Service-Sector Earnings to Watch This Week

APOL data by YCharts

Apollo Group (APOL)

Background: Apollo Group, through its subsidiaries, provides online and on-campus educational programs and services at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels. The company was founded in 1973 and is based in Phoenix. Apollo Group trades an average of 1.9 million shares per day and has a market cap of $3 billion.

52-Week Range: $25.77 to $58.29

Book Value: $7.49

Price-to-Book: 3.5

Investors aren't expecting an improvement in earnings. Analysts forecast EPS to come in lower than the year-ago quarter. The earnings release is planned after the market closes on Tuesday.

The consensus EPS estimate is currently 49 cents, down 53 cents, or 52%, from $1.02 a year earlier. Estimates from analysts range from a low of 44 cents to 56 cents.

Taken as a whole, the analysts are not bestowing much direction for Apollo Group. Eight out of 20 rate it a hold. Ten rate it a buy, and one rates it a sell. The stock fell a stomach-churning 31% in the last year, while the average analyst target price for Apollo Group is $39.50.

From a technical perspective, the chart on APOL is solidly bearish. The key 200-day moving average and other major moving averages are falling. We may have reached a near-term bottom, though. The price broke above the 60-day average, and if the price continues to remain above it, a $40 price target is reasonable.

The short interest is markedly elevated and should be treated as a warning that short-sellers anticipate upcoming price weakness. The current percentage of float that is sold short is 15.9%. APOL Revenue Quarterly data by YCharts

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