TOTAL S.A. TOT is set to report third-quarter earnings on Oct 30, before the opening bell. This integrated oil and gas company delivered a negative earnings surprise of 14.63% in the last reported quarter.Let’s see how things have shaped up for this earnings season.Factors at PlayDuring the third quarter, TOTAL continued to expand LNG operations through acquisitions and the startup of projects. This is likely to have boosted the company’s total production.During the quarter, TOTAL signed an agreement to divest its interest in the Trapil pipeline network to Pisto SAS and sell some of its non-core U.K. assets to Petrogas. These developments allowed TOTAL to focus more on profitable core operations during the third quarter.During the quarter, the company opened its 1000th solarized service station and continued to work on the strategy of producing more power from renewable sources.However, fluctuation in commodity prices during the quarter might have affected earnings. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter earnings is 99 cents per share, which indicates a decline of 32.65% from the year-ago reported figure.Why a Likely Positive Surprise?Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for TOTAL this time around. A stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP (which represents the difference between the Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate) and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) to surpass estimates. That is not the case here as you will see below. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.TOTAL S.A. Price and EPS Surprise TOTAL S.A. price-eps-surprise | TOTAL S.A. QuoteEarnings ESP: The company has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%.Zacks Rank: TOTAL currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).Stocks to ConsiderInvestors can consider the following players from the same sector that have the right combination of elements to post earnings beat in the to-be-reported quarter.Phillips 66 PSX is slated to release third-quarter 2019 numbers on Oct 25. It has an Earnings ESP of +4.50% and carries a Zacks Rank #3.Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. or Petrobras PBR is scheduled to release third-quarter 2019 numbers on Nov 5. It has an Earnings ESP of +17.24% and carries a Zacks Rank #3.Occidental Petroleum Corporation OXY is set to release third-quarter 2019 numbers on Nov 4. It has an Earnings ESP of +1.99% and carries a Zacks Rank #3.Wall Street’s Next AmazonZacks EVP Kevin Matras believes this familiar stock has only just begun its climb to become one of the greatest investments of all time. It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in pure genius.Click for details >>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 Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras (PBR): Free Stock Analysis Report Phillips 66 (PSX): Free Stock Analysis Report TOTAL S.A. (TOT): Free Stock Analysis Report Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research