Upward Estimates
As earnings season gets going in earnest this week, where are the likely surprises? The Times asked Zacks Investment Research to screen its database of 6,600 stocks to find those whose consensus per-share profit estimates for the latest quarter have risen the most, based on a survey of analysts. This chart lists the top 20, ranked by the percentage change between Friday’s consensus estimate and the estimate four weeks earlier. In some cases, estimates have gone from a loss to a profit, and in others the projected loss has shrunk. No stock screen should be used as the only basis for making an investment decision. However, this chart may give earnings-oriented investors ideas for further research.
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Current- % chg Appx qrtr btwn curr EPS* Ticker Mon. consensus est & 4 report Company sym close EPS* est weeks ago date Cross Timbers XTO $13.56 $0.03 +2,620% 7/23 Telef de Venez VNT 25.81 0.32 +500 8/02 Manugistics Grp MANU 15.38 0.03 +386 9/10 Barnes & Noble BKS 24.94 0.03 +270 8/20 Emmis Comm A EMMS 53.00 0.14 +137 9/24 Ocean Energy OEI 11.31 0.01 +103 7/21 RealNetworks RNWK 87.50 0.00 +100 7/21 Imclone System IMCL 27.63 0.00 +99 8/16 Oxford Health OXHP 13.88 0.10 +81 8/11 S3 SIII 12.44 --0.01 +73 7/21 Noble Affiliate NBL 28.94 0.05 +64 7/28 Citadel Comm CITC 36.38 --0.04 +63 7/29 Louis Dreyfus LD 20.63 0.07 +62 7/27 Vintage Petrol VPI 12.06 --0.05 +55 8/13 Lycos LCOS 103.00 0.00 +50 8/19 Murphy Oil MUR 49.81 0.35 +49 7/21 Geltex Pharma GELX 16.31 --0.13 +48 7/20 Zomax ZOMX 43.50 0.60 +48 7/19 Union Pacific Res UPR 16.06 --0.01 +46 7/27 Stewart&Stevenson; SSSS 15.19 0.16 +45 8/26
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* Earnings per share
Source: Zacks Investment Research (https://www.zacks.com)
