Can Sirius XM (SIRI) Spring A Surprise In Q2 Earnings?

Sirius XM Holdings (NASDAQ:SIRI) is scheduled to report second-quarter 2017 results on Jul 27 before the market opens.

Last quarter, the company’s earnings were in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate while revenues missed the same. However, both earnings and revenues improved on a year-over- year basis.

Let’s see how things shape up for this announcement.

Factors Likely at Play

Sirius XM might struggle in the second quarter of 2017 due to high debt levels. Increased leverage coupled with stiff competition from its rivals will also act as headwinds for the company this quarter.

However, the company’s healthy net subscriber growth is encouraging which might drive its second-quarter results.

The company’s efforts to expand its product portfolio also raise optimism. In April, the company acquired Automatic Labs, a provider of connected vehicle services for consumers and enterprises based in San Francisco. Also in June, the company announced plans to make a $480 million investment in Pandora (NYSE:P) .

The company’s efforts to reward shareholders are also appreciative. In April, the company’s board declared a quarterly cash dividend of a one cent per share.

Earnings Whispers

Our quantitative model does not conclusively show that Sirius XM is likely to beat on earnings this quarter. A company needs the right combination of two key ingredients – a positive Earnings ESP and a favorable Zacks Rank — to increase the odds of an earnings surprise. However, that is not the case as highlighted below.

Zacks ESP: The Earnings ESP for Sirius XM is 0.00% as both the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are pegged at 4 cents per share. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Zacks Rank: Sirius XM carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). However, the company’s 0.00% ESP complicates our surprise prediction.

Note that the Sell-rated stocks (#4 or 5) should never be considered going into an earnings announcement.

Stocks to Consider

Investors interested in the broader consumer discretionary space may consider the following stocks. This is because our model shows that these companies possess the right combination of elements to come up with an earnings beat this quarter.

Discovery Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:DISCA) has an Earnings ESP of +1.41% and a Zacks Rank #3. The company will report its second-quarter earnings on Aug 8.

AMC Networks Inc. (NASDAQ:AMCX) has an Earnings ESP of +2.14% % and a Zacks Rank #3. The company will report its second-quarter earnings on Aug 3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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