US Bancorp is expected to report earnings on Oct. 14. It's now trading 3% below the 62.57 buy point from a second-stage flat base that it cleared earlier.

Understand that jumping into a stock right as it gets ready to report means you likely won't have enough time to build a profit cushion before the release. That leaves you exposed to a sudden and perhaps sharp drop if the company misses analyst estimates or provides weak guidance. You can minimize your risk by waiting to see the actual numbers and the market's reaction.

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Earnings grew 212% last quarter, up from 101% in the prior report. Revenue also increased, from -14% to -5%.

Consensus analyst estimates call for EPS growth of 17% for the quarter, and 65% growth for the full year. Earnings estimates for the full year were recently revised higher.

US Bancorp has a 91 Composite Rating and holds the No. 7 rank among its peers in the Banks-Super Regional industry group. SVB Financial, Keycorp and Regions Financial are among the top 5 highly rated stocks within the group.

Note: Dates for earnings reports are subject to change. Check the company's website for any updates.