Analysts were expecting Houston Wire & Cable Company (HWCC) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $0.11 for last quarter, but HWCC beat expectations with actual earnings of $0.13---2 cents above the consensus estimate.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.37 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that HWCC’s earnings are down this year.

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Also, if you compare HWCC's -4.70% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 11.46% for the Industrial Equipment Wholesale industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect HWCC to underperform the industry in the future---which is a bad sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Industrial Equipment Wholesale industry, you can see how analysts believe HWCC will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like KHD Humboldt Wedag International Ltd. (KHD) [Chart - News - Analysis] and DXP Enterprises Inc. (DXPE) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe KHD's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 0.00% while DXPE's earnings are going to grow at a rate of -11.70%.

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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