Earnings Preview: Edwards Lifesciences Revenue Expected to Rise

It's time to gear up for Edwards Lifesciences EW earnings! Keep your head in the game: The company releases its next round of earnings this Thursday, July 21, 2011.

Want to skip the homework and get all the facts in one place? We thought so. Here is your everything-that-matters guide for this Thursday's second quarter earnings announcement.

Let's Do the Numbers:

Wall Street expects a positive EPS reading of 50 cents per share and revenues of $424.6 million. We'll know on Thursday whether Edwards Lifesciences has managed the estimated 105% increase in EPS and 116% rise in revenues on a year-over-year basis.

Here's how the company's reported EPS has stacked up against analyst estimates in the past:

Quarter	Q1	Q4	Q3	Q2
EPS Estimate	$0.42	$0.53	$0.42	$0.44
EPS Actual	$0.53	$0.55	$0.43	$0.46

Stock Performance:

Shares of Edwards Lifesciences were trading at $88.94 as of July 15, 2011. Shares are up 10% year to date. For a full 12 months, the return has risen by 33.1%. Given that these returns are generally positive, long-term shareholders are probably satisfied going into this earnings release.

• Long-term shareholders are already enjoying 12-month gains prior to the announcement

Average Stock Rating:

The average rating by analysts for Edwards Lifesciences is a Hold. Over the past three months this rating's strength has declined slightly.

Competitors:

Wondering how Edwards Lifesciences compares to rivals in the same sector? Here are a few of the company's peers.

• C.R. Bard BCR: Hold with a $1.51 recent quarter EPS
• Boston Scientific BSX: Hold with a $0.14 recent quarter EPS

Finally, a description of the main business areas of the company, in case you need a little refresher: Edwards Lifesciences is a provider of products and technologies designed to treat advanced cardiovascular disease. Its products are categorized into four main areas: Heart Valve Therapy; Critical Care; Cardiac Surgery Systems; and Vascular.

Take Action:

Now that you have reviewed all the numbers, be ready to move if the upcoming Edwards Lifesciences earnings report has any surprises. Also, come back to Benzinga after the announcement for a full recap and a guide to your next steps.

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