I'm generally not able to trade the overall market, or a particular sector. I'm better at trading a particular stock. The most stocks are making unique moves during earnings, so I trade the most during earnings.
I think a giant red herring in trading is thinking about making x per day. If the dow moves 20 points or the dow moves 300 points, why would I be able to trade the same amount and/or risk/make the same amount on each of those days?
Similarly if I trade individual stocks, why would I be swinging the same on a day where X companies have earnings if other days 10X have earnings?
The day with more earnings is more likely to be better for me.
This isn't a game of perfection; it's taking the best shot with the most size at the most opportune time.
Edited to say - I wait to trade during market hours. Get profitable first, then get size. I think another red herring is taking a position and pure gambling on the direction of NFLX or whatever on their announcement. I do not do this. I trade the following day when the market is open and am not distracted by what I think of as "glamor stocks," the high-priced ones everyone has heard of. I will consider ANYTHING that had earnings prior to the open.
