Sotera Health Company Earnings Missed Analyst Estimates: Here's What Analysts Are Forecasting Now

Last week, you might have seen that Sotera Health Company (NASDAQ:SHC) released its annual result to the market. The early response was not positive, with shares down 9.6% to US$15.01 in the past week. It was not a great result overall. While revenues of US$1.0b were in line with analyst predictions, earnings were less than expected, missing statutory estimates by 17% to hit US$0.18 per share. Earnings are an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance, look at what the analysts are forecasting for next year, and see if there's been a change in sentiment towards the company. 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 Sotera Health

Taking into account the latest results, the most recent consensus for Sotera Health from six analysts is for revenues of US$1.10b in 2024. If met, it would imply a credible 4.6% increase on its revenue over the past 12 months. Per-share earnings are expected to bounce 89% to US$0.34. In the lead-up to this report, the analysts had been modelling revenues of US$1.10b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$0.52 in 2024. The analysts seem to have become more bearish following the latest results. While there were no changes to revenue forecasts, there was a large cut to EPS estimates.

Despite cutting their earnings forecasts,the analysts have lifted their price target 5.9% to US$17.83, suggesting that these impacts are not expected to weigh on the stock's value in the long term. 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. Currently, the most bullish analyst values Sotera Health at US$20.00 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$15.00. The narrow spread of estimates could suggest that the business' future is relatively easy to value, or thatthe analysts have a strong view on its prospects.

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Looking at the bigger picture now, one of the ways we can make sense of these forecasts is to see how they measure up against both past performance and industry growth estimates. We would highlight that Sotera Health's revenue growth is expected to slow, with the forecast 4.6% annualised growth rate until the end of 2024 being well below the historical 7.4% p.a. growth over the last five years. By way of comparison, the other companies in this industry with analyst coverage are forecast to grow their revenue at 6.1% per year. Factoring in the forecast slowdown in growth, it seems obvious that Sotera Health is also expected to grow slower than other industry participants.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing to take away is that the analysts downgraded their earnings per share estimates, showing that there has been a clear decline in sentiment following these results. Fortunately, the analysts also reconfirmed their revenue estimates, suggesting that it's tracking in line with expectations. Although our data does suggest that Sotera Health's revenue is expected to perform worse than the wider industry. There was also a nice increase in the price target, with the analysts clearly feeling that the intrinsic value of the business is improving.

With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. We have forecasts for Sotera Health going out to 2026, and you can see them free on our platform here.

And what about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Sotera Health (of which 1 is a bit unpleasant!) you should know about.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. 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.