AMETEK, Inc. AME is scheduled to report first-quarter 2021 results on May 4.For the first quarter, the company expects a sales decline of low to mid-single digits on a year-over-year basis. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for sales is pegged at $1.17 billion, suggesting a decline of 2.8% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.Further, the company expects adjusted earnings of 97 cents to $1.02 per share.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at $1.02 per share, flat with the prior-year reported figure.The company beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 8.52%.AMETEK, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise AMETEK, Inc. price-eps-surprise | AMETEK, Inc. QuoteFactors to NoteDespite the coronavirus-induced disruptions, AMETEK’s first-quarter results are expected to reflect positive contributions from acquisitions.Acquisitions of Motec, Forza, Telular, Gatan, Intellipower and Spectro Scientific are likely to have driven the Electronic Instruments Group segment’s performance in the quarter to be reported. Further, the impacts ofa strong materials analysis business are anticipated toget reflected in the segment’s first-quarter sales.Further, the Electromechanical Group segment’s sales are likely to have gained from the Pacific Design Technologies and FMH Aerospace buyouts in the to-be-reported quarter. Moreover, cost-mitigation strategies are anticipated to have aided the operation performance of the segment in the quarter under review.Further, the company’s proper execution of its core growth strategies — including operational excellence, global market expansion, investments in product development and acquisitions —is expected to have driven the first-quarter performance.Additionally, AMETEK’s focus on strong cash flow generation is anticipated to have aided capital deployment activities in the to-be-reported quarter.Apart from these, the impacts of strengthening momentum across the AMETEK Growth Model are expected to get reflected in the to-be-reported quarterly results.What Our Model SaysOur proven model conclusively predictsan earnings beat for AMETEK 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. But that’s not the case here. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.AMETEK has an Earnings ESP of +0.49% and a Zacks Rank #2.Other Stocks to ConsiderHere are someother stocks that you may consider, as our proven model shows that these too have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter.Waters Corporation WAT has an Earnings ESP of +2.94% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. VSH currently has an Earnings ESP of +5.22% and a Zacks Rank #2.Square, Inc. SQ presently has an Earnings ESP of +16.14% and a Zacks Rank of 3.Time to Invest in Legal MarijuanaIf you’re looking for big gains, there couldn’t be a better time to get in on a young industry primed to skyrocket from $17.7 billion back in 2019 to an expected $73.6 billion by 2027.After a clean sweep of 6 election referendums in 5 states, pot is now legal in 36 states plus D.C. Federal legalization is expected soon and that could be a still greater bonanza for investors. Even before the latest wave of legalization, Zacks Investment Research has recommended pot stocks that have shot up as high as +285.9%.You’re invited to check out Zacks’ Marijuana Moneymakers: An Investor’s Guide. It features a timely Watch List of pot stocks and ETFs with exceptional growth potential.Today, 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 AMETEK, Inc. (AME): Free Stock Analysis Report Waters Corporation (WAT): Free Stock Analysis Report Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (VSH): Free Stock Analysis Report Square, Inc. (SQ): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research