Wild rides, a snow-hugging choo-choo, and a box will factor greatly into the week that is on the way.
Monday
Doesn't George Ross, Donald Trump's seasoned yet savvy assistant on The Apprentice, bear a striking resemblance to Mr. Six from the catchy Six Flags (NYSE:PKS) campaign? Don't answer until you've seen George bust a move, folks. Six Flags will be posting its seasonally potent third-quarter results come Monday. This is the one time of year when the struggling theme park operator can be counted on to post a quarterly profit from its summer-intensive operations. While the company's debt and operational shortcomings have prompted some of us cynical types to wonder whether the signature six flags are flying at half-mast or whether they are a surrender-ready shade of white, the potential is clearly there. Even billionaires who may or may not be coaster fanatics such as Bill Gates and Dan Snyder have financial interests in the regional amusement park operator.
Tuesday
Ready for some Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) action? No, I'm not talking about thong-loving, flash-in-the-pan Sisqo or foodstuffs-heaping Sysco (NYSE:SYY). I'm talking about the tech bellwether. Fans of Cisco -- or router rooters as I like to call them -- will be ready for the company's fiscal first-quarter report.
While the company closed out fiscal 2004 on a high note with sales rising for the first time since 2001, more than a few Fools are concerned with the company's disproportionate spike in inventory levels and accounts receivable. Look for the company to show some improvement on Tuesday, or watch the router rooters boo the home team if the trend continues and Cisco is at a loss to explain why it is having to extend more liberal credit terms to grow sales -- and why so many more items aren't moving at all.
Wednesday
The holidays seem to start earlier with each passing year -- if you're in Hollywood, that is. Time Warner (NYSE:TWX) releases The Polar Express this morning to a multiplex wedged between a Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) and a McDonald's (NYSE:MCD) near you. The computer-rendered, full-length feature based on the popular book is bound to be a big hit this season.
And speaking of Starbucks, the java haven is wrapping up fiscal 2004 by announcing its fourth-quarter results on Wednesday as well. While its CEO announced his retirement last month, no one is expecting the company to come up short in its quest to create a caffeinated world. Analysts expect the company to earn $0.25 a share. A quarter for the quarter? You'll have to round up about a dozen of those quarters to buy yourself a cup of joe at Starbucks these days, right?
Thursday
Dude, you're getting a Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) earnings report! Consistency has been the computer maker's trademark. Back in August it posted another stellar quarter, and the efficient Motley Fool Stock Advisor recommendation has given little reason to expect anything out of the ordinary with Thursday's numbers. In short, all's well that doesn't end Dell.
Friday
If you're torn over which holiday flick to catch first, do Carmike Cinemas (NASDAQ:CKEC) a favor and catch them all. The theater operator has come a long way since joining other struggling outfits in filing for bankruptcy four years ago. The world is kinder to the multiplex masters these days as a steady diet of blockbusters and new revenue streams have helped improve the operator's chances. Carmike is on sturdy enough footing that it started paying out a dividend earlier this year. Now if only it would pay it in Junior Mints and popcorn tubs.
Until next week I remain,
Rick Munarriz
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz did make it out to a Six Flags park this summer and actually had a great time at Magic Mountain. He does not own shares in any of the companies in this story.
