Analysts were expecting NIC Inc. (EGOV) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $0.05 for last quarter, but EGOV beat expectations with actual earnings of $0.06---1 cent above the consensus estimate.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.04 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that EGOV’s earnings are up this year.

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Also, if you compare EGOV's 17.50% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 16.44% for the Internet Software & Services industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect EGOV to outperform the industry in the future---which is a good sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Internet Software & Services industry, you can see how analysts believe EGOV will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like Open Text Corp. (OTEX) [Chart - News - Analysis] and Citrix Systems, Inc. (CTXS) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe OTEX's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 13.75% while CTXS's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 11.07%.

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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