Shops, shufflers, and shade will play bit parts in the week of news that is waiting to happen.

Monday
These days, CMGI (NASDAQ:CMGI) doesn't cause goose bumps on Wall Street. Through the latter part of the 1990s, the company was a high-flying growth stock on the strength of its role as an incubator of promising dot-com stocks. When that bubble popped, the market forgot about CMGI. But CMGI has never forgotten about the market. Even though it's toiling in obscurity these days, the company is doing all right getting back to its e-business and fulfillment-services roots. It has actually posted a profit over the past three quarters and nearly broke even on the fourth. The growth spurts aren't as dramatic as they used to be, but if the company keeps operating in the black, it may not be long before it emerges from the shade.

Tuesday
If it's Tuesday, it must be time to check into the softer side of Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD). Ever since the longtime retailer merged with the troubled discount department store chain Kmart, investors have been waiting for the synergies to kick in. Would Sears' strength in hardware and appliances translate into success at the shrinking Big K? Would some of the celebrity apparel deals that Kmart had brokered be ported over to the Sears side?

Kmart came into the marriage with plenty of baggage. It had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy three years ago but had re-emerged as a high-flying stock on the strength of its real estate holdings. However, Sears hadn't been much of a catch either, with the way it was struggling at the register. As the merged company heads into the critical holiday season, how well it performed in the latest quarter may take a back seat to the retailing giant's projections of how it sees the potent current quarter shaping up.

Wednesday
Yes, Toro (NYSE:TTC) is on a roll in more ways than the obvious. Sure, the company makes lawn mowers and irrigation equipment. However, it's also been on a roll financially. Toro has managed to beat analyst estimates for 10 straight quarters. That may be why shareholders feel that momentum is on their side when Wednesday's fiscal fourth quarter comes around. Wall Street is looking for the company to earn a dime per share. The company is at its best during the spring and summer quarters, when the great, green outdoors needs to be maintained, and that means this is Toro's seasonally sleepiest quarter. Let's see how it maintains the greenery this time around.

Thursday
The symbolism is rich when a company that thrives on shuffling steps up to play its earnings card. Shuffle Master (NASDAQ:SHFL) has been rearranging the deck lately. It has made timely international acquisitions to beef up its flagship business in automatic card shufflers and table games after selling off its slot machine empire to IGT (NYSE:IGT). Shuffle Master shares have handily beaten the market since being recommended in the Motley Fool Stock Advisor newsletter last year. Let's see whether it continues to play the right cards.

Friday
That long line of kids -- and kids at heart -- snaking around the multiplex? Blame Narnia, bub. Disney (NYSE:DIS) is keeping its fingers crossed as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe kicks off its theatrical run. If it's successful, Disney has more books in the C.S. Lewis series at its disposal to turn this into a monster celluloid franchise. It has seen the magical box office gold that Motley Fool Stock Advisor pick Time Warner (NYSE:TWX) has struck with its Harry Potter franchise and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. With Disney struggling in live action beyond The Pirates of the Caribbean, a holiday hit here can really start turning things around for the Mickey Mouse company.

Want to learn more about the companies waiting to report earnings this week? Check out:

Until next week, I remain,

Rick Munarriz

Fools, now is the time to open your hearts and wallets to worthy causes! Please support our five Foolish charities at www.foolanthropy.com.

Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz recommends windshield wiper fluid when trying to look forward. He does own shares in Disney. The Fool has a disclosure policy. He is also part of theRule Breakersnewsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early.