iRobot Corporation IRBT is scheduled to release third-quarter 2020 results on Oct 20, after market close.The company delivered impressive results in the trailing four quarters, beating estimates on all occasions. Earnings surprise was 151.39%, on average. Notably, in the last reported quarter, its earnings of $1.06 surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 21 cents by 404.76%.In the past three months, shares of this industrial robot maker have increased 6.9% against the industry’s growth of 9.2%. Let us delve deeper.Key Factors and EstimatesSolid demand for the products — especially Braava jet m Series, and Roomba i7 Series and s9 Series — as well as healthy domestic and international businesses drove iRobot’s revenues in second-quarter 2020. Benefits from a similar trend might get reflected on the third-quarter results, as evident from the strengthening sell-through and the surge in the e-commerce business (from the company’s app and website as well as online retailers).Additionally, iRobot’s revenues are expected to have gained from any measures taken by its customers to replenish their low inventory levels. Also, effective promotional efforts by the company to improve its brand awareness might have aided. Innovation too plays a critical role in securing businesses.iRobot anticipates revenues in the second half of 2020 to grow in mid-single digits, with higher third-quarter growth than the fourth quarter.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for iRobot’s revenues is pegged at $314 million for the third quarter of 2020. This estimate suggests an 8.7% increase from the prior-year reported figure and growth of 12.1% from the last reported quarter.For margins, the company’s cost-management actions and the extended permission to exclude Roomba products from section 301 tariffs might have supported margins in the third quarter. iRobot anticipates gross margin of 39-40% for the second half of 2020, with the metric in the third quarter coming in above the second-half average.On the flip side, the pandemic-led uncertainties, competitive threats, cost-effective sourcing of raw materials, and investment in marketing and promotional actions might have had adverse impacts on third-quarter performance. iRobot expects sequentially higher operating expenses for the third quarter.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter earnings is pegged at 90 cents, indicating a fall of 27.4% from the year-earlier reported number and a decline of 15.1% from the previous quarter.Earnings WhispersOur proven model doesn’t conclusively predict an earnings beat for iRobot this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of beating estimates. But that’s not the case here. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Earnings ESP: iRobot has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% as the Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are pegged at 90 cents.iRobot Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise iRobot Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | iRobot Corporation QuoteZacks Rank: iRobot carries a Zacks Rank #3.Stocks to ConsiderHere are some stocks worth considering in the Zacks Industrial Products sector as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings.Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. FBHS presently has an Earnings ESP of +5.24% and a Zacks Rank of 2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.IDEX Corporation IEX currently has an Earnings ESP of +7.80% and is a Zacks #2 Ranked stock.Flowserve Corporation FLS currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.56% and a Zacks Rank #2.Legal Marijuana: An Investor’s DreamImagine getting in early on a young industry primed to skyrocket from $17.7 billion in 2019 to an expected $73.6 billion by 2027.Although marijuana stocks did better as the pandemic took hold than the market as a whole, they’ve been pushed down. This is exactly the right time to get in on selected strong companies at a fraction of their value before COVID struck. Zacks’ Special Report, Marijuana Moneymakers, reveals 10 exciting tickers for urgent consideration. Download Marijuana Moneymakers 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 Flowserve Corporation (FLS): Free Stock Analysis Report Fortune Brands Home Security, Inc. (FBHS): Free Stock Analysis Report IDEX Corporation (IEX): Free Stock Analysis Report iRobot Corporation (IRBT): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.