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Buy the Sell-Off With 3 Stocks Likely to Beat Earnings Estimates

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It has been a crazy week for domestic and global markets, with massive volatility and somewhat historic sell-offs leading to big losses across the S&P 500 and the Dow. This retreat has prompted many investors to move much more cautiously after a sustained period of sky-high climbs.

Strangely enough, this market downturn also arrived during a fourth-quarter earnings season that saw strong results across the board. With that said, one of the best ways to beat this correction is to look for stocks that have not yet reported and are expected to beat quarterly earnings estimates.

Luckily, Zacks Premium customers can utilize the Earnings ESP Screener in order to search for stocks that are expected to beat. Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) looks to find earnings surprises by focusing on the most recent analyst estimates.

Generally speaking, when an analyst posts an estimate right before an earnings release, it often means that they have brand new information that might be more accurate than what analysts previously thought just a couple of months ago.

A positive Earnings ESP paired with a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better ranking helps us feel confident about the potential for an earnings beat. In fact, our 10-year backtest has revealed that this methodology has accurately produced a positive surprise 70% of the time.

Today, we are giving our readers a very special treat: a free look at three of the strongest stocks that are popping up on our Earnings ESP Screener right now. Check them out:

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII - Free Report)

Huntington Ingalls is one of the largest domestic military shipbuilding companies. The firm is set to report its fourth-quarter and full year 2017 results before the market opens on Thursday, Feb. 15. Huntington Ingalls is currently a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and sports a “B” grade for Value. HII also boats an Earnings ESP of 5.32%.

Based on our latest consensus estimates, we expect to see Huntington Ingalls report quarterly earnings of $2.92 per share and revenues of $2.01 billion.

Textainer Group Holdings Limited

This intermodal container leasing company is currently a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and rocks an overall “B” VGM score. Textainer is expected to report Q4 results next Thursday before the opening bell. The shipping container firm’s Earnings ESP is an impressive 11.21%.

Textainer is expected to see its Q4 earnings skyrocket 179.17% to $0.19 per share, after posting a loss in the year-ago period. On top of this bottom-line expansion, the company’s sales are projected to jump 7.63%.

Nexa Resources S.A. (NEXA - Free Report)

Nexa Resources is a Brazilian copper, zinc, lead, silver, and gold mining company with an Earnings ESP of 17.50%. The company is also currently a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), with “A” grades for both Value and Momentum.

In its upcoming quarter, Nexa is projected to see its sales soar nearly 29% year-over-year to hit $678 million. The mining firm is also expected to post earnings of $0.40 per share after posting a $0.68 per share loss in the year-ago period. Nexa is set to report its quarterly earnings next Friday.

Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars?

Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge.

With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research.

It's not the one you think. See This Ticker Free >>


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Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII) - free report >>

Nexa Resources S.A. (NEXA) - free report >>