Symantec (NASDAQ: SYMC) announces its next round of earnings this Wednesday, July 27, 2011. Here's Benzinga's advanced look at Symantec's first quarter earnings report.

Earnings and Revenue:

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

Stock Performance:

Shares of Symantec were trading at $19.03 as of July 21, 2011. Since January 1st, shares of Symantec have given investors a return of 13.7%. For a full 12 months, the return has risen by 22.7%. 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 Symantec is a Moderate Buy. The strength of this rating has declined slightly over the past three months.

Competitors:

Wondering how some of the other information technology companies are doing? Here are a few of Symantec's peers in that sector.

Symantec is in the computer software industry, which has experienced price/earnings growth of 3.6%.

Finally, a description of the company's main areas of operation: Symantec provides security, storage and systems management solutions to help businesses and consumers secure and manage their information.

Take Action:

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

• To see up-to-date news on Symantec, click here
• To see other trading ideas, click here
• To see other company earnings recaps, click here