CenterPoint Energy, Inc. CNP is set to report third-quarter 2020 results on Nov 5, before the opening bell.In the last reported quarter, the company delivered an earnings surprise of 10.53%. Moreover, it surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 17.48%.Let’s see how things have shaped up prior to this announcement.Factors Under ConsiderationDuring the first half of the third quarter, CenterPoint Energy’s service territories experienced warmer-than-normal temperatures. However, its service territories witnessed below-normal temperatures in the latter half of the quarter. From an overall perspective, the weather does not seem to have favorably contributed much to the company’s soon-to-be-reported quarterly revenues.Furthermore, over the past couple of quarters, the company has been witnessing lower natural gas revenues and declining revenues from electric usage on account of the COVID-19 impacts. Consequently, this trend is likely to have continued in the third quarter and thus, might have weighed on its third-quarter top-line performance.In line with this, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter revenues is pegged at $1,624 million, indicating a 40.8% plunge from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.The company's service territories witnessed a notable number of storms and tornadoes in the third quarter, which might have resulted in increased power outages and disruptions. During most of the third quarter, Texas tallied the most storm and tornado reports, which in turn might have pushed up CenterPoint Energy’s quarterly expenses for restoring smooth electricity flow.Further, the overall cost structure is expected to have escalated due to the prolonged economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the company's operations. Such expenses might have adversely impacted the company’s bottom-line performance during the soon-to-be-reported quarter.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter earnings is pegged at $1.47 per share, implying a 39.6% plunge from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.Earnings WhispersOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for CenterPoint 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. But this is not the case here.Earnings ESP: The company’s Earnings ESP is 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.Zacks Rank: CenterPoint Energy carries a Zacks Rank #3, currently. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.CenterPoint Energy, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise CenterPoint Energy, Inc. price-eps-surprise | CenterPoint Energy, Inc. QuoteStocks to ConsiderHere are some players from the Utilities sector that have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this season.SJW Group SJW is set to release third-quarter earnings on Nov 5. It has an Earnings ESP of +2.15% and a Zacks Rank #3, currently.BCE, Inc. BCE is set to release third-quarter earnings on Nov 5. It has an Earnings ESP of +7.27% and a Zacks Rank #3, currently.A Recent Utility ReleaseAmerican Electric Power AEP reported third-quarter 2020 adjusted earnings per share of $1.47 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.46 by 0.7%.The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of AllLast year, it generated $24 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $77.6 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>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 American Electric Power Company, Inc. (AEP): Free Stock Analysis Report CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CNP): Free Stock Analysis Report BCE, Inc. (BCE): Free Stock Analysis Report SJW Group (SJW): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research