Why settle for ordinary quarterly reports?
I believe that the biggest factor in a stock's ability to beat the market is its ability to beat the market's expectations. That's why I look every week at three companies that have humbled Wall Street's pros over the past few trading days. If a company has more in the tank than the analysts figured, capital appreciation often follows.
Let's look at a few companies that humbled the prognosticators over the past few trading days.
We can start with Lennar
Analysts were expecting a loss of $0.48 a share, compared to a huge $5.12-per-share shortfall a year earlier.
Family Dollar
Healthy comps and widening margins can work wonders for a retailer, especially one that is perceived to stretch the value of disposable income. Big Lots
Finally, we have Bed Bath & Beyond
Bed Bath & Beyond's report is a bigger surprise than Family Dollar's victorious turn, because the market still sees weakness in the housing market. Are consumers loading up on home furnishings before home prices rebound? Last month's surprising profit from former dog Pier 1
Keep watching the companies that surpass expectations. Over time, doing so will be a rewarding experience for investors, as the market rewards the overachievers. That's the kind of surprise we look for in the Rule Breakers newsletter service. Want in? Check out a 30-day trial subscription.
Either way, come back next Monday to learn about more stocks that blew the market away.