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How to Boost Your Portfolio with Top Oils and Energy Stocks Set to Beat Earnings

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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.

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 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.

With this in mind, the Expected Surprise Prediction compares the Most Accurate Estimate (being the most recent) against the overall Zacks Consensus Estimate. The percentage difference provides the ESP figure. The system also utilizes our core Zacks Rank to provide a stronger system for identifying stocks that might beat their next quarterly earnings estimate and possibly see the stock price climb.

In fact, when we combined a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better and a positive Earnings ESP, stocks produced a positive surprise 70% of the time. Perhaps most importantly, using these parameters has helped produce 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 Permian Resources?

The final step today is to look at a stock that meets our ESP qualifications. Permian Resources (PR - Free Report) earns a #2 (Buy) five days from its next quarterly earnings release on May 7, 2024, and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at $0.39 a share.

Permian Resources' Earnings ESP sits at +7.48%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the $0.39 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.36. PR 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.

PR 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 Cenovus Energy (CVE - Free Report) as well.

Cenovus Energy, which is readying to report earnings on July 25, 2024, sits at a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) right now. It's Most Accurate Estimate is currently $0.51 a share, and CVE is 84 days out from its next earnings report.

Cenovus Energy's Earnings ESP figure currently stands at +0.33% after taking the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.50.

PR and CVE'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


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Cenovus Energy Inc (CVE) - free report >>

Permian Resources Corporation (PR) - free report >>

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