EPS Alpha: 10 Firms Beating Wall Street Estimates

Data by market research firm FactSet showed that over the past decade, roughly 74–78% of companies on the benchmark S&P 500 typically beat analyst estimates on earnings per share in any given quarter. The average aggregate earnings surprise has historically been around 7–8% above estimates, indicating that while earnings beats are common, most are modest rather than exceptionally large. During unusually strong earnings seasons, the magnitude of surprises increases substantially. For...