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Analysts were expecting Pharmaceutical Product Development Inc. (PPDI) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $0.32 for last quarter, and PPDI met expectations with actual earnings of $0.32---in line the consensus estimate. PPDI also issued earnings guidance for next quarter that is in line with current analyst expectations.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.43 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that PPDI’s earnings are down this year.

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Also, if you compare PPDI's 11.83% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 14.19% for the Medical Laboratories & Research industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect PPDI to underperform the industry in the future---which is a bad sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Medical Laboratories & Research industry, you can see how analysts believe PPDI will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like Enzo Biochem Inc. (ENZ) [Chart - News - Analysis] and Clarient, Inc. (CLRT) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe ENZ's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 14.00% while CLRT's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 33.00%.

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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