Whether or not its good news for its Defense, Space & Security sector based in the City of Hazelwood, The Boeing Company has some earnings to report as its commercial and military aircraft sales rose boosting its 2012 profit forecast for a third time this year.

But the company said it expects challenges in 2013 which include a tougher defense market and higher pension expense. There is a projected $3.5 billion in pension expense next year, according to Boeing. This is about $1 billion more than this year’s, the company stated.

The defense unit, which attributes to more than 40 percent of total sales last year, is bracing for cuts in Pentagon spending, according to Boeing, which won’t forecast 2013 performance until January.

Boeing and AT&T were a part of MarketWatch's "big earnings to watch" on Wednesday as both were expected to do well.

Click here to to read the forecast in its entirety.

To read more about The Boeing Company see:

• Boeing's Diversity Fair Draws Hazelwood Robotics Team
• Boeing Gets Contract Modification Worth More Than $22 Million
• Boeing Projects $4.5 Trillion in New Airplanes Sold in the Next 20 Years
• Boeing to Partner with Embraer to Make Transport Plane
• Boeing F-18 Production Lines Get Senate Backing
• Reuters: Boeing Set for $2 billion 787 Dreamliner Deal