Earnings Preview: Bank of America Earnings Expected to Increase Over Last Quarter

Bank of America BAC earnings are coming up! Don't miss out: The company unveils its next round of earnings this Tuesday, July 19, 2011.

Need to cram before Tuesday's earnings release? We've got just the thing. Here's an advanced look at Bank of America's second quarter earnings report.

Let's Do the Numbers:

Based on estimates, investors are readying for a negative EPS reading of 91 cents per share and revenues of $25.92 billion. We'll have to wait for Tuesday to see if Bank of America falls in line with analyst expectations and reports an estimated increase in both EPS and revenue from the year-ago quarter.

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

Quarter	Q1	Q4	Q3	Q2
EPS Estimate	27 cents	19 cents	16 cents	23 cents
EPS Actual	17 cents	4 cents	27 cents	27 cents

Stock Performance:

Shares of Bank of America were trading at $10.20 as of July 13, 2011. Shares are down 23.4% year to date. For a full 12 months, the return has declined by 24.4%. Given that these returns are generally negative, long-term shareholders are probably a little upset going into this earnings release.

• Long-term shareholders are already wary of 12-month losses prior to the announcement

Average Stock Rating:

The average rating by analysts for Bank of America is a Hold.

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 Bank of America's peers.

• American Express Company AXP: Moderate Buy with a $0.97 recent quarter EPS
• Citigroup C: Moderate Buy with a $1.0 recent quarter EPS
• Goldman Sachs Group GS: Moderate Buy with a $1.56 recent quarter EPS

Bank of America is in the banks industry, which has experienced price/earnings growth of 0.1%.

Finally, a description of the main business areas of the company, in case you need a little refresher: Bank of America is a bank holding and a financial holding company which, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and other financial services and products to customers in the United States and abroad.

Take Action:

That's your advanced look at Bank of America's upcoming earnings numbers -- be ready to take quick action if the company's report contains any surprises. Also, check back in with us after the announcement for a full recap and what-to-do-next guide.

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