Analysts are looking for decreased profit for Dell (DELL) when the company reports its results for the third quarter on Thursday, November 15, 2012. Dell reported profit of 54 cents a year ago, but the consensus estimate calls for earnings per share of 40 cents this time around.
The consensus estimate remains unchanged over the past month, but it has decreased from three months ago when it was 49 cents. For the fiscal year, analysts are projecting earnings of $1.74 per share. Analysts look for revenue to decrease 9.5% year-over-year to $13.91 billion for the quarter, after being $15.37 billion a year ago. For the year, revenue is expected to come in at $57.43 billion.
The company has seen net income fall in each of the last three quarters. In second quarter, net income fell 17.8% from the year earlier, while the figure fell 32.8% in the first quarter and 17.6% in the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year.
Revenue has been falling the past two quarters. In second quarter, revenue was $14.48 billion, 7.5% lower than the year-ago figure. In the quarter before that, revenue fell 4%.
Most analysts think investors should stand pat on Dell, with 14 of 26 analysts rating it hold. Wall Street analysts have become more optimistic about the stock recently and the number of buy ratings has risen slightly over the past three months. Even so, since August 14, 2012, the stock price has dipped 22.8% to $9.41 from $12.19.
Earnings estimates provided by Zacks.
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