Analysts were expecting Willis Group Holdings Ltd. (WSH) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $0.37 for last quarter, but WSH beat expectations with actual earnings of $0.53---16 cents above the consensus estimate.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.32 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that WSH’s earnings are up this year.

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Also, if you compare WSH's 10.26% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 11.51% for the Insurance Brokers industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect WSH to underperform the industry in the future---which is a bad sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Insurance Brokers industry, you can see how analysts believe WSH will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like eHealth, Inc (EHTH) [Chart - News - Analysis] and Aon Corporation (AOC) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe EHTH's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 20.89% while AOC's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 11.39%.

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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