| Analysts were expecting Cognex Corp. (CGNX) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $-0.05 for last quarter, but CGNX beat expectations with actual earnings of $0.03---8 cents above the consensus estimate. If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.18 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that CGNX’s earnings are down this year. {loadposition link_newslink1} | {loadposition livevideopromo} | | | | | | {loadposition homeaccordion2} | | | {loadposition contentad} | | | | | | | | Also, if you compare CGNX's 14.00% 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 CGNX 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 CGNX 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} | 
