Service Corporation International SCI is scheduled to release first-quarter 2020 results on Apr 30. The funeral services company’s earnings came in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the last reported quarter. Notably, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise of 3%, on average, in the trailing four quarters.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter earnings is pegged at 45 cents per share, which suggests a decrease of 4.3% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter. The consensus mark has dropped 8.2% in the past 30 days. The consensus mark for revenues stands at $793 million, indicating a dip of 0.7% from the year-ago period’s reported figure.Service Corporation International Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Service Corporation International price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Service Corporation International QuoteKey Factors to NoteAlthough coronavirus has resulted in increased deaths in the United States, it is not good news for the funeral service companies. Incidentally, media reports suggest that funeral homes and mortuaries have been reducing contact with customers to stay safe and contain the growing spread of COVID-19. In fact, funerals have also been banned in some places, posing threats to the funeral homes business of companies like Service Corporation.Apart from this, Service Corporation has been grappling with higher costs. In its last earnings call, management said that it expects a slight increase in expenses in 2020 due to cemetery inventory development and the construction of funeral homes. Further, a rise in the number of cremations as another option to the traditional funeral service is a concern. This is because the company’s average revenues from cremations with services are usually lower compared to that for traditional burials. Nonetheless, growth-oriented investments like buyouts and building of new cemeteries and funeral homes bode well.What the Zacks Model UnveilsOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Service Corporation 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.Service Corporation carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) and an Earnings ESP of 0.00%.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.Hain Celestial HAIN has an Earnings ESP of +9.24% and a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Church & Dwight CHD currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.56% and a Zacks Rank #2.Kellogg K currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.23% and a Zacks Rank of 2.Just Released: Zacks’ 7 Best Stocks for TodayExperts extracted 7 stocks from the list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys that has beaten the market more than 2X over with a stunning average gain of +24.1% per year.These 7 were selected because of their superior potential for immediate breakout.See these time-sensitive tickers 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 The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (HAIN): Free Stock Analysis Report Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (CHD): Free Stock Analysis Report Kellogg Company (K): Free Stock Analysis Report Service Corporation International (SCI): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research