Spectra Energy’s (SE) Q3 Earnings: A Surprise in Store?

Zacks

Texas-based Spectra Energy Corporation SE is slated to report third-quarter 2015 earnings on Nov 4, before the market opens.

In the last quarter, the company’s earnings of 23 cents per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 18 cents. The bottom line also increased from 22 cents in the year-ago quarter. Let’s see how things are shaping up prior to the announcement.

Factors to Consider

Spectra Energy plans to deploy about $25 billion over the next decade on fee-based gas infrastructure growth projects. The company expects to commission around eight projects through 2016. Further, growth is expected to be achieved by its master limited partnership (MLP) dropdown strategy. The projects commissioned so far in 2015 will augment third-quarter earnings.

Spectra Energy’s growth momentum continues through both organic as well as inorganic means, and the company remains upbeat about its future prospects. We expect strong returns from the company’s western Canadian assets, BC Pipeline, BC Field Services, Midstream and Natural Gas Liquids, in particular in the soon to be reported quarter.

Earnings Whispers

Our proven model does not conclusively show that Spectra Energy is likely to beat earnings this quarter. That is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. That is not the case here, as you will see below.

Zacks ESP: Earnings ESP, which represents the difference between the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate, is 0.00%..

Zacks Rank: Spectra Energy carries a Zacks Rank #3. Though a favorable Zacks Rank increases the predictive power of ESP, our prediction is complicated by the company’s 0.00% ESP.

The Sell-rated stocks (Zacks Ranks #4 and 5) should never be considered going into an earnings announcement.

Stocks to Consider

Some stocks from the energy sector that have both a positive Earnings ESP and a favorable Zacks Rank are:

Natural Gas Services Group Inc NGS has an Earnings ESP of +11.11% and a Zacks Rank #1.

Exterran Partners LP EXLP has an Earnings ESP of +8.00% and a Zacks Rank #3.

Spectra Energy Partners, LP SEP has an Earnings ESP of +10.67% and a Zacks Rank #3.

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