L-3 Communications [LLL] on Tuesday offered its initial guidance for 2012, saying it expects the top and bottom lines to be down from projected sales and earnings in 2011.
Sales next year are expected to be between $14.4 billion and $14.6 billion, down nearly 6 percent at the midpoint of 2011 guidance of $15.3 billion to $15.4 billion.
As for earnings, L-3 is forecasting $8.35 to $8.55 earnings per share (EPS) in 2012, down 2 percent from 2011 projections of between $8.60 to $8.70 EPS. Operating margins are expected to decline 60 basis points to 10.1 percent in 2012.
Consensus analyst estimates for next year expect L-3 to achieve $8.88 EPS.
Credit Suisse defense analyst Robert Spingarn, who was toward the low end of analyst’s expectations for L-3, said L-3’s guidance is “realistic.”