Archer Daniels Midland Company ADM is slated to report fourth-quarter 2019 results on Jan 29, after market close. The company delivered a positive earnings surprise of 14.9% in the last reported quarter. However, its earnings underperformed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.2%, on average, in the trailing four quarters.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter earnings has moved south by a penny to 74 cents over the past seven days. This suggests a decline of 15.9% from the year-ago period’s reported figure. Further, the consensus mark for revenues is pegged at $15,080 million, indicating a decrease of 5.4% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter.Key Factors to NoteArcher Daniels has been grappling with softness at Ag Services and Oilseeds segment. During the last earnings call, management guided a considerable year-over-year decline at Ag Services and Oilseeds in the fourth quarter. However, the performance is expected to show sequential improvement. Archer Daniels Midland Company Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Archer Daniels Midland Company price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Archer Daniels Midland Company QuoteAlso, the company has been witnessing weak performance across its Carbohydrate Solutions segment. Management expects continued challenges in this segment in the fourth quarter. These weaknesses are weighing on the company’s adjusted segment operating profit. All these factors along with rising cost and high debt level are likely to have negatively impacted its performance in the quarter under review.Nevertheless, Archer Daniels’ three strategic pillars — optimize the core, drive efficiency and grow strategically — as well as focus on Project Readiness bode well. The company’s Readiness goals of driving business improvement, standardizing functions and enriching consumers’ experience are well on track, and likely to have boosted fourth-quarter’s bottom line. Moreover, its Nutrition segment’s performance has been strong.What the Zacks Model UnveilsOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Archer Daniels this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. But that’s not the case here. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.Although Archer Daniels carries a Zacks Rank #3, its Earnings ESP of -8.11% makes surprise prediction difficult.Stocks With Favorable CombinationsHere are some companies you may want to consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat:Darling Ingredients Inc. DAR currently has an Earnings ESP of +6.38% and a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Hostess Brands, Inc. TWNK presently has an Earnings ESP of +4.62% and a Zacks Rank #1.Altria Group, Inc. MO currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.29% and a Zacks Rank #3.Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a GenerationBe among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, it’s expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity.A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks’ just-released special report reveals 8 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time.See 8 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 HOSTESS BRANDS (TWNK): Free Stock Analysis Report Altria Group, Inc. (MO): Free Stock Analysis Report Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM): Free Stock Analysis Report Darling Ingredients Inc. (DAR): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.