Monday
We've got a short trading week coming up, and that usually means it will be a quiet one, too, as we approach Thanksgiving. Key companies like Campbell Soup (NYSE:CPB) and Lowe's (NYSE:LOW) will post their quarterly reports early -- as in on Monday -- so tune in early before you start scouring the Web for that recipe for turkey stuffing with tortilla chips you've been meaning to try this year.
For Lowe's, the report will be critical because it follows a lackluster showing from home improvement rival and Inside Value recommendation Home Depot (NYSE:HD). The company with the orange aprons warned that the housing slump was having a deeper impact than it had expected, and it will be interesting to see if Lowe's validates the claims or distances itself with a good report.
Tuesday
Isn't it convenient? Just days after the PlayStation 3 and Wii hit retailers, GameStop (NYSE:GME) will let us know how hard they are to find. It's a win-win situation for the leading video game specialty retailer. If the systems are available, the company will make a mint over the holidays in console, software, and accessory sales. If they prove to be hard to find, shoppers will settle for second-hand games and gear, and that's actually a higher-margin business for the Stock Advisor pick.
Wednesday
"Nothing says day before Thanksgiving like SPAM," wrote fellow Fool LouAnn Lofton four years ago. True to form, SPAM maker Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL) is posting its fourth-quarter financials the day before Thanksgiving this year. Analysts expect the pork products specialist to grow earnings per share to $0.62 after a $0.59 showing a year earlier. The increase may not seem like much, but keep in mind that Hormel has inched ahead of Wall Street's profit targets for four consecutive quarters.
Thursday
Football. Turkey. More football. More turkey. Sleep.
Friday
Black Friday means door-buster sales, groggy shoppers, and really messy aisles to clean up once the day is done. It also is the official start of the holiday shopping season, and whether that means that you try to battle for a parking spot to land a dirt-cheap price on a high-def TV at Best Buy or you decide to stay in and try your luck at scoring deals through Amazon.com, be careful out there. That cranberry smoothie you made out of Thursday night's leftovers may affect your judgment.
Until next week, I remain,
Rick Munarriz
Best Buy, GameStop, and Amazon.com are Stock Advisor recommendations. Want some new stock ideas? Learn more about what CAPS players -- now 13,000 strong -- think of the company you're interested in.
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz recommends windshield wiper fluid when trying to look forward. He is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early. He does not own shares in any of the companies in this story. The Fool has a disclosure policy.
