Analysts were expecting Sears Holdings Corporation (SHLD) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $-1.09 for last quarter, but SHLD beat expectations with actual earnings of $-0.81---28 cents above the consensus estimate.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $-0.90 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that SHLD’s earnings are up this year.

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Also, if you compare SHLD's 10.00% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 12.03% for the Department Stores industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect SHLD to underperform the industry in the future---which is a bad sign for the stock.

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Drilling down a little deeper into the Department Stores industry, you can see how analysts believe SHLD will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like Kohl's Corp. (KSS) [Chart - News - Analysis] and Saks Incorporated (SKS) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe KSS's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 14.30% while SKS's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 9.88%.

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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