KBC Group NV Just Recorded A 11% EPS Beat: Here's What Analysts Are Forecasting Next

Last week saw the newest third-quarter earnings release from KBC Group NV (EBR:KBC), an important milestone in the company's journey to build a stronger business. It looks like a credible result overall - although revenues of €2.8b were in line with what the analysts predicted, KBC Group surprised by delivering a statutory profit of €2.14 per share, a notable 11% above expectations. 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 thought readers would find it interesting to see the analysts latest (statutory) post-earnings forecasts for next year.

View our latest analysis for KBC Group

Following the latest results, KBC Group's 13 analysts are now forecasting revenues of €11.6b in 2025. This would be an okay 7.0% improvement in revenue compared to the last 12 months. Per-share earnings are expected to accumulate 7.1% to €7.82. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of €11.6b and earnings per share (EPS) of €7.81 in 2025. So it's pretty clear that, although the analysts have updated their estimates, there's been no major change in expectations for the business following the latest results.

It will come as no surprise then, to learn that the consensus price target is largely unchanged at €77.08. Fixating on a single price target can be unwise though, since the consensus target is effectively the average of analyst price targets. As a result, some investors like to look at the range of estimates to see if there are any diverging opinions on the company's valuation. The most optimistic KBC Group analyst has a price target of €87.00 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at €67.00. Still, with such a tight range of estimates, it suggeststhe analysts have a pretty good idea of what they think the company is worth.

Taking a look at the bigger picture now, one of the ways we can understand these forecasts is to see how they compare to both past performance and industry growth estimates. We would highlight that KBC Group's revenue growth is expected to slow, with the forecast 5.6% annualised growth rate until the end of 2025 being well below the historical 12% p.a. growth over the last five years. Juxtapose this against the other companies in the industry with analyst coverage, which are forecast to grow their revenues (in aggregate) 2.9% per year. Even after the forecast slowdown in growth, it seems obvious that KBC Group is also expected to grow faster than the wider industry.

The Bottom Line

The most obvious conclusion is that there's been no major change in the business' prospects in recent times, with the analysts holding their earnings forecasts steady, in line with previous estimates. Happily, there were no major changes to revenue forecasts, with the business still expected to grow faster than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at €77.08, 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 KBC Group going out to 2026, and you can see them free on our platform here..

Plus, you should also learn about the 1 warning sign we've spotted with KBC Group .

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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.