Analysts were expecting NTELOS Holdings Corp. (NTLS) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $0.35 for last quarter, but NTLS missed expectations with actual earnings of $0.34---1 cent below the consensus estimate. NTLS also issued earnings guidance for next quarter that is below current analyst expectations.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.31 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that NTLS’s earnings are up this year.

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Also, if you compare NTLS's 11.00% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 14.77% for the Wireless Communications industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect NTLS to underperform the industry in the future---which is a bad sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Wireless Communications industry, you can see how analysts believe NTLS will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like China Mobile Limited (CHL) [Chart - News - Analysis] and Vodafone Group plc (VOD) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe CHL's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 27.53% while VOD's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 3.37%.

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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