These 2 Oils and Energy Stocks Could Beat Earnings: Why They Should Be on Your Radar

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.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.Now that we know how important earnings and earnings surprises are, it's time to show investors how to take advantage of these events to boost their returns by utilizing the Zacks Earnings ESP filter.The Zacks Earnings ESP, ExplainedThe 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.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 ranking of #3 (Hold), or 60% of all stocks covered by the Zacks Rank, are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. Stocks with rankings of #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy), 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 Williams Companies, Inc. (The)?Now that we understand what the ESP is and how beneficial it can be, let's dive into a stock that currently fits the bill. Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (WMB) earns a #2 (Buy) right now and its Most Accurate Estimate sits at $0.63 a share, just 28 days from its upcoming earnings release on May 5, 2025.Williams Companies, Inc. (The)'s Earnings ESP sits at +5.35%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the $0.63 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.60. WMB 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.WMB is just one of a large group of Oils and Energy stocks with a positive ESP figure. BP (BP) is another qualifying stock you may want to consider.Slated to report earnings on May 6, 2025, BP holds a #3 (Hold) ranking on the Zacks Rank, and it's Most Accurate Estimate is $0.76 a share 29 days from its next quarterly update.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BP is $0.65, and when you take the percentage difference between that number and its Most Accurate Estimate, you get the Earnings ESP figure of +16.33%.WMB and BP'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 ReportedUse 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 >>Should You Invest in Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (WMB)?Before you invest in Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (WMB), want to know the best stocks to buy for the next 30 days? Check out Zacks Investment Research for our free report on the 7 best stocks to buy.Zacks Investment Research has been committed to providing investors with tools and independent research since 1978. For more than a quarter century, the Zacks Rank stock-rating system has more than doubled the S&P 500 with an average gain of +24.08% per year. (These returns cover a period from January 1, 1988 through May 6, 2024.)Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (WMB): Free Stock Analysis Report BP p.l.c. (BP): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks