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How to Boost Your Portfolio with Top Finance 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.

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 Progressive?

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 quickly look at a qualifying stock. Progressive (PGR - Free Report) holds a #1 (Strong Buy) at the moment and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at $3.84 a share 14 days away from its upcoming earnings release on October 11, 2024.

PGR has an Earnings ESP figure of +17.47%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the $3.84 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.27. Progressive 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.

PGR is part of a big group of Finance stocks that boast a positive ESP, and investors may want to take a look at Reinsurance Group (RGA - Free Report) as well.

Slated to report earnings on November 7, 2024, Reinsurance Group holds a #3 (Hold) ranking on the Zacks Rank, and it's Most Accurate Estimate is $5.26 a share 41 days from its next quarterly update.

Reinsurance Group's Earnings ESP figure currently stands at +2.94% after taking the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.11.

PGR and RGA'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 >>


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


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


The Progressive Corporation (PGR) - free report >>

Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (RGA) - free report >>

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