Big Lots (BIG) shares soared 9.6% in the last trading session to close at $27.31. The move was backed by solid volume with far more shares changing hands than in a normal session. This compares to the stock's 11.7% gain over the past four weeks.Big Lots has been gaining from its Operation North Star initiative, which encompasses driving top-line growth, cost containment, and enhancement in systems and infrastructure. In addition, the company has been witnessing strength in its e-commerce business and delivery services. Big Lots’ Broyhill and Real Living private label brands are also performing impressively.This discount retailer is expected to post quarterly loss of $2.26 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -307.3%. Revenues are expected to be $1.36 billion, down 6.5% from the year-ago quarter.Earnings and revenue growth expectations certainly give a good sense of the potential strength in a stock, but empirical research shows that trends in earnings estimate revisions are strongly correlated with near-term stock price movements.For Big Lots, the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. And a stock's price usually doesn't keep moving higher in the absence of any trend in earnings estimate revisions. So, make sure to keep an eye on BIG going forward to see if this recent jump can turn into more strength down the road.The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>Big Lots is a member of the Zacks Retail - Discount Stores industry. One other stock in the same industry, Dollar Tree (DLTR), finished the last trading session 1.4% higher at $168.22. DLTR has returned -2.1% over the past month.Dollar Tree's consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming report has changed +0.1% over the past month to $1.57. Compared to the company's year-ago EPS, this represents a change of +27.6%. Dollar Tree currently boasts a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). Want to Know the #1 Semiconductor Stock for 2022? Few people know how promising the semiconductor market is. Over the last couple of years, disruptions to the supply chain have caused shortages in several industries. The absence of one single semiconductor can stop all operations in certain industries. This year, companies that create and produce this essential material will have incredible pricing power. For a limited time, Zacks is revealing the top semiconductor stock for 2022. You'll find it in our new Special Report, One Semiconductor Stock Stands to Gain the Most. Today, it's yours free with no obligation.>>Give me access to my free special report.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 Big Lots, Inc. (BIG): Free Stock Analysis Report Dollar Tree, Inc. (DLTR): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research