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

• American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (NYSE: AEO) reported better-than-expected Q1 earnings, lifting shares.
• AutoZone Inc. (NYSE: AZO) posted a better-than-expected Q3 profit said it will continue to buy back shares.
• Bank of Montreal (NYSE: BMO) reported lower Q2 earnings and also announced 1,100 layoffs.
• Big Lots Inc. (NYSE: BIG) higher Q1 earnings topped estimates even though same-store sales fell.
• BioMed Realty Trust Inc. (NYSE: BMR) earnings prospects after the recent capital raise led to a downgrade.

Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS) issued its Q1 report on Wednesday. Call me unimpressed. It beat earnings estimates by a penny, coming in at 22 cents on an adjusted basis. Sure, that's what investors want to see. They want the bottom line to go beyond expectations.

But there isn't a lot of excitement to be had with the Staples story. According to the press release, that 22-cent figure represented a decline of 27% in per-share profit. Furthermore, there's weakness in terms of same-store sales. In the North American market, comps dipped 8%. On the international front, comps went down by 14% in Europe.

I recently attended a Lakers' basketball playoff game and took notice of the fact that Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM) was a major sponsor advertising at Staples Staples Inc (NASDAQ: SPLS) Center. This, while our home grown car companies are all on the verge of collapse.

As we write stories on the depressed economy readers frequently comment about "buying American" as a theme that will help the greater good by keeping jobs and money in the United States.

This patriotic notion got me thinking about what would happen if we carried it further? Would we stop advertising and promotion of foreign products? Would we restrict discussion of foreign products in the media all together? Would we limit the production of foreign products here, even if they are providing jobs for Americans?

"I've always liked Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS); the company has traditionally put up good numbers, and the stock price has been rewarding for investors over the years," says Chuck Carlson, noting, "Staples is the world's largest office products company. With $27 billion in sales, Staples serves customers in 27 countries."

The editor of the blue chip advisory, The DRIP Investor, adds, "The stock has gotten hammered by a variety of issues." Here's his review. It is down 40% from its 52-week high

"Yes, the environment for retailers is lousy. Yes, it's tough to see any near-term improvement. And, yes, debt is evil right now. But the stock is already discounting to a large degree those negatives. The stock's current price level is attractive enough to warrant some nibbling.

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

• Aeropostale Inc. (NYSE: ARO) reported strong Q4 numbers as same-store sales increased.
• American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (NYSE: AEO) same-store sales fell in Q4 but earnings met expectations.
• ArcSight Inc. (NASDAQ: ARST) continued its growth in Q3 and it forecast continued growth.
• Buckle Inc. (NYSE: BKE) posted a better-than-expected Q4 profit and continued same-store sales growth.
• Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) CEO said in a memo that it earned a profit in the first two months of this quarter.
• Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. (NYSE: DKS) beat Q4 earnings estimates but same-store sales fell.

Shares of office products retailer, Staples Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS), recovered today after opening much lower following the company's announcement of a 14% fall in quarterly profit, which missed analysts estimates by 6 cents per share.

For the quarter ending Jan. 31, 2009, Staples said it earned 36 cents per share, excluding one-time items, on revenue of $6.17 billion. This compared to analyst estimates of earnings of 42 cents per share, before one-time items, on revenue of $6.79 billion.

Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS), whose colleagues include Office Depot (NYSE: ODP) and OfficeMax (NYSE: OMX), is set to report earnings for the fourth quarter on Wednesday, March 11. The famous seller of office supplies has seen its stock go from a 52-week high of $26.57 all the way down to a 52-week low of $13.57.

Actually, that's one of the better ranges I've seen! Goes to show how bad things are out there. Staples saw its shares close at $14.63 on Monday, so a beat on the bottom line could really help things out.

Will management be able to beat? I don't have much confidence that it will, but that doesn't necessarily have to do with Staples per se, it's just that the economy's got me down on so many of these earnings prospects. Analysts are hoping for Staples to do about 42 cents per share in Q4, which would represent a 10% drop in the bottom line.

Concerning the current debate over executive bonuses, value investor Charles Mizrahi contents, "As a shareholder, I have the choice of becoming partners with more than 7,000 businesses on the American stock exchanges."

In his Hidden Values Alert he states, "I've found two companies with managers who are aligned with shareholders. Their compensation packages put them in the same boat as shareholders, and as an owner that is exactly where you want them to be."

Here, the advisor looks at insurance firm Markel Corporation (NYSE: MKL) and business supplies retailer Staples (NYSE: SPLS).

5 Stocks That Benefit From Others' Losses
These companies could gain from the financial misery of its peers. They include Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Staples, Intel and Tiffany & Co.
http://www.smartmoney.com/Investing/Stocks/5-Stocks-That-Benefit-From-Others-Losses/

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says companies saddled with high debt loads can be found in every sector in every business.

Overleveraged. Too much debt. Need to pay down debt. How many times have you read that story?

You read it so much because it plays out every day and plays havoc with stock picking almost every time you see a savory stock down on its luck.

This weekend, as I went through the charts, I was amazed at how low some stocks have gone, stocks that I would normally say to just take a flyer on, but turn out to have so much debt, short- and long-term, that they are just too dangerous.

Consider these perhaps poisonous morsels:

All in all, it was a particularly tough year for small businesses. And, in light of some of the recent economic reports, it looks like 2009 will be tough too.

So, to begin the year on the right foot, I've put together some ideas for New Year's resolutions for your business.

Here's a look:

Get an advisor: It's critical that you get an outside perspective -- especially from someone who has experienced tough economic periods. To this end, you can go to a local SCORE (Counselors to America's Small Business) office. The organization consists of thousands of former executives -- and, importantly, the resource is free.

Become a cash-flow fanatic: When looking at revenues, be conservative. Also, find ways to minimize costs. In other words, scrutinize all line items. Even small costs can add up.

Another idea is to track revenues and costs on a daily basis. An excellent book on the topic is The Plan-as-You-Go Business Plan.

Be vigilant with collections: It's never easy to ask for money from late customers. But, if you want to survive, this is a must-have item.

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

• Aeropostale Inc. (NYSE: ARO) strong Q3 results beat estimates despite the dismal retail environment.
• Alpha Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE: ANR) lowered its full-year forecast due to lower demand for coal.
• America's Car-Mart Inc. (NASDAQ: CRMT) reported higher Q2 earnings and higher same-store sales.
• Beazer Homes USA Inc. (NYSE: BZH) losses in Q4 more than tripled as revenue declined.
• Collective Brands Inc. (NYSE: PSS) Q3 profits were in line with estimates, enough to send shares higher.
• General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) cut its Q4 earnings forecast, which now falls in line with estimates.
• Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) warned that it may see its first quarterly loss ever in Q4.
• Guess? Inc. (NYSE: GES) strong Q3 results beat estimates but offered a conservative outlook.
• Infineon Technologies AG (NYSE: IFX) posted a wider Q4 loss on restructuring and warned of further losses.
• Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) 2009 earnings are expected to be diluted by an acquisition.
• Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: MRVL) reported strong Q3 numbers, sending shares higher.
• Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. (NYSE: MRX) earnings prospects after a settlement led to an analyst's upgrade.
• Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK) lowered its 2009 earnings guidance below analysts' expectations.
• Palm Inc. (NASDAQ: PALM) said that it expects Q2 revenues to come in below analysts' estimates.

In the News:
5 Stocks With Super Yields
It's hard to resist the lure of a big payout. Here are companies whose dividends look secure. They include Briggs & Stratton, General Electric, Diageo, Mattel and Microchip Technology.
http://www.kiplinger.com/columns/picks/archive/2008/pick1201.htm

7 Price Tags That Are Actually Falling
Budgets may be tightening, but don't blame these items -- their prices have fallen as much as 88 percent. The cost of these seven goods and services has actually gone down over time. They include phones, footwear, watches, apparel, new vehicles and electronics.
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/real-estate/20081202_seven_falling_prices_a1.asp

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) and Chrysler plan to present their plan to Congress today as they ask for $25 billion of help. They would refinance their debt, cut executive pay, seek concessions from workers and find other ways of reviving their staggering companies. Meanwhile, autmakers will also release November sales and analysts expect them to post large declines of between 20-40%. GM shares rose 10% in pre-market trade and Ford's added 5.1% (8:02 am). By around 11:42, GM shares rose 6.5% and Ford's 10.2%.

Sears Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: SHLD) reported a much wider-than-expected third-quarter loss due to an 8% decline in sales and store closing charges. Excluding the charges, Sears reported a loss of 90 cents per share in the latest period. Analysts had expected, according to Thomson Reuters, a loss of 49 cents per share. The company did announce a $500 million stock buyback. By around 11:42 SHLD shares soared 17.9%.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYTSE: GS), known so far for being able to mostly dodge most of its rivals' problems, may now, according to industry insiders The Wall Street Journal quotes, report a net loss of as much as $2 billion for its quarter ended Nov. 28 -- its first loss as a public company. Fourth-quarter loss could be as much as $5 a share, five times the current analyst consensus. GS shares trade 1% lower in premarket. By around 11:42 Goldman shares declined 2.2%.

Poor Office Depot (NYSE: ODP). Have you checked the price of the retailer's stock lately? It closed on Wednesday with a value of $2.10. It actually rose over 11% that day upon news of its third-quarter earnings. I can assure you that I wasn't buying the stock.

The numbers didn't tell the story of a company that would make a worthy addition to a stock portfolio hell bent on hanging tough during a market meltdown. Instead, the 7% revenue decrease and the loss per share, on an adjusted basis, of $0.01 relate a tale of a business that one should ignore. At least that's the way I see things. Comps in the North American retail division were horrible. The return on invested capital as calculated by management took a significant drop. Let's face it, Office Depot just isn't cutting it. Granted, the economy is wreaking havoc on the business, but come to think of it, I don't really have a good picture of what the brand is supposed to be about. Well, I know it's about office supplies, but why should I shop there as opposed to Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS) or OfficeMax (NYSE: OMX)? Good question, huh? Looks like the retailer needs to get the message out as to why the shopping experience at its locations is of a higher value compared to the office stores mentioned. For that matter, I'm sure a lot of people use Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) to pick up office supplies too. My point is that management needs to step up its game and create some better marketing programs for its stores. Be creative like Staples. That "easy button" device is turning into a cool cultural icon (well, I might be exaggerating, but I think it's creative, at any rate).

Earlier, I said "at least that's the way I see things" in terms of my opinion about the sad state of Office Depot, but I suppose I should point out that there are obviously a lot of investors out there who don't see a lot to love when it comes to this chain. The stock is down over 63% on the one-month period at the time of this writing. I see no reason to speculate on this business. The economy isn't getting better, and Office Depot just doesn't seem to be in a strong position. What will it take to turn things around? Like I say, in addition to hoping for an improved macro climate, come up with a better advertising campaign, build a more intense connection with the consumer. Office supplies are commodities, but shopping experience is not. That's the opportunity. Differentiating a brand from the competition based on things like customer service and an easy time of it at the checkout register is a traditional strategy in the retail industry. If Office Depot can offer something in that area, it should let me know about it. Since just about every retailer is struggling to keep the traffic coming into their chains, now is the time to exploit the other guy's weakened state and grab every customer possible.

Disclosure: I don't own any company mentioned; positions can change at any time.