Hormel Foods Corporation HRL is likely to register a decline in the bottom line, when it reports first-quarter fiscal 2021 numbers on Feb 18. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal first-quarter earnings has moved down by a cent in the past seven days to 40 cents per share. This suggests a decline of 11.1% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure. The meat products company has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 0.8%, on average. In the last reported quarter, it delivered a negative earnings surprise of 2.3%.Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $2.39 billion, which indicates an increase of 0.2% from the prior-year quarter’s reported figure.Hormel Foods Corporation Price and EPS Surprise Hormel Foods Corporation price-eps-surprise | Hormel Foods Corporation Quote Key Factors to NoteHormel Foods has been benefiting from strength in the International & Other segment. This was witnessed in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, wherein sales in the segment increased 8% year over year on the back of solid demand for SKIPPY peanut butter and SPAMS luncheon meat. For the quarter under review, the consensus mark for International & Other segment sales is pegged at $168 million, which suggests an increase from $162 million recorded in the year-ago quarter.Apart from these, strength in the company’s popular products like Hormel Cup N' Crisp pepperoni, Herdez Salsa Cremosas and Happy Little Plants among others have been contributing to the upside. Moreover, the company’s efforts to strengthen business through strategic investments for boosting capacity have been a key driver.However, Hormel Foods has been seeing declines in its foodservice business amid the pandemic. This could be attributed to reduced demand from various foodservice venues in the wake of COVID-19 induced social distancing. Apart from these, the company has been grappling with escalated costs associated with COVID-19. These include costs related to lower production volumes, employee bonuses and expenses to ensure better safety measures in production units.What the Zacks Model UnveilsOur proven model does not predict an earnings beat for Hormel Foods 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.Hormel Foods carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) and an Earnings ESP of -0.99%.Stocks With Favorable CombinationsHere are some companies that you may want to consider as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat.Sanderson Farms, Inc. SAFM currently has an Earnings ESP of +122.02% and a Zacks Rank of 1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Service Corporation International SCI currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.68% and carries a Zacks Rank #2.The Boston Beer Company, Inc. SAM currently has an Earnings ESP of +31.68% and carries a Zacks Rank #3.Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside?Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana.Ignited by referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $17.7 billion in 2019 to a staggering $73.6 billion by 2027. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look.See the pot stocks we're targeting >>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 Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL): Free Stock Analysis Report Sanderson Farms, Inc. (SAFM): Free Stock Analysis Report Service Corporation International (SCI): Free Stock Analysis Report The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (SAM): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research