Harris Corporation HRS is slated to release third-quarter fiscal 2016 results on May 3, before the market opens.Last quarter, Harris had posted a positive earnings surprise of 9.56%. Moreover, the company’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the previous four quarters, with an average beat of 7.08%.Let’s see how things are shaping up for this announcement.Factors at PlayWe expect the company’s revenues to remain under pressure in the third quarter due to foreign currency issues. However, the Exelis acquisition, completed last year, will boost results in the quarter. This was the third full quarter at Harris following the closure of the Exelis acquisition. With effect from the first quarter of fiscal 2016, the company has been reporting results through four operating units, namely, Communication Systems, Critical Networks, Electronic Systems and Space and Intelligence Systems. We expect a commentary on the integration process of the Exelis acquisition at the conference call.Moreover, Harris has won multiple contracts in the recent past which is expected to aid results. However, it is worth noting that the company primarily depends on U.S. government contracts for a major portion of its revenues. Thus, any federal budgetary pressure can result in substantial cuts in defense spending, which in turn, will significantly impact the company’s operations.However, the company’s efforts to reward shareholders through dividends/buybacks encourage us. We expect an update on such shareholder friendly activities during the conference call.Earnings WhispersOur proven model does not conclusively show that Harris is likely to beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate this quarter. That is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. That is not the case here, as you will see below:Zacks ESP: The ESP for the company stands at 0.00% as the Most Accurate estimate is in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.40 per share.Zacks Rank: Harris has a Zacks Rank #3 which increases the predictive power of ESP. However, that alone is not sufficient to secure an earnings beat.As a caution, we advise investors not to consider Sell-rated stocks (Zacks Rank #4 or 5) going into an earnings announcement.Stocks to ConsiderHere are some companies in the broader Computer & Technology sector worth considering instead as our model shows they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter.Agilent Technologies A, with an earnings ESP of +2.56% and a Zacks Rank #2. The company is expected to report second-quarter fiscal 2016 results on May 16.Microchip Technology MCHP, with an earnings ESP of +3.33% and a Zacks Rank #2. The company is scheduled to report fourth-quarter fiscal 2016 results on May 4.Synopsys SNPS, with an earnings ESP of +6.38% and a Zacks Rank #1. The company is expected to report second-quarter fiscal 2016 results on May 18. 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 >>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 HARRIS CORP (HRS): Free Stock Analysis Report SYNOPSYS INC (SNPS): Free Stock Analysis Report MICROCHIP TECH (MCHP): Free Stock Analysis Report AGILENT TECH (A): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research