Analysts were expecting Acxiom Corporation (ACXM) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $0.11 for last quarter, but ACXM beat expectations with actual earnings of $0.12---1 cent above the consensus estimate.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.18 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that ACXM’s earnings are down this year.

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Also, if you compare ACXM's 12.50% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 11.23% for the Information Technology Services industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect ACXM to outperform the industry in the future---which is a good sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Information Technology Services industry, you can see how analysts believe ACXM will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like NCR Corp. (NCR) [Chart - News - Analysis] and Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe NCR's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 8.00% while CSC's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 8.60%.

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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