Synchrony Financial SYF will release first-quarter 2019 results on Apr 18, before the market opens. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered a positive surprise of 17.2%, backed by the PayPal Credit program acquisition and robust loan receivables growth.Let’s see, how things are shaping up prior to the announcement for this to-be-reported quarter.Earnings Catalysts for Q1The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at 88 cents, up 18.9% year over year. The company’s performance has been likely driven by an expanded purchase volume, constant efforts in boosting its portfolio through alliances, among others.Synchrony Financial’s Retail Card platform might have retained its winning streak with the rising card sales, which in turn, has contributed to the company’s revenue growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $4.3 billion, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 9.4%.Given the company’s efforts to provide its customers with better purchasing options, its online purchases platform possibly have witnessed significant growth. Strategic moves, such as acquiring Pets Best to boost the CareCredit platform have also helped the company expand its portfolio and drive sales through a solid customer offering.Synchrony Financial’s net charge-off trend will probably be on the upper end of 40-70 basis point range due to a seasonal decline in receivables in the PayPal credit portfolio.Reserve build is expected around $200 million during the quarter under consideration excluding a reserve impact from the sale of the Walmart portfolio.Continued share buybacks likely have provided an additional boost to the company’s bottom-line.However, the company is anticipated to have suffered high costs due to investments in sales platforms, alliances, etc.What the Quantitative Model PredictsOur proven model conclusively shows that Synchrony Financial is likely to beat on earnings this reporting cycle. This is because the stock has the right combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a favorable Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold).Earnings ESP: Synchrony Financial has an Earnings ESP of +2.61%. This is because the Most Accurate Estimate is pegged at 91 cents, higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 88 cents. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.Synchrony Financial Price and EPS Surprise Synchrony Financial Price and EPS Surprise | Synchrony Financial QuoteZacks Rank: Synchrony Financial carries a Zacks Rank #3, which increases the predictive power of ESP. Moreover, a positive ESP in the combination raises the odds of a likely earnings surprise this time around.Conversely, the Sell-rated stocks (#4 or 5) should never be considered going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions.Other Stocks to ConsiderSome other stocks worth considering from the finance sector with the perfect combination of elements to also surpass estimates in the upcoming releases are as follows:The Allstate Corporation ALL is set to report first-quarter earnings on May 1. This stock has a Zacks Rank of 3 and an Earnings ESP of +5.08%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.AMERISAFE, Inc. AMSF has an Earnings ESP of +2.60% and is a #3 Ranked company. It is scheduled to release first-quarter earnings on May 1.The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. HIG is slated to announce first-quarter earnings on May 1. The stock has an Earnings ESP of +0.06% and is a Zacks #3 Ranked player.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 7 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time.See 7 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 Synchrony Financial (SYF): Free Stock Analysis Report AMERISAFE, Inc. (AMSF): Free Stock Analysis Report The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (HIG): Free Stock Analysis Report The Allstate Corporation (ALL): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research