Chesapeake Utilities Corporation CPK is set to report third-quarter 2019 results on Nov 7, before market open. In the last reported quarter, the company reported a negative earnings surprise of 7.4%.Let’s see how things are shaping up prior to the announcement.Factors to ConsiderChesapeake Utilities’ acquisitions of the Ohl Propane and Marlin Gas Services in December 2018 as well as the Eastern Shore Systems expansion have been contributing to gross margin. Also, the natural gas expansion projects in the Delmarva and Florida regions are expected to have boosted third-quarter margins.Meanwhile, the company’s interest expenses rose in the first half of 2019 due to higher rates on borrowings. This trend is likely to have persisted in the to-be-reported quarter as well.Q3 ExpectationsThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter revenues is pegged at $170.2 million, indicating a 21.3% increase from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure. Meanwhile, the consensus estimate for earnings is pegged at 37 cents, suggesting an 8.8% improvement from the year-ago quarter’s level.Earnings WhispersOur proven model doesn’t conclusively predict an earnings beat for Chesapeake Utilities 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 that’s 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: Chesapeake Utilities carries a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Chesapeake Utilities Corporation Price and EPS Surprise Chesapeake Utilities Corporation price-eps-surprise | Chesapeake Utilities Corporation QuoteStocks to ConsiderHere some companies that you may consider from the same sector as these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in the to-be-reported quarter.South Jersey Industries SJI is set to release third-quarter results on Nov 6. It has an Earnings ESP of +15.85% and a Zacks Rank #3.Spire Inc. SR is scheduled to release fiscal fourth-quarter results on Nov 20. It has an Earnings ESP of +2.55% and a Zacks Rank #2.CenterPoint Energy Inc. CNP is scheduled to release third-quarter 2019 results on Nov 7. It has an Earnings ESP of +0.12% and a Zacks Rank #3.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 +24.5% 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 CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CNP): Free Stock Analysis Report South Jersey Industries, Inc. (SJI): Free Stock Analysis Report Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (CPK): Free Stock Analysis Report Spire Inc. (SR): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research