Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Why Investors Need to Take Advantage of These 2 Oils and Energy Stocks Now

Read MoreHide Full Article

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.

The earnings figure itself is key, of course, but a beat or miss on the bottom line can sometimes be just as, if not more, important. Therefore, investors should consider paying close attention to these earnings surprises, as a big beat can help a stock climb and vice versa.

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.

The core of the ESP model is comparing the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, where the resulting percentage difference between the two equals the Expected Surprise Prediction. The Zacks Rank is also factored into the ESP metric to better help find companies that appear poised to top their next bottom-line consensus estimate, which will hopefully help lift the stock price.

Bringing together a positive earnings ESP alongside a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better has helped stocks report a positive earnings surprise 70% of the time. Furthermore, by using these parameters, investors have seen 28.3% 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 EOG Resources?

The final step today is to look at a stock that meets our ESP qualifications. EOG Resources (EOG - Free Report) earns a #3 (Hold) 27 days from its next quarterly earnings release on November 2, 2023, and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at $2.97 a share.

EOG Resources' Earnings ESP sits at +3.15%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the $2.97 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.87. EOG is also part of a large group of stocks that boast a positive ESP. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

EOG is part of a big group of Oils and Energy stocks that boast a positive ESP, and investors may want to take a look at Shell (SHEL - Free Report) as well.

Shell is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock, and is getting ready to report earnings on October 26, 2023. SHEL's Most Accurate Estimate sits at $1.80 a share 20 days from its next earnings release.

For Shell, the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.71 is +5.26%.

EOG and SHEL'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:


EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) - free report >>

Shell PLC Unsponsored ADR (SHEL) - free report >>

Published in