Group 1 - Quarterly financial reports are crucial for investors to assess company performance and future outlook, with earnings being a key metric [1] - The comparison of actual earnings results to bottom line expectations significantly impacts stock prices, making earnings surprises valuable for investors [2] - The Zacks Earnings ESP tool helps identify companies likely to exceed earnings estimates by focusing on the most recent analyst revisions [3][4] Group 2 - The Zacks Expected Surprise Prediction (ESP) calculates the difference between the Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate, providing a percentage figure that indicates potential earnings surprises [4] - Stocks with a positive earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) or better have historically shown a 70% chance of a positive earnings surprise, yielding an average annual return of approximately 28% over the past decade [5] - Stocks ranked 2 (Buy) and 1 (Strong Buy) are expected to outperform the market, with Strong Buy stocks showing the highest potential for outperformance [6] Group 3 - NextEra Energy (NEE) currently holds a 3 (Hold) ranking, with a Most Accurate Estimate of 0.97 [8] - American Electric Power (AEP) is another utility stock with a positive ESP, holding a 3 (Hold) ranking and a Most Accurate Estimate of $2.05 per share, with an Earnings ESP of +9.22% [9][10]
Looking for Stocks with Positive Earnings Momentum? Check Out These 2 Utilities Names