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How to Boost Your Portfolio with Top Medical Stocks Set to Beat Earnings

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Two factors often determine stock prices in the long run: earnings and interest rates. Investors can't control the latter, but they can focus on a company's earnings results every quarter.

The earnings figure itself is key, of course, but a beat or miss on the bottom line can sometimes be just as, if not more, important. Therefore, investors should consider paying close attention to these earnings surprises, as a big beat can help a stock climb and vice versa.

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.

With this in mind, the Expected Surprise Prediction compares the Most Accurate Estimate (being the most recent) against the overall Zacks Consensus Estimate. The percentage difference provides the ESP figure. The system also utilizes our core Zacks Rank to provide a stronger system for identifying stocks that might beat their next quarterly earnings estimate and possibly see the stock price climb.

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.

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 AVEO Pharmaceuticals?

The final step today is to look at a stock that meets our ESP qualifications. AVEO Pharmaceuticals earns a #2 (Buy) 11 days from its next quarterly earnings release on November 14, 2022, and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at -$0.15 a share.

AVEO Pharmaceuticals' Earnings ESP sits at +8.16%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the -$0.15 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of -$0.16. AVEO is also part of a large group of stocks that boast a positive ESP. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

AVEO is one of just a large database of Medical stocks with positive ESPs. Another solid-looking stock is Humana (HUM - Free Report) .

Humana, which is readying to report earnings on February 1, 2023, sits at a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) right now. It's Most Accurate Estimate is currently $2.07 a share, and HUM is 90 days out from its next earnings report.

For Humana, the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.02 is +2.28%.

Because both stocks hold a positive Earnings ESP, AVEO and HUM 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 >>


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Humana Inc. (HUM) - free report >>

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