Staples Inc. (SPLS) Earnings: An Early Look

Earnings season is winding down, with most companies already having reported their quarterly results. But there are still some companies left to report, and Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPLS) is about to release its quarterly earnings report. The key to making smart investment decisions with stocks releasing their quarter reports is to anticipate how they’ll do before they announce results, leaving you fully prepared to respond quickly to whatever inevitable surprises arise. That way, you’ll be less likely to make an uninformed knee-jerk reaction to news that turns out to be exactly the wrong move.

As the leading dedicated office-supply retailer, Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPLS) has been fighting a big battle with online sellers to sustain its business. But a recent merger in the industry could have huge implications for the company looking forward. Let’s take an early look at what’s been happening with Staples over the past quarter and what we’re likely to see in its quarterly report on Wednesday.

Stats on Staples

Source: Yahoo! Finance.

Will Staples get more business done this quarter?
Analysts haven’t budged on their calls for Staples’ profits over the past few months, with estimates showing their expectations for solid sales gains for the quarter but declining sales throughout fiscal 2014. The stock has jumped almost 15% since early December, though, due in large part to the recent consolidation in the industry.