Flowserve Corporation FLS is scheduled to release third-quarter 2020 results on Nov 5, after market close.The company surpassed estimates thrice and missed once in the last four quarters, the positive earnings surprise being 10.22%, on average. Its second-quarter 2020 earnings of 53 cents per share surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 29 cents by 82.76%.In the past three months, the company’s shares have gained 8% compared with the industry’s growth of 3.3%.Factors at PlayFlowserve is expected to have gained from its strong backlog level in the third quarter, which was $2.1 billion at the end of the previous quarter. Also, given its solid product offerings, the company is expected to have gained from the growing opportunities in the mining, water management and specialty chemicals end markets.Moreover, the company’s transformational realignment program to optimize its manufacturing platform and reduce operational costs is likely to have proven beneficial in the to-be-reported quarter. In addition, its focus on improving on-time delivery and enhancing sales process along with its supply-chain initiatives might get reflected in the upcoming results.Further, some of Flowserve’s actions in response to the coronavirus crisis, including the reduction of discretionary expenses and the re-prioritization of its capital expenditure, are likely to have helped it maintain a solid margin.However, the pandemic, along with the governmental regulations imposed in response to the crisis,is likely to have adversely impacted the demand for the company’s products and services in many of its end markets. Notably, lower bookings in aftermarket and original equipment businesses, along with weakness across power and oil & gas end markets, are likely to get reflected in Flowserve’s third-quarter results.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter revenues from the Flow Control Division segment is currently pegged at $264 million, indicating growth of 4.8% from the quarter-ago reported number. The consensus estimate for revenues from the Pump Division segment is pegged at $618 million, indicating a decline of 8.3% from the previous quarter’s reported figure.Earnings WhispersOur proven model suggests an earnings beat for Flowserve this time around. 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. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.Earnings ESP: The company has an Earnings ESP of +2.56% as the Most Accurate Estimate is pegged at 45 cents, higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 44 cents.Flowserve Corporation Price and EPS Surprise Flowserve Corporation price-eps-surprise | Flowserve Corporation QuoteZacks Rank: Flowserve carries a Zacks Rank #2.Other Key PicksHere are a couple of other companies you may want to consider, as our model shows that these too have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this season:Nordson Corporation NDSN has an Earnings ESP of +1.96% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.II-VI Incorporated IIVI has an Earnings ESP of +2.38% and a Zacks Rank #3.The Middleby Corporation MIDD has an Earnings ESP of +7.84% and a Zacks Rank of 3.Legal Marijuana: An Investor’s DreamImagine getting in early on a young industry primed to skyrocket from $17.7 billion in 2019 to an expected $73.6 billion by 2027.Although marijuana stocks did better as the pandemic took hold than the market as a whole, they’ve been pushed down. This is exactly the right time to get in on selected strong companies at a fraction of their value before COVID struck. Zacks’ Special Report, Marijuana Moneymakers, reveals 10 exciting tickers for urgent consideration.Download Marijuana Moneymakers FREE >>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 Flowserve Corporation (FLS): Free Stock Analysis Report IIVI Incorporated (IIVI): Free Stock Analysis Report Nordson Corporation (NDSN): Free Stock Analysis Report The Middleby Corporation (MIDD): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research