In the latest trading session, Sterling Construction (STRL) closed at $27.05, marking a +1.96% move from the previous day. The stock outpaced the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.92%. Meanwhile, the Dow gained 0.51%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, added 0.54%.Heading into today, shares of the civil construction company had lost 0.3% over the past month, outpacing the Construction sector's loss of 4.99% and the S&P 500's loss of 0.85% in that time.Investors will be hoping for strength from Sterling Construction as it approaches its next earnings release. The company is expected to report EPS of $0.37, up 85% from the prior-year quarter. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $340.2 million, down 2.02% from the year-ago period.Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for Sterling Construction. These recent revisions tend to reflect the evolving nature of short-term business trends. With this in mind, we can consider positive estimate revisions a sign of optimism about the company's business outlook.Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Within the past 30 days, our consensus EPS projection remained stagnant. Sterling Construction is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).Investors should also note Sterling Construction's current valuation metrics, including its Forward P/E ratio of 11.27. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 15.96, which means Sterling Construction is trading at a discount to the group.The Building Products - Heavy Construction industry is part of the Construction sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 232, which puts it in the bottom 10% of all 250+ industries.The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our individual industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.To follow STRL in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com. Zacks’ Top Picks to Cash in on Artificial Intelligence This world-changing technology is projected to generate $100S of billions by 2025. From self-driving cars to consumer data analysis, people are relying on machines more than we ever have before. Now is the time to capitalize on the 4th Industrial Revolution. Zacks’ urgent special report reveals 6 AI picks investors need to know about today.See 6 Artificial Intelligence Stocks With Extreme Upside Potential>>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 Sterling Construction Company Inc (STRL): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.