Earnings Expectations for the Week of February 27

On the heels of last week's quarterly results from Walmart (NYSE: WMT), Home Depot (NYSE: HD), Macy's (NYSE: M) and many other retailers, this week will bring more earnings reports from shopping mall and strip mall standbys.

Auto parts and accessories purveyor AutoZone (NYSE: AZO) is expected to say Tuesday that its fiscal second-quarter earnings are 17.3% higher than a year ago to $4.04 per share. That estimate is up from $4.00 some 60 days ago. And revenues for the quarter are expected to have risen 7.0% to $1.8 billion. Analysts have underestimated AutoZone's EPS for more than ten quarters.

Fourth-quarter earnings from Big Lots (NYSE: BIG) are estimated to come to $1.73 per share on revenues of $1.7 billion. In the same quarter of last year, the Columbus, Ohio-based closeout store operator posted $1.66 per share and $1.5 billion. The full-year forecast has earnings up 4.4% to $2.96 per share and revenues 4.6% higher to $5.2 billion in Thursday's report. The EPS forecasts for both the quarter and the year have risen about a dime over the past 60 days.

Analysts expect Costco Wholesale's (NASDAQ: COST) fiscal second-quarter EPS will have risen eight cents year over year to $0.87 per share. But that is down a penny from the consensus forecast 60 days ago. And Costco has not topped EPS expectations in the past four quarters. The revenue forecast for the quarter calls for $22.8 billion, or 9.2% higher than in the same period of last year.

See also: Walmart Q4 Net Income Declines 15%

In Thursday's report, earnings from Foot Locker (NYSE: FL) are estimated to come to $0.51 per share for the fourth quarter and $1.77 per share for the full year. That would be a year-over-year rise from $0.39 and $1.10, respectively. Quarterly revenues are expected to total $1.5 billion, up 7.1%, as well as $5.6 billion for the year, or 10.9% higher. Analysts have underestimated EPS from this New York-based footwear retailer for the past six quarters.

Cincinnati-based supermarket store operator Kroger's (NYSE: KR) fourth-quarter earnings are forecast to be up three cents from a year ago to $0.49 per share. For the full-year, $2.00 EPS are predicted, or a 12.0% increase from the previous year. Both EPS estimates are the same as 60 days ago. Also, revenues are expected to be up 7.6% to $21.4 billion for the quarter and 10.0% higher to $90.4 billion for the full year.

The consensus forecast for big-box home improvement store operator Lowe's Companies (NYSE: LOW) calls for $0.24 per share earnings and revenues of $11.3 billion. That would be up from $0.21 and $10.5 billion in the fourth quarter of the previous year. Full-year earnings are predicted to be 11.1% higher to $1.62 per share and revenues to be up 2.2% to $49.9 billion in Monday's report. Analysts' forecasts have been within a penny or three of EPS results in the past eight quarters, but Lowe's fell short in one of those quarters.

See also: Home Depot Rises on Strong Q4 Results

On Wednesday, Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS) is expected to say that its fourth-quarter earnings totaled $0.40 per share on revenues of $6.5 billion. That would be up marginally from $0.39 and $6.4 billion in the same period of last year. Full-year earnings also are predicted to be a dime per share higher to $1.37 on revenues that are about the same as a year ago, or near $25 billion. Note that Staples fell short of EPS expectations in two of the past six quarters.

See also: OfficeMax Numbers Are Far From Stationary

Ascena Retail Group (NASDAQ: ASNA) (formerly Dress Barn), auto dealer Copart (NASDAQ: CPRT) and Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ) also are scheduled to report this week, and analysts are looking for EPS growth from them. But Collective Brands (NYSE: PSS), the footwear retailer, is expected to report a fourth-quarter net loss.

Here is a peek at what analysts expect from some other S&P 500 components reporting this week:

• Cablevision Systems (NYSE: CVC): Q4 EPS down 43.9% to $0.23 and sales down 10.0% to $1.7 billion
• CenterPoint Energy (NYSE: CNP): Q4 EPS down 9.5% to $0.19 and sales up 19.4% to $2.5 billion
• Ecolab (NYSE: ECL): Q4 EPS up 14.3% to $0.70 and sales up 24.5% to $1.9 billion
• Edison International (NYSE: EIX): Q4 EPS down 22.4% to $0.45 and sales up 3.8% to $3.2 billion
• El Paso (NYSE: EP): Q4 EPS up 31.0% to $0.29 and sales up 37.3% to $1.4 billion
• FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE): Q4 EPS up 6.6% to $0.76 and sales up 61.3% to $5.2 billion
• Integrys Energy (NYSE: TEG): Q4 EPS up 6.6% to $0.98 and sales up 35.0% to $1.7 billion
• Joy Global (NYSE: JOY): Q1 EPS up 28.9% to $1.35 and sales up 33.0% to $1.2 billion
• NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG): Q4 net loss of $0.49 per share and sales up 84.0% to $3.3 billion
• Priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN): Q4 EPS up 32.7% to $5.05 and sales up 32.4% to $967.9 million
• Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE): Q4 EPS down 10.2% to $1.06 and sales up 8.1% to $2.6 billion
• Southwestern Energy (NYSE: SWN): Q4 EPS up 32.7% to $0.47 and sales up 59.0% to $763.5 million
• Tenet Healthcare (NYSE: THC): Q4 EPS up 28.6% to $0.14 and sales up 4.5% to $2.4 billion