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

It's time to get ready for Danaher DHR earnings! Don't be caught off-guard: The company releases its next round of earnings this Thursday, July 21, 2011.

Want to get all the facts ahead of this Thursday's announcement? We thought so. Here's an advanced look at Danaher's second quarter earnings report.

Let's Do the Numbers:

Ahead of the company's earnings announcement, analysts are expecting a positive EPS reading of 67 cents per share and revenues of $3.53 billion. We'll know on Thursday whether Danaher has managed the estimated 119% increase in EPS and 107% rise in revenues on a year-over-year basis.

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

Quarter	Q1	Q4	Q3	Q2
EPS Estimate	$0.57	$0.66	$0.55	$0.53
EPS Actual	$0.61	$0.67	$0.60	$0.56

Stock Performance:

At last check, shares of Danaher were trading at $52.62. Shares are up 11.6% year to date. For a full 12 months, the return has risen by 27%. 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 Danaher is a Moderate Buy. This rating hasn't budged over the past three months.

Competitors:

Want to check out the performance of Danaher closest competitors? Take a look at some of the company's peers in the industrials sector.

Ametek AME: Moderate Buy with a $0.57 recent quarter EPS
Agilent Technologies (A): Strong Buy with a $0.74 recent quarter EPS
Align Technology (ALGN): Moderate Buy with a $0.21 recent quarter EPS

Finally, a description of the main business areas of the company, in case you need a little refresher: Danaher designs and manufactures professional, medical, industrial and consumer products.

Take Action:

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