Devon Energy Corp. DVN is scheduled to release second-quarter 2019 results on Aug 6. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise of 20%.Let’s see how things are shaping up before the upcoming earnings announcement.Earnings WhispersA stock needs to have a positive Earnings ESP (which represents the difference between the Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate), and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) to be able to beat estimates. However, Devon Energy does not have the right combination, as elaborated below.Earnings ESP: The company’s Earnings ESP is -12.09%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP FilterDevon Energy Corporation Price and EPS Surprise Devon Energy Corporation price-eps-surprise | Devon Energy Corporation QuoteZacks Rank: The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). The Sell-rated stocks (#4 or 5) should never be considered going into an earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions.Factors to ConsiderDevon Energy is expected to benefit from higher level of activity in the STACK and Delaware Basin, which likely had a positive impact on second-quarter average daily oil production. The company estimates total second-quarter oil production from its retained assets within 136,000-145,000 barrels of oil per day.Second-quarter earnings are likely to benefit from lower shares outstanding and cost-reduction initiatives undertaken by the company. General and Administrative costs are expected to decline nearly 10%, and reduce further due to its planned exit from Canada and the Barnett asset .Devon Energy’s transformation process is on track. The company exited Canadian operation during second quarter and expects the sale of Barnett shale assets to be completed by end of this year.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter earnings is pegged at 39 cents per share, indicating a rise of 14.71% from the prior-year reported figure.Stocks to ConsiderHere are a few companies worth considering from the same industry that have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings in the upcoming releases.Cheniere Energy, Inc. LNG is slated to release second-quarter results on Aug 8. It has an Earnings ESP of +88.46% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Callon Petroleum Company CPE is set to release second-quarter results on Aug 7. It has an Earnings ESP of +0.84% and a Zacks Rank of 3.Berry Petroleum Corporation BRY is set to release second-quarter results on Aug 7. It has an Earnings ESP of +3.70% and a Zacks Rank of 3.Radical New Technology Creates $12.3 Trillion OpportunityImagine buying Microsoft stock in the early days of personal computers… or Motorola after it released the world’s first cell phone. These technologies changed our lives and created massive profits for investors.Today, we’re on the brink of the next quantum leap in technology. 7 innovative companies are leading this “4th Industrial Revolution” - and early investors stand to earn the biggest profits.See the 7 breakthrough stocks now>> 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 Callon Petroleum Company (CPE): Free Stock Analysis Report Devon Energy Corporation (DVN): Free Stock Analysis Report Cheniere Energy, Inc. (LNG): Free Stock Analysis Report Berry Petroleum Corporation (BRY): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research