Rising Expectations For Disney, Time Warner Earnings

• Several big media companies are on deck to share their latest results this week.
• Earnings estimates have been rising for two of the largest.
• But only one of them is expected to have strong top and bottom line results.

Though many blue chips have already reported their most recent quarterly results, the earnings season rolls on this week. Among the most anticipated reports are those expected from the media giants. From two of the biggest, Wall Street analysts are looking for strong results from Walt Disney Co DIS, but expectations are more muted for Time Warner Inc TWX. Yet earnings estimates have been rising for both of them in recently weeks, and both have exceeded those estimates in the past few quarters. Below is a quick look at what is expected from the reports of these two stocks. That is followed by a quick peek at some of the week's other most anticipated media earnings.

Disney

When the home of Mickey Mouse shares its results late Tuesday, the consensus forecast of Estimze calls for a profit of $1.46 per share for the fiscal first quarter. That would be up from earnings per share of $1.27 in the same period of last year. Earnings handily topped expectations in the past few quarters. Revenue for the three months that ended in December will be $15.43 billion, or up more than 10 percent year-over-year, if the 248 survey respondents are correct. Wall Street analysts are looking for just $14.76 billion for the quarter, as well as $55.99 billion (up more than 6 percent) for the year. See also: Coke And Pepsi Earnings Faceoff

Time Warner

Wall Street's fourth-quarter forecast for the owner of HBO and DC Comics calls for EPS to have inched up from $0.98 in the year ago period to $1.01. Some 21 Estimize respondents predict EPS will be $1.03. Note that both Wall Street and Estimize way underestimated EPS in the past three quarters. Revenue fell a bit short of the Estimize consensus in the previous period, and this time the respondents are looking for about $7.57 billion, a bit higher than the $7.53 billion Wall Street expects. Both estimates are up marginally year-over-year. The company is scheduled to report before Wednesday's opening bell.

And Others

Also scheduled to take their turns in the earnings spotlight this week are old-school media giants CBS, Twenty-First Century Fox and Viacom. Of these three, only CBS is forecast to have year-on-year earnings growth. New media darling Twitter is expected to report that its per-share earnings were the same as in the year ago period. Check back soon for an in-depth preview on the beleaguered social media company. At the time of this writing, the author had no position in the mentioned equities. Keep up with all the latest breaking news and trading ideas by following Benzinga on Twitter.