Sempra Energy SRE is set to report first-quarter 2021 results on May 5, before market open. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered an earnings surprise of 22.58%.In the trailing four quarters, Sempra Energy came up with an earnings surprise of 10.97%, on average.Let’s discuss the factors that are likely to get reflected in the upcoming quarterly results.Sempra Energy Price and EPS Surprise Sempra Energy price-eps-surprise | Sempra Energy Quote Factors to ConsiderDuring most part of the first quarter, major parts of the company’s service territories experienced below-normal cold temperatures, accompanied by occasional snowfall as well as rain. Such weather pattern might have spurred electricity demand. This, in turn, is expected to have aided Sempra Energy’s first-quarter top line.Moreover, favorable rate case approvals in the prior quarters might have also contributed to its revenue growth.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter revenues is pegged at $3.16 billion, indicating 4.4% rise from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.Wildfire has been consistently affecting utility providers operating in the state of California, including Sempra Energy. During the first quarter, the state experienced a handful of such wildfire events, which might have caused power outage along with damage to the utility’s infrastructure. Also a few storms affected the company’s service territory during the first quarter resulting in power outage. These might have increased operating expenses for Sempra Energy during the soon-to-be-reported quarter. For the first quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings per share is pegged at $2.60, indicating a decline of 15.6% from the earnings figure reported in the year-ago quarter.Earnings WhispersOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Sempra Energy 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.Earnings ESP: Sempra Energy has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. 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. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Stocks to ConsiderHere are some players from the Utilities sector with the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in the to-be-reported quarter.CenterPoint Energy CNP has an Earnings ESP of +4.52% and a Zacks Rank #3.UGI Corp UGI has an Earnings ESP of +1.74% and a Zacks Rank #3.Duke Energy DUK has an Earnings ESP of +0.16% 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 Sempra Energy (SRE): Free Stock Analysis Report CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CNP): Free Stock Analysis Report Duke Energy Corporation (DUK): Free Stock Analysis Report UGI Corporation (UGI): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.