WEEK AHEAD: Dell, AIG, Wal-Mart to Report Quarterly Results

   By Ben Fox Rubin 
 

Fourth-quarter earnings reports will continue at a brisk pace next week, with many big and notable companies including Dell Inc. (DELL), Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) and American International Group Inc. (AIG) coming out with their latest results.

No initial public offerings are expected to price next week. Also, markets will be closed Monday for Presidents Day.

 
   Dell, Hewlett-Packard Reporting 
 

PC-makers Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) have both been undertaking major changes as a watershed moment for computing devices has mostly left them behind.

Earlier this month, Dell said it had reached a deal to take itself private, as part of a $24.4 billion buyout that includes founder Michael Dell and private-equity firm Silver Lake Partners. The deal, designed to give the company breathing room to retool away from the glare of the public market, has been criticized by several shareholders, including T. Rowe Price Group Inc. (TROW), for having too low of a value.

The company was once the world's largest PC maker and boasted a market capitalization above $100 billion. But it largely has been sidelined as tablets and smartphones became the more popular devices and PC sales shrank.

Hewlett-Packard, meanwhile, has been working through a sweeping restructuring effort, working to fold its once-dominant printing business into its PC-making personal-systems group and centralize many other functions.

Both companies are expected to post weaker earnings.

 
   AIG's Quarterly Results, This Time Without Uncle Sam 
 

American International Group is expected to report Thursday, marking the first time in years it has operated without a substantial investment from the U.S. Treasury Department.

In December, the Treasury Department sold nearly all its remaining holdings in the insurer it helped rescue at the height of the financial crisis. Although the government walked away from the controversial bailout and made billions of dollars in the process, the company found itself in hot water soon after as it considered joining a shareholder lawsuit against the U.S. government. Following a harsh public backlash, AIG's board soon after opted against joining the suit.

Wall Street expects the company to swing to a quarterly loss due to substantial losses stemming from superstorm Sandy.

 
   Wal-Mart, Retailers, Restaurants and Many More to Report 
 

Among several notable companies reporting are Wal-Mart Stores, Dish Network Corp. (DISH), Barnes & Noble Inc. (BKS), Herbalife Ltd. (HLF) and Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA).

Wal-Mart's results have been challenged recently as its core lower-income customers in the U.S. contend with high gasoline prices and persistently high unemployment levels. But strong expense-control efforts have helped its margins. The retailer is expected to post higher earnings next week.

Several other retailers including Nordstrom Inc. (JWN) and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) will also release their latest results, along with a handful of restaurant operators such as Denny's Corp. (DENN), Jack in the Box Inc. (JACK), Cheesecake Factory Inc. (CAKE) and Bloomin' Brands Inc. (BLMN).

 
   Housing, Inflation Data Coming Out Next Week 
 

New reports on housing and prices will dominate a holiday-shortened trading week in the U.S.

January housing starts and building permits are scheduled to be reported Wednesday. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires think starts in January fell 3.0% to an annual rate of 925,000. Building permits are projected to have increased by 1.2% to 920,000.

The January existing-home sales report is slated for Thursday. Economists expect home resales fell 1.2% to a 4.88 million pace last month, the second decline in a row.

Two major readings on inflation are also on next week's calendar.

The producer-price index, due Wednesday, is expected to have increased by 0.5% in January, according to economists. The core index, which excludes food and energy, is forecast to be up 0.2%.

The broader consumer-price index will be reported Thursday. The median forecast expects the CPI rose 0.1% in January, with the core index up 0.2%.

--Kathleen Madigan contributed to this article.

Write to Ben Fox Rubin at [e-mail]