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Want Better Returns? Don?t Ignore These 2 Transportation Stocks Set to Beat Earnings

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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.

Life and the stock market are both about expectations, and rising above what is expected is often rewarded, while falling short can come with negative consequences. Investors might want to try to capture stronger returns by finding positive earnings surprises.

The ability to identify stocks that are likely to top quarterly earnings expectations can be profitable, but it's no simple task. Here at Zacks, our Earnings ESP filter helps make things easier.

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.

Stocks with a #3 (Hold) ranking, which is most stocks covered at 60%, are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. But stocks that fall into the #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy) ranking, or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market. Strong Buy stocks should outperform more than any other rank.

Should You Consider American Airlines?

The final step today is to look at a stock that meets our ESP qualifications. American Airlines (AAL - Free Report) earns a #3 (Hold) 30 days from its next quarterly earnings release on July 20, 2023, and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at $1.54 a share.

AAL has an Earnings ESP figure of +6.14%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the $1.54 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.46. American Airlines 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.

AAL is one of just a large database of Transportation stocks with positive ESPs. Another solid-looking stock is Copa Holdings (CPA - Free Report) .

Copa Holdings, which is readying to report earnings on August 2, 2023, sits at a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) right now. It's Most Accurate Estimate is currently $3.08 a share, and CPA is 43 days out from its next earnings report.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Copa Holdings is $3.08, and when you take the percentage difference between that number and its Most Accurate Estimate, you get the Earnings ESP figure of +0.07%.

AAL and CPA's positive ESP metrics may signal that a positive earnings surprise for both stocks is on the horizon.

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 >>


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


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


Copa Holdings, S.A. (CPA) - free report >>

American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL) - free report >>

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