Earnings Expectations for the Week of November 12

While the consensus forecasts call for year-over-year earnings growth from the likes of Cisco Systems

, Smuckers

and Viacom

-- as well as lower per-share earnings from Dell

-- when they share their most recent quarterly results this week, the focus will again be on reports from big retailers. Here is a peak at what analysts expect to see from the following retailers for the period leading up to the holiday shopping season.

. The consensus forecast calls the world's largest retailer to post fiscal third-quarter earnings of $1.07 per share, which would be up from $0.97 EPS in the year-ago period. That consensus estimate is unchanged in the past 60 days. And analysts see revenue rising more than four percent year-over-year to $115.04 billion. Look for Walmart's report Thursday before the opening bell.

. Analysts on average anticipate largest home improvement retailer in the United States will say Tuesday morning that it saw a profit of $0.70 per share in the third quarter, compared with $0.60 per share a year ago. Revenue is predicted to have increased more than three percent to $17.92 billion. Note that Home Depot has not fallen short of consensus EPS estimates in more than ten quarters.

. This Minneapolis-based big-box retailer is expected to report $0.77 per share earnings and sales of $16.93 billion for the third quarter. That compares with $0.82 per share and $16.40 billion in revenue in the same period of last year. Note that analysts have underestimated Target's per-share earnings in the past six quarters. The company is scheduled to share its results Thursday morning.

. Analysts on average expect the largest specialty apparel retailer in the United States to report Thursday afternoon that its per-share earnings jumped by almost 40 percent to $0.63. That consensus EPS estimate has climbed from the $0.54 it was 60 days ago. The San Francisco-based company's revenue is expected to total $3.82 billion, which would be up more than six percent from the third quarter of last year.

. Third-quarter earnings from this Secaucus, N.J.-based specialty retailer are expected to come to $1.60 per share, or more than 16 percent higher year-over year. That EPS estimate is up from $1.58 in the past 60 days. Analysts are also looking for revenue to be less than four percent higher to $500.87 million. The company is on tap to report Wednesday before the opening bell.

. The consensus forecast for the fiscal third quarter calls for EPS growth of about 13 percent year-over-year to $0.61 and sales up about 10 percent to $6.37 billion. Note that the consensus EPS estimate is unchanged in the past 60 days, and in the past eight quarters the EPS results have been within a penny or two per share of analysts' expectations. The largest off-price department store chain in the U.S. reports Tuesday Morning.

. This Chesapeake, Va.-based discount variety store operator is expected to post $0.49 per share earnings and sales of $1.73 billion for the third quarter. That would be up from $0.44 per share and $1.60 billion in revenue in the same period of last year. But note that the consensus estimate has slipped in the past 60 days from $0.51 per share. Dollar Tree is scheduled to share its results Thursday morning.

. The operator of the Sears and Kmart chains is expect to post a net loss of $2.17 per share for the third quarter on Thursday, as well as revenue of $8.59 billion. That would compare with a net loss of $2.57 and sales of $95.6 billion in the year-ago period. For what it is worth, 60 days ago the analysts on average estimated the net loss to be $2.23 per share. Other retailers expected to report year-over-year EPS growth this week include Abercrombie & Fitch

, The Buckle

, PetSmart

, Hibbett Sports

, Ross Stores

and Williams-Sonoma

. Analysts anticipate earnings declines from GameStop

, Limited Brands

and Staples

, as well as a net loss from Bon-Ton Stores

.