Analysts were expecting Scientific Games Corp. (SGMS) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $0.18 for last quarter, but SGMS missed expectations with actual earnings of $0.16---2 cents below the consensus estimate.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.33 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that SGMS’s earnings are down this year.

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Also, if you compare SGMS's 20.00% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 10.88% for the Diversified Computer Systems industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect SGMS to outperform the industry in the future---which is a good sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Diversified Computer Systems industry, you can see how analysts believe SGMS will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like NYFIX Inc. (NYFX) [Chart - News - Analysis] and Sun Microsystems Inc. (JAVA) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe NYFX's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 0.00% while JAVA's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 8.80%.

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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