Earnings Preview: Analysts Expect CME Group Revenue, Earnings to Dip from Previous Quarter

CME Group CME unveils its next round of earnings this Thursday, July 28, 2011. Here is Benzinga's everything-that-matters guide for this Thursday's second quarter earnings announcement.

Earnings and Revenue:

Analysts are looking ahead to a positive EPS of $4.17 per share and revenues of $821.3 million. Whether the reported numbers beat or miss analysts' estimates, they will also be compared against last year's numbers for the same period, which were a profit of $4.42 per share on revenues of $813.9 million. We'll have to wait for Thursday to see if CME Group reports a decline in EPS and a boost in revenue from the year-ago quarter, as analysts are predicting.

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

Stock Performance:

As of July 22, 2011, CME Group's current share price was $285.70. Shares are down 10.3% year to date. For a full 12 months, the return has risen by 12.2%. 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 CME Group is a Moderate Buy. Over the past three months this rating's strength has declined slightly.

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 CME Group's peers.

• NYSE Euronext NYX: Hold with a $0.68 recent quarter EPS
• IntercontinentalExchange (ICE): Moderate Buy with a $1.77 recent quarter EPS
• MarketAxess Holdings (MKTX): Hold with a $0.27 recent quarter EPS
• NASDAQ OMX Group (NDAQ): Hold with a $0.61 recent quarter EPS

The securities exchanges 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: CME Group provides risk management and investment services to customers, including professional traders, financial institutions, investors, corps, manufacturers and governments.

Take Action:

Now that you've gotten an advanced peak at CME Group's upcoming earnings numbers, keep an eye out for any surprises in the report and be ready to take action. Also, check back in with us after the announcement for a full recap and a guide to your next steps.

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