Analysts were expecting Rudolph Technologies Inc. (RTEC) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $-0.17 for last quarter, but RTEC beat expectations with actual earnings of $-0.07---10 cents above the consensus estimate.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.09 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that RTEC’s earnings are down this year.

{loadposition link_newslink1}

Also, if you compare RTEC's 15.00% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 13.20% for the Scientific & Technical Instruments industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect RTEC to outperform the industry in the future---which is a good sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Scientific & Technical Instruments industry, you can see how analysts believe RTEC will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like FLIR Systems, Inc. (FLIR) [Chart - News - Analysis] and Beckman Coulter Inc. (BEC) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe FLIR's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 17.10% while BEC's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 11.86%.

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

{loadposition link_nowtime}

{loadposition followus}