Earnings Preview: Dow Chemical Company Revenue Expected to Rise from Previous Quarter

Dow Chemical Company DOW announces its next round of earnings this Wednesday, July 27, 2011. Here is Benzinga's everything-that-matters guide for this Wednesday's second quarter earnings announcement.

Earnings and Revenue:

Wall Street expects a EPS of 80 cents per share and revenues of $14.75 billion. Investors will be keen to see how this quarter's numbers stack up against the year-ago quarter's positive EPS of 54 cents per share on revenues of $13.62 billion. We'll have to wait for Wednesday to see if Dow Chemical Company reports steady revenue and a rise in EPS from the year-ago quarter, as analysts are expecting.

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

Quarter	Q1	Q4	Q3	Q2
EPS Estimate	$0.67	$0.35	$0.41	$0.56
EPS Actual	$0.82	$0.47	$0.54	$0.54

Stock Performance:

At last check, shares of Dow Chemical Company were trading at $35.75. Shares are up 5.9% year to date. For a full 12 months, the return has risen by 21.8%. 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 Dow Chemical Company is a Hold. The strength of this rating has declined slightly over the past three months.

Competitors:

Want to check out the performance of Dow Chemical Company closest competitors? Take a look at some of the company's peers in the materials sector.

• Albemarle ALB: Moderate Buy with a $1.15 recent quarter EPS
• Ashland ASH: Moderate Buy with a $0.86 recent quarter EPS
• E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company DD: Moderate Buy with a $1.52 recent quarter EPS
• Eastman Chemical Company EMN: Moderate Buy with a $2.52 recent quarter EPS

The chemicals-diversified company's industry has seen price/earnings growth of 1.2% during the current fiscal year.

Finally, a description of the company's main areas of operation: Dow Chemical Company produces chemicals, plastic materials, agricultural, advanced materials and other products and services, including insurance.

Take Action:

That's your advanced look at Dow Chemical Company'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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