Yahoo Finance Pets at Home Group Plc Just Recorded A 45% EPS Beat: Here's What Analysts Are Forecasting Next
Pets at Home Group Plc (LON:PETS) shareholders are probably feeling a little disappointed, since its shares fell 3.0% to UK£4.49 in the week after its latest annual results. Revenues were UK£1.1b, approximately in line with whatthe analysts expected, although statutory earnings per share (EPS) crushed expectations, coming in at UK£0.19, an impressive 45% ahead of estimates. This is an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance in its report, look at what experts are forecasting for next year, and see if there has been any change to expectations for the business. We've gathered the most recent statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their earnings models, following these results.
View our latest analysis for at Home Group
Taking into account the latest results, the most recent consensus for at Home Group from five analysts is for revenues of UK£1.18b in 2022 which, if met, would be a satisfactory 3.1% increase on its sales over the past 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to surge 66% to UK£0.33. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been anticipated revenues of UK£1.17b and earnings per share (EPS) of UK£0.18 in 2022. Although the revenue estimates have not really changed, we can see there's been a massive increase in earnings per share expectations, suggesting that the analysts have become more bullish after the latest result.
The consensus price target was unchanged at UK£4.86, implying that the improved earnings outlook is not expected to have a long term impact on value creation for shareholders. That's not the only conclusion we can draw from this data however, as some investors also like to consider the spread in estimates when evaluating analyst price targets. There are some variant perceptions on at Home Group, with the most bullish analyst valuing it at UK£5.60 and the most bearish at UK£3.45 per share. These price targets show that analysts do have some differing views on the business, but the estimates do not vary enough to suggest to us that some are betting on wild success or utter failure.
These estimates are interesting, but it can be useful to paint some more broad strokes when seeing how forecasts compare, both to the at Home Group's past performance and to peers in the same industry. We would highlight that at Home Group's revenue growth is expected to slow, with the forecast 3.1% annualised growth rate until the end of 2022 being well below the historical 7.3% p.a. growth over the last five years. Compare this against other companies (with analyst forecasts) in the industry, which are in aggregate expected to see revenue growth of 7.0% annually. Factoring in the forecast slowdown in growth, it seems obvious that at Home Group is also expected to grow slower than other industry participants.
The Bottom Line
The biggest takeaway for us is the consensus earnings per share upgrade, which suggests a clear improvement in sentiment around at Home Group's earnings potential next year. On the plus side, there were no major changes to revenue estimates; although forecasts imply revenues will perform worse than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at UK£4.86, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.
With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for at Home Group going out to 2024, and you can see them free on our platform here..
You should always think about risks though. Case in point, we've spotted 2 warning signs for at Home Group you should be aware of.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
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