But earnings have disappointed, and the company's stock has continued its decline.

Indeed, stock prices have faltered since the end of June, as corporate earnings have disappointed investors.

The share price has fallen 7 percent this year, and earnings have disappointed for the last six quarters.

In response, analysts did what they usually do when earnings disappoint them: they lowered their ratings on the company's stock.

Sequent shares had traded as low at $5.68 in the last 52 weeks as the company's earnings disappointed Wall Street.

"And if that's the case, we can't afford to have earnings disappoint."

Ivax stock plunged earlier this year as the company said its earnings in the volatile generic-drug business would disappoint investors.

And so if earnings disappoint, or sentiment shifts, those stocks get hammered.

And warnings that fourth-quarter earnings might disappoint are keeping a lid on some stocks.

The earnings apparently disappointed some investors but earnings projections for the company were not immediately available for comparison.