Monday
VeriFone (NYSE:PAY) kicks off the new trading week with its quarterly report. Analysts are targeting a profit of $0.25 a share out of the electronic-payments enabler. VeriFone earned just $0.19 a share a year ago.

Tuesday
Adobe Systems (NASDAQ:ADBE) and Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) check in on Tuesday, with a great glimpse into where the software and consumer-electronics markets are as we head into the holiday season.

Wednesday

Herman Miller (NASDAQ:MLHR) reports on Wednesday. The market isn't getting excited about the office-furniture company. The creator of the cubicle and fancy Aeron office chairs should earn only a third of what it rang up a year earlier. However, taking the pulse of corporate furnishings is a worthwhile pursuit, since this is one area that's sure to be a leading indicator of a corporate recovery.

Thursday
It's Smartphone Thursday as Palm (NASDAQ:PALM) and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) call in. Who's gaining market share? How big is the potential smartphone market, given the costly access plans? Palm and RIM should shed more than a flash of handset light on the industry come Thursday.

Friday
CarMax (NYSE:KMX) caps off the relatively quiet trading week. CarMax has revolutionized the used-car-buying experience with its haggle-free environment and well-maintained secondhand drives. The pros expect a profit of $0.15 a share, good enough to wipe away a small deficit from a year earlier.

Until next week, I remain,

Rick Munarriz