Investors might want to bet on Exelixis (EXEL), as earnings estimates for this company have been showing solid improvement lately. The stock has already gained solid short-term price momentum, and this trend might continue with its still improving earnings outlook.

The upward trend in estimate revisions for this drug developer reflects growing optimism of analysts on its earnings prospects, which should get reflected in its stock price. After all, empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements. Our stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is principally built on this insight.

The five-grade Zacks Rank system, which ranges from a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record of outperformance, with Zacks #1 Ranked stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 2008.

For Exelixis, there has been strong agreement among the covering analysts in raising earnings estimates, which has helped push consensus estimates considerably higher for the next quarter and full year.

The chart below shows the evolution of forward 12-month Zacks Consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

Current-Quarter Estimate Revisions

For the current quarter, the company is expected to earn $0.62 per share, which is a change of -26.19% from the year-ago reported number.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Exelixis has increased 15.39% over the last 30 days, as four estimates have gone higher while one has gone lower.

Current-Year Estimate Revisions

For the full year, the earnings estimate of $2.57 per share represents a change of +28.5% from the year-ago number.

The revisions trend for the current year also appears quite promising for Exelixis, with nine estimates moving higher over the past month compared to no negative revisions. The consensus estimate has also received a boost over this time frame, increasing 12.9%.

Favorable Zacks Rank

The promising estimate revisions have helped Exelixis earn a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The Zacks Rank is a tried-and-tested rating tool that helps investors effectively harness the power of earnings estimate revisions and make the right investment decision. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Our research shows that stocks with Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and 2 (Buy) significantly outperform the S&P 500.

Bottom Line

While strong estimate revisions for Exelixis have attracted decent investments and pushed the stock 15.2% higher over the past four weeks, further upside may still be left in the stock. So, you may consider adding it to your portfolio right away.

Story Continues

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Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL):Free Stock Analysis Report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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