Monday
The new trading week kicks off with Alcoa (NYSE: AA). The aluminum behemoth is expected to earn $0.27 a share in its latest quarter, well ahead of the $0.10 it cranked out a year earlier.

Tuesday
Fastenal (Nasdaq: FAST) is one of the few companies reporting on a surprisingly quiet Tuesday. Things will pick up in a hurry, though. Earnings season is about to get started.

Wednesday
ADTRAN (Nasdaq: ADTN) checks in Wednesday. The pros are banking on a profit of $0.46 a share out of the networking specialist, but it's OK to aim higher.

Just check out what ADTRAN has done over the past year.

Quarter

EPS Estimate

EPS Actual
Q1 2010 $0.26 $0.29
Q2 2010 $0.35 $0.44
Q3 2010 $0.44 $0.50
Q4 2010 $0.44 $0.56

Source: Yahoo! Finance.

After ADTRAN landed ahead of analysts every single time out last year, I'll wager that it bears the $0.46-per-share analyst target come Wednesday.

Thursday
Commerce Bancshares (Nasdaq: CBSH), Independent Bank (Nasdaq: INDB) and Prosperity Bancshares (Nasdaq: PRSP) report on Thursday. All three bankers are targeted to post improving earnings during the quarter.

Friday
Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) closes out the trading week. The banking giant was already embarrassed by regulators when it was one of the few financial heavies denied the right to juice up payouts. Bank of America and its paltry dividend will have to impress investors with its fiscal performance instead.

Until next week, I remain,

Rick Munarriz

Want to follow all of our Foolish coverage of the stocks in this story? Add Alcoa, ADTRAN, Fastenal, Commerce Bankshares, Prosperity Bancshares, Independent Bank, or Bank of America to My Watchlist.