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.
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.
2 Stocks to Add to Your Watchlist
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. 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.
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 look at a qualifying stock. Transocean (RIG) holds a Zacks Rank #1 at the moment and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at -$0.18 a share 19 days away from its upcoming earnings release on February 21, 2023.
Transocean’s Earnings ESP sits at 6.9%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the -$0.18 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of -$0.19.
RIG is just one of a large group of Oils-Energy stocks with a positive ESP figure. Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (WMB) is another qualifying stock you may want to consider.
Slated to report earnings on February 20, 2023, Williams Companies, Inc. (The) holds a #3 (Hold) ranking on the Zacks Rank, and it’s Most Accurate Estimate is $0.48 a share 18 days from its next quarterly update.
For Williams Companies, Inc. (The), the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.47 is 0.64%.
RIG and WMB’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 >>
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Transocean Ltd. (RIG) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (WMB) : Free Stock Analysis Report