EPS Surprise

Returns the earnings surprise amount, calculated as the difference between actual reported EPS and the consensus estimate. A positive value means the company beat expectations.

Return Value

Value Meaning
0.12 Beat estimates by $0.12 per share
-0.05 Missed estimates by $0.05 per share
0.00 Met estimates exactly

Notes

  • Positive = earnings beat
  • Negative = earnings miss
  • Updates after earnings release

Examples

=EPSSurprise("AAPL")
Apple's earnings surprise in dollars
=EPSSurprise("MSFT")
Microsoft's earnings surprise
=EPSSurprise(A1)
Symbol from cell reference

When to Use

  • Post-earnings analysis
  • Identifying beats vs misses
  • Historical earnings quality assessment
  • Screening for companies that consistently beat/miss

When NOT to Use

Scenario Use Instead
Need percentage surprise EPSSurprisePercent()
Need actual EPS EPSActual()
Need estimate EPSEstimate()

Common Issues & FAQ

Q: Why is the surprise small even for a "big beat"? A: The surprise is in absolute dollar terms. Use EPSSurprisePercent() for percentage terms which may be more meaningful.

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MarketXLS Excel Add-in Tutorial - How to Use EPS Surprise and Other Financial Formulas
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