Analysts were expecting Panera Bread Co. (PNRA) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $0.58 for last quarter, but PNRA beat expectations with actual earnings of $0.61---3 cents above the consensus estimate. PNRA also issued earnings guidance for next quarter that is above current analyst expectations.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.46 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that PNRA’s earnings are up this year.

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Also, if you compare PNRA's 15.75% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 15.64% for the Specialty Eateries industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect PNRA to outperform the industry in the future---which is a good sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Specialty Eateries industry, you can see how analysts believe PNRA will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) [Chart - News - Analysis] and Tim Hortons Inc. (THI) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe SBUX's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 16.51% while THI's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 13.33%.

Earnings season can be a volatile time in the stock market. Check out these videos and articles to be better prepared to take advantage of the large price moves that tend to accompany earnings announcements.

- Earnings Season is Here - Find Out How to Trade It

- Using Options to Trade Earnings

- Understanding Stock Analyst Research and Recommendations

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