Analysts were expecting Synaptics Inc. (SYNA) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $0.42 for last quarter, but SYNA beat expectations with actual earnings of $0.48---6 cents above the consensus estimate.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.50 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that SYNA’s earnings are down this year.

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Also, if you compare SYNA's 18.83% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 15.16% for the Business Software & Services industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect SYNA to outperform the industry in the future---which is a good sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Business Software & Services industry, you can see how analysts believe SYNA will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like Fiserv Inc. (FISV) [Chart - News - Analysis] and IHS Inc. (IHS) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe FISV's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 12.67% while IHS's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 18.00%.

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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