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Want Better Returns? Don?t Ignore These 2 Computer and Technology Stocks Set to Beat Earnings

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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.

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.

Now that we know how important earnings and earnings surprises are, it's time to show investors how to take advantage of these events to boost their returns by utilizing the Zacks Earnings ESP filter.

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.

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.

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 AppFolio?

The final step today is to look at a stock that meets our ESP qualifications. AppFolio (APPF - Free Report) earns a #2 (Buy) 30 days from its next quarterly earnings release on July 25, 2024, and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at $0.95 a share.

By taking the percentage difference between the $0.95 Most Accurate Estimate and the $0.92 Zacks Consensus Estimate, AppFolio has an Earnings ESP of +2.98%. Investors should also know that APPF 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.

APPF is one of just a large database of Computer and Technology stocks with positive ESPs. Another solid-looking stock is Lyft (LYFT - Free Report) .

Slated to report earnings on August 13, 2024, Lyft holds a #3 (Hold) ranking on the Zacks Rank, and it's Most Accurate Estimate is $0.19 a share 49 days from its next quarterly update.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Lyft is $0.19, and when you take the percentage difference between that number and its Most Accurate Estimate, you get the Earnings ESP figure of +2.52%.

APPF and LYFT'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:


AppFolio, Inc. (APPF) - free report >>

Lyft, Inc. (LYFT) - free report >>

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