Analysts were expecting Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. (WINN) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $-0.02 for last quarter, but WINN missed expectations with actual earnings of $-0.15---13 cents below the consensus estimate.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $-0.04 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that WINN’s earnings are down this year.

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Also, if you compare WINN's 39.90% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 12.72% for the Grocery Stores industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect WINN to outperform the industry in the future---which is a good sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Grocery Stores industry, you can see how analysts believe WINN will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like Safeway Inc. (SWY) [Chart - News - Analysis] and Delhaize Group (DEG) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe SWY's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 7.75% while DEG's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 8.50%.

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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According to Brussels, Belgium-based Delhaize, the increased tender offer price represents a premium of 36% over the closing stock market price on May 15, 2009, the day prior to the announcement of the tender offer, and a premium of 38.9% over the volume weighted average closing stock market price of the last three-month period ended on the same day.

The company noted that all Alfa-Beta shares validly tendered by the closing date of the offer on July 9 will be entitled to receive the new tender offer price. Delned intends to purchase Alfa-Beta shares on-or off-market at prices up to the increased offer price, and the company does not intend to increase the tender offer price further.

As announced earlier, Delhaize said, Delned intends to exercise its statutory right to acquire any remaining Alfa-Beta shares if its interest in Alfa-Beta reaches at least 90% of the voting rights at closing of the tender offer. Upon reaching 95% of the voting rights in Alfa-Beta, Delned plans to initiate the process for delisting Alfa-Beta's shares from the Athens Exchange.

It was on May 18, 2009 that Delhaize announced that Delned had filed with the Hellenic Capital Market Commission, or CMC, a voluntary tender offer for Alfa-Beta shares not owned by Delned at a price of 30.50 euros per Alfa-Beta share. Prior to commencement of the tender offer, the company owned about 65.27% of the outstanding shares of Alfa-Beta. The company said that Delned is seeking approval from the CMC for the increase in the tender offer price.

On June 22, the Board of Directors of Alfa-Beta expressed its opinion, supported by its independent financial advisors, that the tender offer is fair from a financial point of view to the minority shareholders of Alfa-Beta.

Pierre-Olivier Beckers, President and Chief Executive Officer of Delhaize, stated, "I am very pleased that the members of the founding family of Alfa-Beta support our voluntary tender offer. Delhaize Group has enjoyed a successful partnership with the Vassilopoulos family since our first investment in Alfa-Beta in 1992, and we are grateful for all their support over the years."

Further, on behalf of the Vassilopoulos family members, Charalambos Vassilopoulos said, "The tender offer confirms the longstanding partnership of the Vassilopoulos family with Delhaize Group. We are convinced that they will continue to support Alfa-Beta going forward, that they will preserve the unique positioning of the company in the market and respect its values and, most importantly, its associates."

DEG closed Friday's regular trading session at $69.92, up $0.51, on a volume of 41 thousand shares.

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