Analysts were expecting Plantronics Inc. (PLT) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $0.31 for last quarter, but PLT beat expectations with actual earnings of $0.40---9 cents above the consensus estimate. PLT also issued earnings guidance for next quarter that is in line with current analyst expectations.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.41 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that PLT’s earnings are down this year.

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Also, if you compare PLT's 24.00% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 16.91% for the Processing Systems & Products industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect PLT to outperform the industry in the future---which is a good sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Processing Systems & Products industry, you can see how analysts believe PLT will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like Sunair Services Corporation (SNR) [Chart - News - Analysis] and Iteris, Inc. (ITI) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe SNR's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 0.00% while ITI's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 35.00%.

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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