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How to Boost Your Portfolio with Top Utilities 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 Earnings ESP, or Expected Surprise Prediction, aims to find earnings surprises by focusing on the most recent analyst revisions. The basic premise is that if an analyst reevaluates their earnings estimate ahead of an earnings release, it means they likely have new information that could possibly be more accurate.

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.

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.

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 AES?

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. AES (AES - Free Report) holds a #3 (Hold) at the moment and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at $0.62 a share one day away from its upcoming earnings release on October 31, 2024.

AES has an Earnings ESP figure of +2.76%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the $0.62 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.60. AES 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.

AES is just one of a large group of Utilities stocks with a positive ESP figure. American Electric Power (AEP - Free Report) is another qualifying stock you may want to consider.

American Electric Power is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock, and is getting ready to report earnings on November 6, 2024. AEP's Most Accurate Estimate sits at $1.80 a share seven days from its next earnings release.

American Electric Power's Earnings ESP figure currently stands at +0.94% after taking the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.78.

AES and AEP'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:


American Electric Power Company, Inc. (AEP) - free report >>

The AES Corporation (AES) - free report >>

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