Analysts were expecting Healthcare Services Group Inc. (HCSG) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $0.19 for last quarter, and HCSG met expectations with actual earnings of $0.19---in line the consensus estimate.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.13 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that HCSG’s earnings are up this year.

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Also, if you compare HCSG's 16.50% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 15.85% for the Business Services industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect HCSG to outperform the industry in the future---which is a good sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Business Services industry, you can see how analysts believe HCSG will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like Visa, Inc. (V) [Chart - News - Analysis] and Thomson Reuters Corporation (TRI) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe V's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 19.39% while TRI's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 8.00%.

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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