Why Investors Need to Take Advantage of These 2 Finance Stocks Now

Earnings are arguably the most important single number on a company's quarterly financial report. Wall Street clearly dives into all of the other metrics and management's input, but the EPS figure helps cut through all the noise.

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, 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.

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 American Express?

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. American Express (AXP) earns a #3 (Hold) right now and its Most Accurate Estimate sits at $3.91 a share, just 30 days from its upcoming earnings release on July 18, 2025.

By taking the percentage difference between the $3.91 Most Accurate Estimate and the $3.86 Zacks Consensus Estimate, American Express has an Earnings ESP of +1.29%. Investors should also know that AXP is one of a large group 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.

AXP is just one of a large group of Finance stocks with a positive ESP figure. Crown Castle (CCI) is another qualifying stock you may want to consider.

Slated to report earnings on July 16, 2025, Crown Castle holds a #3 (Hold) ranking on the Zacks Rank, and it's Most Accurate Estimate is $1.04 a share 28 days from its next quarterly update.

Crown Castle's Earnings ESP figure currently stands at +3.56% after taking the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.

AXP and CCI'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 >>

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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