Using projections from 13 individual sell-side analysts polled by Zacks Research, LivePerson, Inc. (NASDAQ:LPSN) has a current quarter EPS consensus estimate of -0.1. Going back to the previous reporting period, the company posted a quarterly EPS of -0.16. As earnings season comes into focus, investors will be closely monitoring analyst estimates leading up to the report. Sell-side analysts often provide updates prior to and after the company reports. Following analyst revisions leading up to the earnings release may provide some good insight into the direction that the most recent estimates are trending. Investors will be watching to see which companies post the largest earnings beats or misses. Even if a company reports a large earnings beat or miss, there is still no guarantee that the stock will move as expected following the results. Many investors will choose to sit tight until after the post earnings volatility has subsided.

Individuals invest in order to get a return on the investment. Nobody enters the equity markets with the hope of losing money. Returns on investments may come in different forms. With any stock investment, there may be some level of risk involved. Understanding the risk is important and should be considered very carefully. Of course, the stock may go up and become a winner, or shares could sour and turn into losers. Returns in the stock market may often mimic the amount of risk. Generally speaking, the greater the risk, the greater the reward. With the greater chance of reward comes the greater chance of losses. Keeping a balanced and diversified portfolio can help manage the risk associated with investing in the stock market.  

Equity analysts will routinely provide stock price target projections. Many investors are highly interested in where the analysts view the stock heading in the future. Presently, analysts polled by Zacks Research have set a consensus target price of $35.79 on shares of LivePerson, Inc. (NASDAQ:LPSN). Price target estimates can be calculated using different methods, and they may vary depending on the individual analyst. A thoroughly researched analyst report will typically provide detailed reasoning for a specific target price estimate. Some investors may track analyst targets very closely and use the data to complement their own stock analysis.

Watching stock price activity for LivePerson, Inc. (NASDAQ:LPSN), we have spotted shares trading close to the 28.78 level. Investors will often monitor stock price levels relative to its 52-week high and low marks. The 52-week high is currently 30.4, and the 52-week low is presently 17.17. When a stock price is nearing the 52-week high or 52-week low, investors may closely follow activity to watch for a breach. Over the past 12 weeks, shares have moved 2.93%. Moving back to the start of the year, we can see that shares have changed 52.6%. Zooming in to the past 4 weeks, shares have seen a change of 0.59%. Over the last week, the stock has moved -5.33%.

Focusing in on analyst opinions, we note that the current average broker recommendation on shares of LivePerson, Inc. (NASDAQ:LPSN) is presently 1.08. The recommendation falls on a scale between 1 and 5. A broker rating of 1 would translate into a Strong Buy. A rating of 5 would indicate a Strong Sell recommendation. This consensus broker rating may help shed some light on how the sell-side is currently viewing company stock. Based on sell-side analysts polled by Zacks Research, 13 have rated the stock a Strong Buy or Buy.

Investors are usually scouring the markets for that next great stock pick. Locating that special winner to jumpstart the portfolio may involve lots of diligent hard work. Filing through the massive amounts of data regarding public companies can be an overwhelming task. Many successful investors will approach the equity markets from various sides. This may include keeping a close eye on the fundamentals as well as the technical data. This may also include following sell-side analyst opinions and tracking what the big money institutions are buying or selling.