This week is likely to keep analysts busy, as the market anticipates the start of first-quarter financial announcements and the release of important economic data. Four of the biggest Wall Street banks are on the earnings schedule this week. Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (LEH: chart) and Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (BSC: chart) will report their quarterly results on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS: chart) and Morgan Stanley (MWD: chart), the other two big names in the financial services sector this week, are expected to announce their earnings on Thursday. Investors will also be looking out for quarterly results from FedEx Corporation (FDX: chart), Nike Inc. (NKE: chart), Jabil Circuit Inc. (JBL: chart) and Tektronix Inc. (TEK: chart). Along with earnings, the week's calendar of economic data will also be in focus. Investors will be watching closely the key retail sales data for February, which is due out on Tuesday, to throw some light on consumer spending. The report on the fourth-quarter U.S. current account deficit will be released on Wednesday. Industrial production data for February is expected on the same day. The report on import and export prices for February is scheduled for Friday.

Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN: chart) posted before market open Thursday record quarterly earnings and sales, boosted by strong performance across all of its business segments. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based retailer and wholesaler which operates under the Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Free People brands, reported net income of $31.7 million, or 38 cents per share, for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2005. That represents a 72% increase compared with year-earlier net income of $18.4 million, or 22 cents per share. The average analysts’ forecast was for a profit of 36 cents per share. For the quarter ended January 31, sales jumped 43% to $251.6 million from $176.1 million, last year, driven by a 13% rise in comparable-store sales. Comparable-store sales at Anthropologie, Free People and Urban Outfitters rose 17%, 58% and 10%, respectively. The company said wholesale sales surged 106% from a year ago. Direct-to-consumer sales soared 69% during the quarter. Urban Outfitters added that gross profit margins improved in the fourth quarter due to higher initial merchandise margins and the leveraging of occupancy expenses.

Kmart Holding Corporation (KMRT: chart), which emerged from bankruptcy in May 2003, posted Wednesday quarterly earnings that increased 14% from a year earlier, aided by lower costs that offset a drop in sales. The Troy, Michigan-based U.S. third-largest discount retailer announced net income of $309 million, or $3.09 per share, for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2004, up from net income of $270 million, or $2.78 per share, for the prior-year equivalent. Excluding unusual items, fourth-quarter earnings totaled $259 million, or $2.59 per share, compared with $215 million, or $2.23 per share, last year. For the quarter ended January 26, Kmart recorded sales of $5.91 billion, a 6.6% decline compared with year-ago sales of $6.33 billion. Same-store sales dipped 4.5% during the quarter. However, this was an improvement, as same-store sales declined 13.5% a year ago. In the second and third quarters of fiscal 2004, the drop was 12.8% and 14.9%, respectively. For all of 2004, Kmart earned $1.1 billion, or $11 per share.

The Kroger Co. (KR: chart) announced Tuesday that its quarterly net loss widened from a year ago, due to a charge to write down the value of the Ralphs and Food 4 Less operations in southern California. The supermarket giant posted a net loss of $675.9 million, or 93 cents a share, for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2004, compared with a loss of $337.4 million, or 45 cents a share, for the same quarter a year earlier. Excluding special items, Kroger earned 28 cents per share for the quarter ended January 29, missing the average analysts’ estimate of 35 cents per share. The Cincinnati, Ohio-based company said the financial results are subject to restatement because of a change in accounting practices on leases Sales for the quarter edged up 5% to $13.7 billion from $13 billion, last year. For the full fiscal year, Kroger reported a net loss of $128 million, or 17 cents per share, in contrast to a net profit of $314.6 million, or 42 cents per share, for 2003. Annual sales climbed 4.9% to $56.4 billion.

Looking ahead, the company said it expects its 2005 earnings to exceed the 2004 operating profit of $1.16 a share. The mean analysts’ estimate is for a profit of $1.28 a share.