Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Should You Sell Costco Wholesale (COST) Before Earnings?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors are always looking for stocks that are poised to beat at earnings season and Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST - Free Report) may be one such company. The firm has earnings coming up pretty soon, and events are shaping up quite nicely for their report.

That is because Costco Wholesale is seeing favorable earnings estimate revision activity as of late, which is generally a precursor to an earnings beat. After all, analysts raising estimates right before earnings—with the most up-to-date information possible—is a pretty good indicator of some favorable trends underneath the surface for COST in this report.

In fact, the Most Accurate Estimate for the current quarter is currently at $1.36 per share for COST, compared to a broader Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.35 per share. This suggests that analysts have very recently bumped up their estimates for COST, giving the stock a Zacks Earnings ESP of 0.74% heading into earnings season.

Why is this Important?

A positive reading for the Zacks Earnings ESP has proven to be very powerful in producing both positive surprises, and outperforming the market. Our recent 10 year backtest shows that stocks that have a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better show a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and have returned over 28% on average in annual returns (see more Top Earnings ESP stocks here).

Given that COST has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and an ESP in positive territory, investors might want to consider this stock ahead of earnings. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 (Strong Buy) Rank stocks here.

Clearly, recent earnings estimate revisions suggest that good things are ahead for Costco Wholesale, and that a beat might be in the cards for the upcoming report.

Everything You Need to Know About Snapchat BEFORE It Goes Public

You may be curious about the buzz surrounding Snap Inc.'s IPO on March 2. With the company expected to be valued around $22 billion, it is expected to be the largest IPO since 2014. But should you snap up this tech stock on Day 1?

In the 2017 IPO Watch List, you'll get an inside look at Snap's exciting prospects and potential challenges. You'll also learn about 4 other exciting tech companies with jaw-dropping growth. Each could go public in the coming months.

Imagine being in the first wave of investors to jump on a company with almost unlimited growth potential? This Special Report gives you the latest scoop. Download this IPO Watch List today for free >>


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


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


Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) - free report >>

Published in