Just a few notable earnings to report before the market opens tomorrow –

A few high quality big cap names will report in the morning.. Caterpillar (CAT), DR Horton (DHI) and EMC Corp (EMC).

• Caterpillar (CAT):  Considering the size of this company, the kind of growth this company has strung together is simply amazing.  Quarter over quarter sales growth averaging over 30% in the last year and earnings growth much better than that.  The stock just underwent a 2 for 1 stock split and broke out to new highs yesterday on a big, high volume gap up.  Some of these big caps are acting like small caps! 
• DR Horton (DHI): I wouldn’t expect anything less than another blow out quarter from this leading home builder.  The stock is currently well above its original break out point and isn’t showing signs of slowing down.
• EMC Corp (EMC): EMC is a great turnaround story.  Since losing money in ’02, the company has been doubling profits on sales growth of around 30%.  While that kind of growth has slowed in recent quarters, it still remains very strong.  I set the first pivot point on this stock at 13.57 (offering the first opportunity to get in), but a surge above 15 would offer another buy opportunity and indicate that further gains are on the horizon.  The 3 year high is 15.64.

There is a real interesting small cap company reporting tomorrow by the name of Acme United Corp  (ACU).  C’mon, you’ve never heard of these guys.  They’re only a leading manufacturer of scissors and rulers!  Earnings more than doubled in ’04 with sales growth around 20 – 25%. 

This thinly traded stock broke out of a base on June 23rd, but has had trouble getting going since.  However, the stock has found support again at the 50 day moving average and is still in position to make significant gains… provided earnings come in strong tomorrow morning.

A few others worth mentioning:

• Wesco International (WCC):  A North American provider of electrical construction products and electrical and industrial maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) supplies, Wesco is working on the right side of its first significant base since running up more than 3 fold in the last couple years.  Earning growth has been mighty impressive during that time, but sales growth continues to come in a bit light at around 17%.
• Laureate Education (LAUR):  Formerly known as Sylvan Learning Systems, Inc., Laureate is focused on providing a higher education experience through a global network of accredited campus-based and online universities, and other higher education institutions (higher education institutions or schools).   The company has posted very good, consistent growth over the last 3 years and that’s certainly been reflected in its stock price, which has trended along support of the 50 and 200 day moving averages for 2 years.  It currently sits right at support of the 50 day moving average.