Want Better Returns? Don't Ignore These 2 Medical Stocks Set to Beat Earnings

Wall Street watches a company's quarterly report closely to understand as much as possible about its recent performance and what to expect going forward. Of course, one figure often stands out among the rest: earnings.

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.

2 Stocks to Add to Your Watchlist

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. 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.

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. Medtronic (MDT) earns a Zacks Rank #3 right now and its Most Accurate Estimate sits at $1.20 a share, just four days from its upcoming earnings release on November 21, 2023.

By taking the percentage difference between the $1.20 Most Accurate Estimate and the $1.18 Zacks Consensus Estimate, Medtronic has an Earnings ESP of 1.39%.

MDT is one of just a large database of Medical stocks with positive ESPs. Another solid-looking stock is Novo Nordisk (NVO).

Novo Nordisk, which is readying to report earnings on February 7, 2024, sits at a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) right now. It's Most Accurate Estimate is currently $0.68 a share, and NVO is 82 days out from its next earnings report.

For Novo Nordisk, the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.66 is 2.79%.

MDT and NVO'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 >>

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Medtronic PLC (MDT) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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