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Will Cliffs Natural Resources (CLF) Crush Estimates at Its Next Earnings Report?

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Looking for a stock that might be in a good position to beat earnings at its next report? Consider Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (CLF - Free Report) , a firm in the Mining -Iron, which could be a great candidate for another beat.

This company has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. In fact, in these reports, CLF has beaten estimates by at least 55% in both cases, suggesting it has a nice short-term history of crushing expectations.

Earnings in Focus

Two quarters ago, CLF expected to earn a loss of 32 cents  per share, while it actually produced loss of 14 cents per share, a beat of 56.3%. Meanwhile, for the most recent quarter, the company looked to deliver loss of 29 cents per share, when it actually saw loss of 7 cents per share instead, representing a 75.9% positive surprise.

Thanks in part to this history; recent estimates have been moving higher for Cliffs Natural Resources. In fact, the Earnings ESP for CLF is positive, which is a great sign of a coming beat.

After all, the Zacks Earnings ESP compares the most accurate estimate to the broad consensus, looking to find stocks that have seen big revisions as of late, suggesting that analysts have recently become more bullish on the company’s earnings prospects. This is the case for CLF, as the firm currently has a Zacks Earnings ESP of 700.00%, so another beat could be around the corner.

This is particularly true when you consider that CLF has a great Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) which can be a harbinger of outperformance and a signal for a strong earnings profile. And when you add this solid Zacks Rank to a positive Earnings ESP, a positive earnings surprise happens nearly 70% of the time, so it seems pretty likely that CLF could see another beat at its next report, especially if recent trends are any guide.

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