We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Want Better Returns? Don?t Ignore These 2 Oils and Energy Stocks Set to Beat Earnings
Read MoreHide Full Article
Wall Street watches a company's quarterly report closely to understand as much as possible about its recent performance and what to expect going forward. Of course, one figure often stands out among the rest: earnings.
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 Earnings ESP is more formally known as the Expected Surprise Prediction, and it aims to grab the inside track on the latest analyst estimate revisions ahead of a company's report. The idea is relatively intuitive as a newer projection might be based on more complete 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.
When we join a positive earnings ESP with a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or stronger, stocks posted a positive bottom-line surprise 70% of the time. Plus, this system saw investors produce roughly 28% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.
Stocks with a ranking of #3 (Hold), or 60% of all stocks covered by the Zacks Rank, are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. Stocks with rankings of #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy), or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market; Strong Buy stocks should outperform more than any other rank.
Should You Consider FuelCell Energy?
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. FuelCell Energy (FCEL - Free Report) holds a #3 (Hold) at the moment and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at -$0.05 a share 29 days away from its upcoming earnings release on March 14, 2024.
By taking the percentage difference between the -$0.05 Most Accurate Estimate and the -$0.07 Zacks Consensus Estimate, FuelCell Energy has an Earnings ESP of +31.03%. Investors should also know that FCEL 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.
FCEL is one of just a large database of Oils and Energy stocks with positive ESPs. Another solid-looking stock is Southwestern Energy (SWN - Free Report) .
Southwestern Energy is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock, and is getting ready to report earnings on February 22, 2024. SWN's Most Accurate Estimate sits at $0.13 a share eight days from its next earnings release.
For Southwestern Energy, the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.13 is +1.59%.
Because both stocks hold a positive Earnings ESP, FCEL and SWN could potentially post earnings beats in their next reports.
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:
Image: Bigstock
Want Better Returns? Don?t Ignore These 2 Oils and Energy Stocks Set to Beat Earnings
Wall Street watches a company's quarterly report closely to understand as much as possible about its recent performance and what to expect going forward. Of course, one figure often stands out among the rest: earnings.
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 Earnings ESP is more formally known as the Expected Surprise Prediction, and it aims to grab the inside track on the latest analyst estimate revisions ahead of a company's report. The idea is relatively intuitive as a newer projection might be based on more complete 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.
When we join a positive earnings ESP with a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or stronger, stocks posted a positive bottom-line surprise 70% of the time. Plus, this system saw investors produce roughly 28% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.
Stocks with a ranking of #3 (Hold), or 60% of all stocks covered by the Zacks Rank, are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. Stocks with rankings of #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy), or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market; Strong Buy stocks should outperform more than any other rank.
Should You Consider FuelCell Energy?
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. FuelCell Energy (FCEL - Free Report) holds a #3 (Hold) at the moment and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at -$0.05 a share 29 days away from its upcoming earnings release on March 14, 2024.
By taking the percentage difference between the -$0.05 Most Accurate Estimate and the -$0.07 Zacks Consensus Estimate, FuelCell Energy has an Earnings ESP of +31.03%. Investors should also know that FCEL 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.
FCEL is one of just a large database of Oils and Energy stocks with positive ESPs. Another solid-looking stock is Southwestern Energy (SWN - Free Report) .
Southwestern Energy is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock, and is getting ready to report earnings on February 22, 2024. SWN's Most Accurate Estimate sits at $0.13 a share eight days from its next earnings release.
For Southwestern Energy, the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.13 is +1.59%.
Because both stocks hold a positive Earnings ESP, FCEL and SWN could potentially post earnings beats in their next reports.
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 >>