Paycom Software, Inc. PAYC is set to report first-quarter 2017 results on May 2. Last quarter, the company posted a positive earnings surprise of 66.7%. Let's see how things are shaping up for this announcement.Factors at PlayPaycom Software reported outstanding fourth-quarter 2016 results. Also, both the top and the bottom line increased on a year-over-year basis.Revenue growth seems to be steady and was positively impacted by higher recurring revenues and higher traction in cloud-based offerings. Better-than-expected demand for advanced human capital management and payroll software solutions during the reported quarter were the other positives.We believe that the higher adoption of Paycom Software’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) dashboard application that tracks employee count, employee status and health care plan affordability will act as a tailwind for the company in the long run. Also, Paycom Software might witness long-term growth by successfully cross-selling newer products to the existing client base, which will boost revenues.Nevertheless, competition from companies like Paylocity Holding Corporation, Intuit Inc. INTU and Paychex, Inc. remains a headwind.Paycom Software, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Paycom Software, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | Paycom Software, Inc. QuoteEarnings WhispersOur proven model does not conclusively show that Paycom Softwarewill beat earnings estimates this quarter. This 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: Paycom Software ESP is 0.00% since both the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate stand at 37 cents. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.Zacks Rank: Paycom Software’ Zacks Rank #2 increases the predictive power of ESP. However, its 0.00% ESP makes surprise prediction difficult.We caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or 5 (Sell rated) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is witnessing negative estimate revisions.Other Stocks to ConsiderHere are some companies you may want to consider as our model shows that they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter.H&R Block, Inc. HRB, with an Earnings ESP of +3.44% and a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.General Motors Company GM, with an Earnings ESP of +0.69% and a Zacks Rank #3.The Best & Worst of ZacksToday you are invited to download the full, up-to-the-minute list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 ""Strong Buys"" free of charge. From 1988 through 2015 this list has averaged a stellar gain of +25% per year. Plus, you may download 220 Zacks Rank #5 ""Strong Sells."" Even though this list holds many stocks that seem to be solid, it has historically performed 6X worse than the market. See these critical buys and sells free >>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 Paycom Software, Inc. (PAYC): Free Stock Analysis Report General Motors Company (GM): Free Stock Analysis Report Intuit Inc. (INTU): Free Stock Analysis Report H&R Block, Inc. (HRB): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research