Earnings Season Heats Up -- Week Ahead

   By Everdeen Mason 
 

Earnings season picks up next week with reports expected from several major airlines and giants in the technology and fast-food spaces, along with scores of other companies.

The National Association of Realtors will release December existing home sales data, while natural-gas and oil company Rice Energy and car-loan business Santander Consumer USA Holdings are expected to make their stock market debuts.

 
   Airline reports on deck 

Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL), Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL) and Alaska Air Group Inc. (ALK) are set to report next week.

The airlines generally reported strong December traffic as the late holiday pushed passenger revenue further into the last month of the year. The airline sector should benefit from an improved U.S. and global economy, and will carry last year's strong trends through the new year, Deutsche Bank analysts have said.

Other big names expected to post results next week are McDonald's Corp. (MCD) and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT).

 
   Home sales data due 

The National Association of Realtors will release existing home sales data for December on Thursday. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires believe home sales edged back up to an annual rate of 4.92 million last month, meaning that December sales would be slightly above last year's.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency will also release housing price appreciation data for November on Thursday. U.S. house price appreciation has risen for almost two years, according to the FHFA.

 
   Rice Energy, Santander Consumer IPOs expected 

Natural-gas and oil company Rice Energy and Santander Consumer USA Holdings, the car-loan unit of Banco Santander SA (SAN, SAN.MC), are expected to start trading next week.

Rice Energy expects to raise up to $800 million to repay debt and other purposes, while Santander Consumer looks to offer 65.2 million shares for $22 to $24 each.

 
   Markets closed Monday 

U.S. markets, banks and government offices with be closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

-Kathleen Madigan contributed to this report

Write to Everdeen Mason at [e-mail]

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