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These 2 Medical Stocks Could Beat Earnings: Why They Should Be on Your Radar

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Quarterly financial reports play a vital role on Wall Street, as they help investors see how a company has performed and what might be coming down the road in the near-term. And out of all of the metrics and results to consider, earnings is one of the most important.

We know earnings results are vital, but how a company performs compared to bottom line expectations can be even more important when it comes to stock prices, especially in the near-term. This means that investors might want to take advantage of these earnings surprises.

The ability to identify stocks that are likely to top quarterly earnings expectations can be profitable, but it's no simple task. Here at Zacks, our Earnings ESP filter helps make things easier.

The Zacks Earnings ESP, Explained

The Zacks Expected Surprise Prediction, or ESP, works by locking in on the most up-to-date analyst earnings revisions because they can be more accurate than estimates from weeks or even months before the actual release date. The thinking is pretty straightforward: analysts who provide earnings estimates closer to the report are likely to have more information.

Now that we understand the basic idea, let's look at how the Expected Surprise Prediction works. The ESP is calculated by comparing the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, with the percentage difference between the two giving us the Zacks ESP figure.

In fact, when we combined a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better and a positive Earnings ESP, stocks produced a positive surprise 70% of the time. Perhaps most importantly, using these parameters has helped produce 28.3% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.

Most stocks, about 60%, fall into the #3 (Hold) category, and they are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. Stocks with a #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy) rating, or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market, with Strong Buy stocks outperforming more than any other rank.

Should You Consider Si-Bone?

The last thing we will do today, now that we have a grasp on the ESP and how powerful of a tool it can be, is to quickly look at a qualifying stock. Si-Bone (SIBN - Free Report) holds a #3 (Hold) at the moment and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at -$0.28 a share 26 days away from its upcoming earnings release on February 26, 2024.

By taking the percentage difference between the -$0.28 Most Accurate Estimate and the -$0.29 Zacks Consensus Estimate, Si-Bone has an Earnings ESP of +1.75%. Investors should also know that SIBN is one of a large group of stocks with positive ESPs. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

SIBN is just one of a large group of Medical stocks with a positive ESP figure. Idexx Laboratories (IDXX - Free Report) is another qualifying stock you may want to consider.

Idexx Laboratories is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock, and is getting ready to report earnings on February 5, 2024. IDXX's Most Accurate Estimate sits at $2.15 a share five days from its next earnings release.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Idexx Laboratories is $2.12, and when you take the percentage difference between that number and its Most Accurate Estimate, you get the Earnings ESP figure of +1.1%.

SIBN and IDXX's positive ESP figures tell us that both stocks have a good chance at beating analyst expectations in their next earnings report.

Find Stocks to Buy or Sell Before They're Reported

Use the Zacks Earnings ESP Filter to turn up stocks with the highest probability of positively, or negatively, surprising to buy or sell before they're reported for profitable earnings season trading. Check it out here >>


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. (IDXX) - free report >>

SiBone (SIBN) - free report >>

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