Retailers Begin To Step Into Earnings Spotlight This Week

• Big retailers begin to report quarterly results this week, including J.C. Penney and Macy's.
• Other highlights will include reports from tech giants Applied Materials and Cisco Systems.
• Bottom line growth is expected from most of the week's other prominent reports.

If the current earnings season is beginning to wind down, then it must be time for the big retailers to start sharing their latest financial results. J C Penney Company Inc JCP and Macy's, Inc. M are among the first to step onto the earnings stage this week. Wall Street analysts are looking for a narrower net loss than a year ago from the former and an earnings decline from the latter. The week's other highlights will include the latest quarterly results from Applied Materials, Inc. AMAT and Cisco Systems, Inc. CSCO. Here, the consensus forecasts call for modest growth on the top and bottom lines for both tech giants. Below is a quick look at what is expected from these and a peek at some of the week's other most anticipated reports. See also: ICYMI: Berkshire Hathaway Just Reported Earnings Of $2,769 Per Share

Applied Materials

In its report late Thursday, this purveyor of semiconductor making equipment and services is expected to report that its earnings per share (EPS) came to $0.28 for the period that ended in October, according the consensus of nine Estimize estimates. That would be up just a penny from in the year-ago period. Revenue is expected to total $2.39 billion for the fiscal fourth quarter, which would be more than 5 percent higher, relative to the same period of last year. Wall Street analysts predict full-year revenue will be up about 6 percent year-over-year to $9.62 billion, with EPS about 9 percent higher to $1.18.

Cisco Systems

This San Jose-based networking giant will post earnings of $0.57 per share for its fiscal first quarter, if Estimize's consensus forecast is accurate. That would be up from $0.54 per share in the year-ago period. The Wall Street estimate is a penny less and is in line with company guidance. The 104 Estimize survey respondents see revenue for the three months that ended in October at about $12.70 billion. That likewise is higher than company guidance and Wall Street expectations. Watch for Cisco to reveal its latest financial results after Thursday's regular trading session concludes.

J.C. Penney

When this struggling retailer shares its results first thing Friday, the consensus of 45 Estimize estimates is that it will show a net loss of $0.55 per share. That would compare to the $0.77 per share net loss in the same period of last year. Note that the consensus Wall Street earnings estimate is -$0.59. Revenue for the three months that ended in October will be nearly 4 percent higher than a year ago to $2.86 billion, if Estimize is correct. That would be essentially flat sequentially. Wall Street is a bit more optimistic, with a $2.88 billion consensus revenue forecast for the fiscal third quarter.

Macy's

The third-quarter forecast for this Cincinnati-based department store operator calls for EPS to have drooped about 11 percent from in the year-ago period to $0.53, according to 23 Estimize respondents. Also, revenue is expected to have slipped marginally to $6.15 billion for the fiscal third quarter. The consensus Wall Street forecast for the three months that ended in October has EPS a penny higher while revenue is a tad lower. Both Wall Street and Estimize overestimated on the top and bottom lines in the previous period. Macy's is scheduled to release its results Wednesday before the opening bell. See also: This Sector Is Surging On The Possibility Of A December Rate Hike

And Others

Also this week, at least some growth in earnings is coming from Dish Network, D.R. Horton, Hertz Global, Priceline Group, Rackspace Hosting, TerraForm Power and Tyco International, if the analysts are correct. However, the consensus forecasts call for declining earnings from Petrobras and Viacom, as well as net losses from Kinross Gold, MannKind and SunEdison. Keep up with all the latest breaking news and trading ideas by following Benzinga on Twitter.