Analysts were expecting Inverness Medical Innovations Inc. (IMA) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $0.61 for last quarter, but IMA beat expectations with actual earnings of $0.74---13 cents above the consensus estimate.

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 IMA’s earnings are up this year.

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Also, if you compare IMA's 18.90% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 14.19% for the Medical Laboratories & Research industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect IMA to outperform the industry in the future---which is a good sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Medical Laboratories & Research industry, you can see how analysts believe IMA will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like Bio-Reference Laboratories Inc. (BRLI) [Chart - News - Analysis] and eResearchTechnology, Inc. (ERES) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe BRLI's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 18.25% while ERES's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 20.00%.

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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