Here are a few highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• America's Car-Mart Inc. (NASDAQ: CRMT) beat estimates by closing underperforming branches.
• Aristotle Corp. (NASDAQ: ARTL) fourth-quarter revenue edged up while earnings slipped.
• Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) fourth-quarter profit plunged on bond insurance related write-downs.
• Boston Beer Co. Inc. (NYSE: SAM) fourth-quarter profit more than doubled as drinkers switch to craft beers.
• CAI International Inc. (NYSE: CAP) beat expectations fourth quarter and raised its guidance.
• Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) offered encouraging guidance for the full year and long term.
• Consolidated Communications Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSL) beat estimates for the fourth quarter.
• Flow International Corp. (NASDAQ: FLOW) beat expectations, sending shares up sharply.
• Gehl Co. (NASDAQ: GEHL) fourth-quarter profit fell but beat expectations due to international growth.
• J. Crew Group Inc. (NYSE: JCG) raised its full-year outlook, sending shares higher.
• Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) beat fourth-quarter expectations though profit slumped due to inflation.
• Maidenform Brands Inc. (NYSE: MFB) beat fourth quarter estimates due to sourcing initiatives.
• Smart Balance Inc. (NASDAQ: SMBL) nearly doubled its fourth-quarter loss despite strong revenue growth.
• Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO) posted a narrower-than-expected first-quarter loss.
• WellPoint Inc. (NYSE: WLP) cut its first-quarter and full-year forecasts on higher expenses.

Also, analysts are pessimistic about earnings for the first half of the year. Jim Cramer sees earnings as the other shoe after good news from the Fed, and things look grim for auto makers as well as for smaller companies. At least one analyst expects a big earnings miss from Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG). Target's (NYSE: TGT) moves into consumer credit may come back to hurt its first-quarter results. But some analysts are bullish about Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) ahead of earings next week. Georges Yared wonders if Wal-Mart's (NYSE: WMT) earnings make it a good buy for the long term. And the SEC may change reporting rules for financial firms.

Upcoming results to watch for include Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), Lehman Bros. (NYSE: LEH), Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), Bear Stearns (NYSE: BSC), Nike (NYSE: NKE), General Mills (NYSE: GIS), FedEx (NYSE: FDX), Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS),

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.