MSCI MSCI is set to report third-quarter 2020 results on Oct 27.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter earnings has increased 1.1% to $1.82 per share over the past 30 days, suggesting 8.3% growth from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter.The consensus mark for revenues is pegged at $420.9 million, indicating an increase of 6.8% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.Notably, the company’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all the trailing four quarters, the average being 6.3%.MSCI Inc Price and EPS Surprise MSCI Inc price-eps-surprise | MSCI Inc QuoteLet’s see how things are shaping up for the upcoming announcement.Factors to NoteRobust adoption of MSCI’s solutions, driven by strong demand for cost-effective investment strategies with sustainable and risk-optimized returns, is expected to have driven top-line growth in the to-be-reported quarter.MSCI’s strong recurring-revenue model is also expected to have driven top-line growth. Moreover, surging demand for custom and factor index modules, and the increasing uptake of the company’s ESG solution in the investment process is expected to have benefited MSCI.Notably, assets in ETFs linked to MSCI indexes increased 10.1% sequentially to $908.9 billion at the end of third-quarter 2020.Nevertheless, the coronavirus pandemic is expected to have affected average assets under management in ETFs linked to MSCI indexes. Moreover, retention rate is also expected to have suffered.What Our Model SaysPer the Zacks model, the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat.MSCI has an Earnings ESP of +0.22% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.Other Stocks to ConsiderHere are a few other companies worth considering as our model shows that these too have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings in their upcoming releases:Avnet AVT has an Earnings ESP of +39.13% and a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Generac GNRC has an Earnings ESP of +4.70% and is Zacks #1 Ranked.NCR Corporation NCR has an Earnings ESP of +18.34% and is #1 Ranked.Breakout Biotech Stocks with Triple-Digit Profit PotentialThe biotech sector is projected to surge beyond $775 billion by 2024 as scientists develop treatments for thousands of diseases. They’re also finding ways to edit the human genome to literally erase our vulnerability to these diseases.Zacks has just released Century of Biology: 7 Biotech Stocks to Buy Right Now to help investors profit from 7 stocks poised for outperformance. Our recent biotech recommendations have produced gains of +50%, +83% and +164% in as little as 2 months. The stocks in this report could perform even better.See these 7 breakthrough stocks now>>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Avnet, Inc. (AVT): Free Stock Analysis Report NCR Corporation (NCR): Free Stock Analysis Report MSCI Inc (MSCI): Free Stock Analysis Report Generac Holdlings Inc. (GNRC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.