As earnings season gets going in earnest this week, where are the likely surprises? The Times asked Zacks Investment Research to screen its database of 6,600 stocks to find those whose consensus per-share profit estimates for the latest quarter have risen the most, based on a survey of analysts. This chart lists the top 20, ranked by the percentage change between Friday's consensus estimate and the estimate four weeks earlier. In some cases, estimates have gone from a loss to a profit, and in others the projected loss has shrunk. No stock screen should be used as the only basis for making an investment decision. However, this chart may give earnings-oriented investors ideas for further research.
