PTC Inc. PTC is scheduled to report third-quarter fiscal 2021 results on Jul 28.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal third-quarter revenues is pegged at $411.4 million, which suggests growth of 17% from the year-ago reported figure. The consensus mark for earnings stands at 64 cents, which indicates a year-over-year improvement of 3.2%.The company has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 42.96%, on average.PTC reported second-quarter fiscal 2021 non-GAAP earnings of $1.08 per share, up 83% on a year-over-year basis. The bottom line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 50%. Revenues were $461.8 million, up 28.4% year over year, driven by strength across Core and Growth product groups as well as contribution from Arena Solutions.PTC Inc. Price and EPS Surprise PTC Inc. price-eps-surprise | PTC Inc. QuoteLet’s see how things have shaped up prior to the earnings announcement.Factors to ConsiderPTC’s fiscal third-quarter revenue performance is anticipated to have benefited from the continued momentum in industrial Internet of things (IoT) as well as a strong demand for product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions.Steady traction in bookings, owing to the pandemic-induced digital transformation wave in the industrial space, is likely to have aided the quarterly performance.The acquisition of Arena Solutions is expected to have positively impacted top-line growth in the to-be-reported quarter. Arena Solutions’ takeover has been aiding PTC in providing its customers (especially in the medical devices and high-tech manufacturing verticals) with a comprehensive software as a service (SaaS) solution, which encompasses both computer-aided design (CAD) and PLM offerings.The favorable mix of new logo activity and healthy uptake of Onshape’s school-from-home CAD solution in the education vertical due to the continuation in online learning is likely to have benefitted PTC’s Onshape business.The rapid adoption of ThingWorx and Windchill platforms as well as Vuforia-Chalk and Vuforia Expert Capture solution is likely to have contributed to the top line in the to-be-reported quarter.The transition to a subscription business model from a perpetual license model is expected to have boosted recurring revenue growth.New deal wins on the back of synergies from strategic alliances with ANSYS, Rockwell Automation and Microsoft are expected to have driven revenues in the quarter under review.Nevertheless, increasing operating expenses and exposure to verticals like commercial airlines and retail, which remain troubled by the ongoing pandemic, are expected to have negatively impacted PTC’s performance in the fiscal third quarter.What Our Model SaysOur proven model doesn’t conclusively predict an earnings beat for PTC 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.PTC has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.Stocks to ConsiderHere are some stocks, which you may consider, as our proven model shows that these have the right mix of elements to beat estimates this time around:Avnet AVT has an Earnings ESP of +9.82% and it currently sports a Zacks Rank of 1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Fortinet FTNT has an Earnings ESP of +2.11% and a Zacks Rank of 2 at present.Advanced Micro Devices AMD currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.41% and a Zacks Rank of 2. Time to Invest in Legal Marijuana If you’re looking for big gains, there couldn’t be a better time to get in on a young industry primed to skyrocket from $17.7 billion back in 2019 to an expected $73.6 billion by 2027. After a clean sweep of 6 election referendums in 5 states, pot is now legal in 36 states plus D.C. Federal legalization is expected soon and that could be a still greater bonanza for investors. Even before the latest wave of legalization, Zacks Investment Research has recommended pot stocks that have shot up as high as +285.9%. You’re invited to check out Zacks’ Marijuana Moneymakers: An Investor’s Guide. It features a timely Watch List of pot stocks and ETFs with exceptional growth potential.Today, Download Marijuana Moneymakers FREE >>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 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD): Free Stock Analysis Report Avnet, Inc. (AVT): Free Stock Analysis Report Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT): Free Stock Analysis Report PTC Inc. (PTC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research