPS on $1.68 billion in sales; under $40 it is way under its 52-week high and now valued at only about 16.5-times fiscal April-2012 earnings estimates.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (NASDAQ: TEVA) is going to show whether or not generic ambitions can trump branded drugs.  The turnaround in the share price has just not materialized.   Estimates are $1.58 EPS and $5.63 billion in sales.

ECONOMIC DATA FOR WEDNESDAY:

• 8:30 AM EST Empire Manufacturing (Feb.)
• 9:15 AM EST January Industrial Production expected +0.6%
• 9:15 AM EST January Capacity Utilization expected 78.6%
• 10:00 AM EST NAHB optimism (Feb.)
• 10:00 Treasury’s Geithner testifies to House Ways & Means on 2013 budget
• 10:30 AM EST EIA Weekly Petroleum Inventory
• 2:00 PM EST FOMC Minutes

JON C. OGG