EPS Surprise Percentage

Returns the earnings surprise as a percentage of the consensus estimate. This normalizes the surprise, making it easier to compare across companies with different EPS levels.

Return Value

Value Meaning
5.2 Beat estimates by 5.2%
-3.1 Missed estimates by 3.1%
0 Met estimates exactly

Notes

  • Positive = beat percentage
  • Negative = miss percentage
  • More comparable across companies than absolute surprise

Examples

=EPSSurprisePercent("AAPL")
Apple's surprise as percentage
=EPSSurprisePercent("MSFT")
Microsoft's surprise percentage
Symbol from cell reference

When to Use

  • Comparing earnings surprises across companies
  • Identifying significant beats/misses relative to expectations
  • Screening for consistent beaters (high surprise %)

When NOT to Use

Scenario Use Instead
Need dollar amount of surprise EPSSurprise()
Need actual EPS EPSActual()
Need estimate EPSEstimate()

Common Issues & FAQ

Q: Is the value already a percentage? A: Yes, a value of 5.2 means 5.2% beat. You don't need to multiply by 100.

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