Analysts were expecting International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $0.72 for last quarter, but IFF beat expectations with actual earnings of $0.82---10 cents above the consensus estimate.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.75 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that IFF’s earnings are up this year.

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Also, if you compare IFF's 5.50% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 8.43% for the Synthetics industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect IFF to underperform the industry in the future---which is a bad sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Synthetics industry, you can see how analysts believe IFF will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co. Ltd. (SHI) [Chart - News - Analysis] and Rockwood Holdings Inc. (ROC) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe SHI's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 0.00% while ROC's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 10.00%.

Earnings season can be a volatile time in the stock market. Check out these videos and articles to be better prepared to take advantage of the large price moves that tend to accompany earnings announcements.

- Earnings Season is Here - Find Out How to Trade It

- Using Options to Trade Earnings

- Understanding Stock Analyst Research and Recommendations

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