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.

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.

Hunting for 'earnings whispers' or companies poised to beat their quarterly earnings estimates is a somewhat common practice. But that doesn't make it easy. One way that has been proven to work is by using the Zacks Earnings ESP tool.

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.

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.

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 SkyWest?

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. SkyWest (SKYW Quick QuoteSKYW - Free Report) holds a #1 (Strong Buy) at the moment and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at $2.42 a share two days away from its upcoming earnings release on July 24, 2025.

SKYW has an Earnings ESP figure of +3.06%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the $2.42 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.34. SkyWest is one of a large database 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.

SKYW is one of just a large database of Transportation stocks with positive ESPs. Another solid-looking stock is United Airlines (UAL Quick QuoteUAL - Free Report) .

Slated to report earnings on October 21, 2025, United Airlines holds a #3 (Hold) ranking on the Zacks Rank, and its Most Accurate Estimate is $2.63 a share 91 days from its next quarterly update.

For United Airlines, the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.61 is +0.83%.

Because both stocks hold a positive Earnings ESP, SKYW and UAL 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 >>