RIM, Monsanto On Deck With Earnings Reports

A couple of big-capitalization leaders take center stage Wednesday with earnings reports.

Research In Motion RIMM and Monsanto MON -- in today's IBD Big Cap 20 -- are bellwethers for the telecom and agricultural sectors.

Research In Motion is expected to earn 85 cents a share for its fiscal first quarter ended in May, according to Thomson Reuters.

That's an increase of 118%, matching the earnings increase for the February-ended quarter. It would also continue RIM's streak of triple-digit earnings gains.

The company's own guidance is for 82 to 86 cents a share. Issued in early April, the forecast was above analysts' consensus of 75 cents a share at the time.

Since then, Wall Street's consensus estimate has trended higher and gone above 100%.

The smart phone maker has one of the highest expected profit increases for the current quarter, behind Mosaic's MOS 261% projected gain and Potash's POT 186% estimated increase.

Analysts' consensus estimate for Monsanto is $1.34 a share, up 31% from the year-ago period.

That consensus has been rising moderately for several months. Monsanto's most recent guidance was in November, when it forecast about 35 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters.

Monsanto's earnings rose 171% and 81% the prior two quarters, so a 31% increase would represent a significant slowing.

On Monday, the agricultural chemicals company said it will market a new fungicide soybean seed treatment in the U.S. under a pact with Germany's BASF. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

Both companies beat estimates in the most recent period, but by small margins. Monsanto releases results before the open, RIM after the close.

Other companies in the Big Cap 20 report their results in July and early August.

In other action, Fluor FLR broke out of a five-week flat base Monday.

Shares of the heavy construction company surged 5.72 to 197.27, although volume was moderately above average.