The Fool Looks Ahead

Monday
The trading week kicks off with Manitowoc (NYSE: MTW) posting its fourth-quarter results. Analysts see the industrial crane and foodservice-gear maker posting a profit of $0.04 a share. That may not seem like much, but it will reverse a modest loss that Manitowoc recorded a year earlier.

Tuesday
Broadcom (Nasdaq: BRCM) and BigBand Networks (Nasdaq: BBND) are some of the tech names reporting their financials on Tuesday. The two companies aren't moving in the same direction, though. Wall Street is banking on a 51% bottom-line surge at Broadcom, while BigBand is geared to reverse last year's quarterly profit with a small deficit.

Wednesday
Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) pulls up to the drive-through window on Wednesday. The fast-food giant behind KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut has been doing so well with some of its flagship brands in China that it's looking to unload its smaller A&W and Long John Silver's concepts.

If you're looking to buy a root beer-themed chain or a master of frying fish and chips, let Yum! Brands know.

Thursday
Merck (NYSE: MRK) and Stericycle (Nasdaq: SRCL) should be the pictures of health on Thursday. The two companies toil away at different ends of the health-care spectrum. Merck is one of the largest drug companies in the world. Stericycle, on the other hand, collects, treats, and disposes of regulated medical waste.

Merck and Stericycle do have one thing in common: Both companies are expected to post solid year-over-year growth in net income.

Friday
The final trading day of the week finds YRC Worldwide (Nasdaq: YRCW) pulling in to its quarterly weigh station. The trucking giant is expected to posts a substantially smaller loss than it did a year earlier.

That's not where YRC Worldwide wants to be, but it'll have to do for now.

Until next week, I remain,

Rick Munarriz

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