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Chewy (CHWY) to Report Q4 Earnings: What's in the Cards?

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Chewy, Inc. (CHWY - Free Report) is slated to report fourth-quarter fiscal 2020 numbers on Mar 30 after market close. In fact, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the fourth quarter is pegged at a loss of 10 cents, which has been stable over the past 30 days. We note that the consensus mark is wider than a loss of 4 cents a share recorded in the year-earlier quarter. However, the consensus estimate for quarterly sales stands at $1,963 million, indicating an increase of 44.9% from the year-ago quarter.

Notably, this pet food and other pet-related supplier delivered an earnings surprise of 40.2%, on average, in the trailing four quarters.

Key Factors to Note

Chewy’s fourth-quarter performance might have been hurt by deleveraged operating expenses, including SG&A, advertising and marketing. Moreover, investments related to the launch of fulfillment centers, bonuses and costs tied to the pandemic are resulting in higher expenses. In addition, stiff competition in the industry is a headwind. These factors might have weighed on Chewy’s bottom-line performance in the to-be-reported quarter.

On a positive note, the company has been witnessing strength in e-commerce and increased pet ownership. Moreover, customers are responding positively toward the company’s assortment that includes innovative products and service launches. Also, its pharmacy operations bode well. Management has also launched Medication Compounding and Connect with the Vet– the company’s proprietary telehealth platform to make pet healthcare affordable. Such strengths are expected to have contributed to overall sales in the quarter.

What the Zacks Model Unveils

Our proven model doesn’t conclusively predict an earnings beat for Chewy this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. But that’s not the case here. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Chewy Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

Chewy Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

Chewy Inc. price-eps-surprise | Chewy Inc. Quote

Although Chewy has a Zacks Rank #2, its Earnings ESP of 0.00% makes surprise prediction difficult.

Stocks Poised to Beat Earnings Estimates

Here are some companies that you may want to consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat:

The Estee Lauder Companies (EL - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +15.26% and a Zacks Rank of 2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Boston Beer Company (SAM - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +9.58% and a Zacks Rank #3.

Philip Morris International (PM - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.36 % and a Zacks Rank #3, presently.

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