Earnings Preview: Sprint, United States Steel, UBS, Aetna, AFLAC

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The last two weeks have seen hundreds of companies reporting their third quarter earnings. While the season is winding down, there are still a number of late filers making announcements tomorrow. Here is a brief look at five of them.

Earnings Preview: Sprint, United States Steel, UBS, Aetna, AFLAC

Earnings Preview

Sprint Nextel Corporation (S)

Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE:S) provides wireless and wireline communications services to consumers, businesses, and government users in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Now that Sprint has been acquired by a company ready to do whatever, expect Sprint to step up its game and begin to properly compete with the other big three mobile providers.

Analysts are projecting a loss of $0.33  for the quarter compared to a loss of $0.46 year-over-year.  Analysts project revenue to fall 2% year-over-year to $8.69 billion for the quarter, after being $8.84 billion a year ago. For the year, revenue is expected to come in at $35.03 billion off a touch from last year’s sales of $35.34.

United States Steel Corporation (X)

United States Steel Corporation (NYSE:X) produces and sells steel mill products in North America and Europe. The company operates in three segments: Flat-Rolled Products (Flat-Rolled), U. S. Steel Europe (USSE), and Tubular Products (Tubular).

Analysts are anticipating a drop into the red. They are expecting a loss of $0.81 a share after the company booked a profit of $0.69 just a year ago. For the fiscal year, analysts are expecting a loss of $1.48 per share compared to compared to a profit of $1.09 the year prior. Analysts project revenue to fall 8% year-over-year to $4.61 billion for the quarter, after being $5.02 billion a year ago. For the year, revenue is projected to roll in at $18.38 billion down nearly 5% from sales of $19.33 in 2012.

Just ninety days ago the street was projecting earnings of $0.22, a huge move downwards has since ensued in analysts’ estimates.

UBS AG (UBS)

UBS AG (NYSE:UBS), a financial services firm, provides wealth management, asset management, and investment banking products and services worldwide. Its Wealth Management division provides financial services to high net worth individuals worldwide. While down today, UBS has been enjoying a steady ride upwards in recent weeks and is threatening its 52-week high of late.

The consensus estimate is calling for profit $0.38  a share, a rise from $0.24 s per share a year ago. The consensus estimate remains unchanged over the past month, but it has increased from three months ago when it was $0.37 . Analysts are expecting earnings of $1.57 per share for the fiscal year . Revenue estimates for the quarter lie at $9.36 billion. For the year, revenue is expected to come in at $29.73 down just over 5% from the year prior when sales were 31.54 billion.

Aetna Inc (AET)

Aetna Inc (NYSE:AET) operates as a diversified health care benefits company in the United States. The company operates in three segments: Health Care, Group Insurance, and Large Case Pensions. The Health Care segment provides medical, pharmacy benefit management, dental, behavioral health, and vision plans on an insured basis, and an employer-funded or administrative basis.

The Hartford, Conn., company is the third-largest health insurer based on enrollment. The two companies ahead of it — UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:UNH) and WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE:WLP) — have already reported second-quarter earnings that trounced expectations. Their recent performances gave a boost to other health insurance stocks, but Aetna shares already had a lot of momentum — it’s up about 42 percent in 2013.

For the quarter, analysts are calling for earnings of $1.41 per share compared to year-over-year earnings of $1.31. For the fiscal year, the consensus is calling for earnings of $5.82 up considerably from earnings of $5.13 the year prior.

Revenue is expected to be up a whopping 35.8% at $11.99 billion compared to the corresponding quarters’ sales of $8.83 billion. For the year, the consensus is calling for sales of $47.78 billion up nearly 35% from the prior year’s sales of $35.54 billion.

Aetna is killing it given the new sales from Obamacare.

AFLAC Incorporated (NYSE:AFL)

AFLAC Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) is not all about silly ducks. Aflac Incorporated, through its subsidiary, American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus, provides supplemental health and life insurance products. The company offers various voluntary supplemental insurance products, including cancer plans, general medical indemnity plans, medical/sickness riders, care plans, living benefit life plans, ordinary life insurance plans, and annuities in Japan. It also offers products designed to protect individuals from depletion of assets, which comprise accident, cancer, critical illness/critical care, hospital intensive care, hospital indemnity, fixed-benefit dental, and vision care plans; and loss-of-income products, such as life and short-term disability plans in the United States.

AFLAC reported profit of $1.61 a year ago, but the consensus estimate calls for earnings per share of $1.52 for this corresponding quarter. The consensus estimate has gone up, from $1.51, over the past three months. For the fiscal year, analysts are expecting earnings of $6.16 per share compared to $6.60 the year before now. After being $5.90 billion a year ago, analysts project revenue to drop 1% year-over-year to $5.83 billion for the quarter. For the year, revenue is projected to come in at $23.83 billion down 6% from sales of $25.36 in fiscal 2012.

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