Industrial gas producer and supplier Praxair Inc. PX is scheduled to report second-quarter 2017 results on Jul 27, before the market opens.The company’s financial performance in the last four quarters was impressive, with better-than-expected results in three and in-line results in one. Average earnings surprise was a positive 1.67%. Notably, in the last quarter, the company’s earnings of $1.37 per share topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.01%.We believe that sound financial performance and growth prospects have lifted investor sentiments for the company. In the last three months, the company’s shares have yielded 8.08% return, outperforming the gain of 3.05% recorded by the industry.Let us see how things are shaping up for Praxair prior to this earnings announcement.What’s Influencing Q2 Results?We believe that Praxair is likely to leverage benefits from better operating conditions in the machinery industry in the to-be-reported quarter. Rise in demand for industrial machineries is likely to boost the need for industrial gases required in the various stages of manufacturing processes. In the second quarter, industrial production (a measure of the level of output of manufacturing, mining and utilities sectors in a country) increased 4.7% from the year-ago quarter, driven by impressive growth in mining and utilities. Also, new orders for U.S.-manufactured machinery improved 4.6% in the first five months of 2017.Also, encouraging foreign trade relations, investments for infrastructural developments and rise in consumer-end demand is expected to boost growth of machinery companies and hence, industrial gas providers like Praxair. In addition, the company’s contract wins and existing product portfolio as well as new products launched during the quarter, including a new beverage carbonation solution for restaurants and bars – XatCO2 – is likely to positively influence results. For the second quarter, Praxair expects earnings in the range of $1.38–$1.43 per share. We believe that such tailwinds might support the company’s results in the quarter. On the flip side, exposure to headwinds like higher production costs, stiff competition, high-debt levels and forex issues might negatively impact Praxair’s growth momentum in the to-be-reported quarter.Earnings WhispersOur proven model does not conclusively show that Praxair will be able to pull an earnings surprise this quarter. That is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) to beat earnings. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.That is not the case here as you will see below. Zacks ESP: Earnings ESP is currently 0.00%, as both the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are pegged at $1.42.Praxair, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Praxair, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | Praxair, Inc. QuoteZacks Rank: Praxair has a Zacks Rank #3 which increases the predictive power of ESP. However, a 0.00% ESP makes surprise prediction difficult.Note that we caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or #5 (Sell-rated) going into earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing a negative estimate revisions momentum.Stocks to ConsiderHere are some companies you may want to consider in the industry as our model shows they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter:Westlake Chemical Corporation WLK, with an Earnings ESP of +5.04% and a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.The Chemours Company CC, with an Earnings ESP of +4.44% and a Zacks Rank #1.Olin Corporation OLN, with an Earnings ESP of +56.25% and a Zacks Rank #3. More Stock News: Tech Opportunity Worth $386 Billion in 2017From driverless cars to artificial intelligence, we've seen an unsurpassed growth of high-tech products in recent months. Yesterday's science-fiction is becoming today's reality. Despite all the innovation, there is a single component no tech company can survive without. Demand for this critical device will reach $387 billion this year alone, and it's likely to grow even faster in the future.Zacks has released a brand-new Special Report to help you take advantage of this exciting investment opportunity. Most importantly, it reveals 4 stocks with massive profit potential. See these 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 Praxair, Inc. (PX): Free Stock Analysis Report Olin Corporation (OLN): Free Stock Analysis Report Chemours Company (The) (CC): Free Stock Analysis Report Westlake Chemical Corporation (WLK): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research