Ameresco, Inc. AMRC is set to report first-quarter 2021 results on May 4, after market close. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered an earnings surprise of 56.67%.Moreover, in the trailing four quarters, Ameresco came up with an earnings surprise of 78.24%, on average.Let's take a closer look at the factors likely to influence the company’s upcoming quarterly results.Factors to ConsiderIncreased focus on project execution is expected to have boosted Amereso’s top-line performance in the first quarter.Ameresco, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Ameresco, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Ameresco, Inc. QuoteHowever, unfavorable weather patterns are likely to have impacted production, which along with commissioning of some of its energy assets might have hurt the company’s revenue growth in the soon-to-be reported quarter.Currently, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter revenues, pegged at $202.5 million, indicates 4.7% decline from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.Although the company has implemented tight expense control, in the post pandemic environment, its selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses are expected to have increased. This in turn might have weighed on its earnings in the first quarter.Moreover, in recent times installation activities have been ramped up manifold with gradual recovery in the economy, which in turn might have pushed up Ameresco’s overall operating expenses, thereby putting downward pressure on its bottom-line performance.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter earnings per share is pegged at 10 cents indicating a 33.3% decline from the year-ago quarter’s figure.Earnings WhispersOur proven model predicts an earnings beat for Ameresco this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. This is the case here.Earnings ESP: Ameresco has an Earnings ESP of +34.98%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.Zacks Rank: The company carries a Zacks Rank #3.Other Stocks to ConsiderInvestors can also consider the following players from the same sector that have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this season and are yet to release their results.Berry Corporation BRY has an Earnings ESP of +122.23% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Now Inc. DNOW has an Earnings ESP of +31.37% and a Zacks Rank #2.Spire Inc SR has an Earnings ESP of +1.16% and a Zacks Rank #3.5 Stocks Set to DoubleEach was hand-picked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2020. Each comes from a different sector and has unique qualities and catalysts that could fuel exceptional growth.Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >> 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 Berry Corporation (BRY): Free Stock Analysis Report Ameresco, Inc. (AMRC): Free Stock Analysis Report Spire Inc. (SR): Free Stock Analysis Report NOW Inc. (DNOW): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research