Cards will be dealt quickly in the week that lies ahead. Let's take a closer look.
Monday
For those with vivid memories of the dot-com bubble, waiting for a lucrative earnings report from CMGI (NASDAQ:CMGI) may seem like a stretch. In the dot-com days, the venture-capital incubator for dozens of online startups was valued more on the potential of its investments than on the company's actual performance. A much different company kicks off the week with its report for the fiscal third quarter.
With its original glitz mostly gone, the company now relies on its e-business and fulfillment services to bring home the bacon. That may translate into slower growth, but it's also proved to be a more predictable -- and more profitable -- route. The company has been in the black for two straight quarters and should keep the earnings streak alive on Monday.
Tuesday
You may never get too old to play with toys, but time is running out to play with Toys "R" Us (NYSE:TOY). Tuesday will ring up what's likely to be the retailer's final earnings report as a publicly traded entity. It will be taken private this summer.
It's been a few years since Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) lapped the toy company in the race to be the country's largest seller of playthings. To no avail, Toys "R" Us went through various incarnations to try to regain its crown, but king Wal-Mart's operating efficiencies translated into lower prices. And shoppers will naturally gravitate toward the better bargain.
Wednesday
Yes, this is the one that matters for H&R Block (NYSE:HRB). Even though the tax-preparation specialist has fared well trying to offset some of its seasonality with its year-round mortgage business, the company still derives most of its profits during the quarter that includes April. Despite the shift to electronic filing and the proliferation of free tax-preparation options, H&R Block has found a way to still grow its business. Analysts are looking for earnings of $3.53 a share from H&R Block. Last year, it earned $3.23 a share.
Thursday
Not too many companies have a moniker that crystallizes what they do. One of the few happens to be Motley Fool Stock Advisor selection Shuffle Master (NASDAQ:SHFL), which started out as the leader in automatic cash shufflers for casinos. Even before the recent popularity of televised poker drew card games into the national spotlight, Shuffle Master was doing well and branching out into other gaming-industry product lines ... even the entertainment business. Thursday will be Shuffle Master's turn to draw its own card. Let's hope it doesn't have to resort to pulling an ace from its sleeve.
Friday
It's no longer all about polo shirts for Polo Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL). From clothes to fragrances to home decor, the designer has been all over the retail map lately with its Polo, Lauren, Chaps, and Club Monaco brands. Just last week, it was also getting aggressive about growing its footwear lines.
The company will close out the week with its financials for the quarter ending in April. And no matter how the numbers turn up, Polo Ralph Lauren is likely to look sharp presenting them, though it would be nice to see the company flesh out its plans for brand expansion.
Want to learn more about the companies waiting to report earnings this week? Check out:
- Where Were You When the Bubble Popped?
- Outgrowing Your Toys
- IRS: e-Everything!
- Shuffle Master's Latest Gamble
- Polo Ready to Run With Footwear
Until next week, I remain,
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz has no intentions of rolling out his own fragrance line anytime soon. He does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned in this story. The Fool has a disclosure policy. He is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early.
