Top 10 Earnings Previews For Early This Coming Week (CHTR, DNDN, LOW, PCLN, AZO, EP, FSLR, TECD, RIG, VSI)

Earnings season is mostly behind us, but we do have some sector-moving earnings next week.  For Monday, the top earnings are from Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR), Dendreon Corporation (NASDAQ: DNDN), Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW), and priceline.com Incorporated (NASDAQ: PCLN).  Tuesday’s top earnings for traders will be from the following: AutoZone Inc. (NYSE: AZO), El Paso Corporation (NYSE: EP), First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR), Tech Data Corporation (NASDAQ: TECD), Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG), and Vitamin Shoppe Inc. (NYSE: VSI).

We have compiled earnings estimates using Thomson Reuters consensus targets and have added color if applicable.

Monday, February 27

Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR) has estimates of -$0.32 EPS and $1.83 billion in revenue.  Shares hit a new post-restructuring high on Friday and are up over 50% from the 52-week lows.

Dendreon Corporation (NASDAQ: DNDN) has estimates of -$0.23 EPS and $119.8 million in revenue.  Shares are back up around $15.00, still above the mean consensus target of $12.82 from analysts but still down less than half from its 52-week high and up over 100% from its 52-week low.  This is all about the adoption of PROVENGE from doctors and it is expected to be getting back on track.  Watch guidance closely.  2102 estimates are -$1.61 EPS on $392.6 million in sales.

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) has estimates of $0.24 EPS and $11.34 billion in revenue.  Home Depot already laid the path here with earnings.  Shares are within 5% or so of a 52-week high after pulling back about $1.00 this last week after Home Depot’s earnings.

priceline.com Incorporated (NASDAQ: PCLN) has estimates of $5.05 EPS and $968.3 million in revenue. Next quarter estimates are $3.73 EPS and $1.02 billion in sales.  This company is now entering the area of its business cycle that analysts are going to be expecting $1 billion in sales per quarter.

Tuesday, February 28

AutoZone Inc. (NYSE: AZO) has estimates of $4.04 EPS and $1.78 billion in revenue.  Another high-priced $300+ stock challenging all-time highs.

El Paso Corporation (NYSE: EP) has estimates of $0.29 EPS and $1.35 billion in revenue.

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) has estimates of $1.55 EPS and $782.22 million in revenue.  For the following quarter the estimates are $0.77 EPS and $789.3 million in sales.  For 2012, estimates are for earnings top drop on sales growth of 31% to $3.78 billion.  Can you say ‘endless margin compression’ fast enough?  Shares are down about 75% or more from the 52-week high.

Tech Data Corporation (NASDAQ: TECD) has estimates of $1.66 EPS and $7.16 billion in revenue.  All technology companies who ship out products to retail and wholesale channels will watching.

Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) has estimates of $0.21 EPS and $2.32 billion in revenue.

Vitamin Shoppe Inc. (NYSE: VSI) has estimates of $212.67 million in revenue.  This one might not sound like much with a $1.26 billion value, but many downstream and upstream companies will be watching.

More previews will be coming for those reports coming Wednesday through Friday after the week gets underway.

As a reminder, some estimates and dates may change or may have already changed.

JON C. OGG