The Fool's Look Ahead

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Monday
The new trading week kicks off with Hastings Entertainment posting its quarterly report. The retailer is too small to be considered a bellwether, but the numbers may be useful to anyone with investments in the entertainment industry. Hastings stores do it all: sell movies, video games, and CDs, and rent DVDs. The chain typically breaks down all of its categories, so you get a reasonable portrait across many industries.

Tuesday
We will hear from discounters moving in different directions. Wall Street expects Target (NYSE: TGT) to post a drop in quarterly profitability. TJX (NYSE: TJX), on the other hand, is projected to post a 43% spike in earnings.

You didn't think that Target would be the laggard, did you?

Wednesday
If you're applauding the recent months of rallying markets, can you imagine the keg stands in the mutual fund industry? Asset bases shrank last year, given the one-two punch of falling stock prices and fund redemptions.

The industry isn't back yet. It is predicted that Eaton Vance (NYSE: EV) will deliver earnings of $0.27 a share on Wednesday, a lot less than the $0.40 a share it earned a year ago. The firm's near-term outlook will be the real meat of the report.

Thursday
A mall full of retailers will report on this day. Ross Stores (Nasdaq: ROST) will serve up yet another snapshot of discounted apparel. Zumiez (Nasdaq: ZUMZ) and Gap (NYSE: GPS) will provide a glimpse of mall-based specialty retail.

Investors are welcome to do some window-shopping.

Friday
Peanut butter jelly time? J.M. Smucker (NYSE: SJM) wraps up the week with its quarterly report. Food companies haven't had it as easy as you may think lately, with penny-pinching patrons bypassing name-brand products to fill their carts with cheaper store brands.

Until next week, I remain,

Rick Munarriz