St. Jude Medical Earnings Preview: Analyts Expect Higher Earnings, Revenue from Prior Quarter

Get ready for St. Jude Medical STJ earnings! Don't be the last to know: The company announces its next round of earnings this Wednesday, July 20, 2011.

No time to prep before Wednesday's announcement? Don't worry. Here is your everything-that-matters guide to St. Jude Medical's second quarter earnings report.

Let's Do the Numbers:

Analysts are predicting a positive EPS reading of 84 cents per share and revenues of $1.45 billion. Can St. Jude Medical manage the estimated 104% rise in EPS and 111% increase in revenues as analysts are predicting? We'll have to wait until Wednesday to find out.

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

Quarter	Q1	Q4	Q3	Q2
EPS Estimate	$0.78	$0.74	$0.68	$0.73
EPS Actual	$0.80	$0.75	$0.72	$0.79

Stock Performance:

Shares of St. Jude Medical were trading at $45.55 as of July 14, 2011. Shares are up 7.5% year to date.

Average Stock Rating:

The average rating by analysts for St. Jude Medical is a Moderate Buy. The strength of this rating has crept upwards over the past three months.

Competitors:

Looking for a sympathy stock to trade or interested in the performance of other companies in the same sector? Take a look at some of St. Jude Medical'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
• Edwards Lifesciences EW: Hold with a $0.53 recent quarter EPS

Finally, a description of the main business areas of the company, in case you need a little refresher: St. Jude Medical develops, manufactures and distributes cardiovascular medical devices.

Take Action:

Now that you have reviewed all the numbers, be ready to move if the upcoming St. Jude Medical 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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