What Is An Earnings Surprise?

Earnings season is one of the most exciting times on Wall Street.

Thousands of publically traded companies hope to impress investors with their quarterly financial reports. In the same vein, retail traders often look at this event as a chance to ride quick price moves, especially if the company beats analysts' earnings per share (EPS) expectations.

If a company can produce higher numbers than external forecasts, they are likely to turn heads. And while it's important to note that traders and investors should carefully consider the entirety of a company's quarterly report, EPS is often the key performance indicator.

You may think that a stock price would jump every time a company delivered an EPS above analysis' estimates. But, solid earnings announcements don't always translate to big stock moves... sometimes, they can do the opposite. Continue reading "What Is An Earnings Surprise?"