Tennessee-based casual dining restaurant chain Ruby Tuesday, Inc. RT is expected to report fourth-quarter fiscal 2017 figures on Jul 20, after market close.

Let’s see how things are shaping up for this announcement.

Factors Likely to Influence Q4 Results

Ruby Tuesday has incurred losses in five out of the last seven quarters. Meanwhile, higher labor costs and other expenses related to initiatives are expected to take a toll on the company’s profits in the to-be-reported quarter as well. In fact, guest traffic is also threatened by the persistent softness in the casual dining industry and attractive discount offered by its competitors.

Nonetheless, Ruby Tuesday is aggressively pursuing brand transformation initiatives. From new menu items to limited time offers and executing marketing campaigns, the company is leaving no stone unturned to satisfy customers and return to profits.

Notably, the company’s “fresh start” initiatives – Fresh New Menu, Fresh New Garden Bar, and Fresh Experience – are also expected to have gained further momentum in the fiscal fourth quarter and more favorably impact the quarter’s traffic and comps.

The company particularly anticipates its Garden Bar initiative to boost traffic greatly, given its uniqueness that makes it a key competitive differentiator for the brand. Moreover, its Fresh Experience is expected to aid in enhancing service and overall guest experience.

Stocks to Consider

According to our quantitative model, a company needs the right combination of two key factors – a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) – to increase its odds of an earnings surprise. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Here are some companies to consider as our model shows they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter:

McDonald's Corporation MCD has an Earnings ESP of +3.70% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN has an Earnings ESP of +13.77% and a Zacks Rank #3.

Whole Foods Market, Inc. WFM has an Earnings ESP of +2.94% and a Zacks Rank #3.

5 Trades Could Profit ""Big-League"" from Trump Policies

If the stocks above spark your interest, wait until you look into companies primed to make substantial gains from Washington's changing course.

Today Zacks reveals 5 tickers that could benefit from new trends like streamlined drug approvals, tariffs, lower taxes, higher interest rates, and spending surges in defense and infrastructure. See these buy recommendations now >>

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
 
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
McDonald's Corporation (MCD) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Whole Foods Market, Inc. (WFM) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
 
Zacks Investment Research