Südzucker AG (ETR:SZU) Just Released Its First-Quarter Results And Analysts Are Updating Their Estimates

Investors in Südzucker AG (ETR:SZU) had a good week, as its shares rose 4.5% to close at €9.90 following the release of its first-quarter results. Revenues were €2.2b, with Südzucker reporting some 5.0% below analyst expectations. 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. Readers will be glad to know we've aggregated the latest statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their mind on Südzucker after the latest results.

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Following the recent earnings report, the consensus from four analysts covering Südzucker is for revenues of €8.62b in 2026. This implies a measurable 2.1% decline in revenue compared to the last 12 months. Earnings are expected to improve, with Südzucker forecast to report a statutory profit of €0.071 per share. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of €8.68b and earnings per share (EPS) of €0.12 in 2026. So there's definitely been a decline in sentiment after the latest results, noting the large cut to new EPS forecasts.

Check out our latest analysis for Südzucker

It might be a surprise to learn that the consensus price target was broadly unchanged at €10.64, with the analysts clearly implying that the forecast decline in earnings is not expected to have much of an impact on valuation. The consensus price target is just an average of individual analyst targets, so - it could be handy to see how wide the range of underlying estimates is. The most optimistic Südzucker analyst has a price target of €13.50 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at €9.20. As you can see, analysts are not all in agreement on the stock's future, but the range of estimates is still reasonably narrow, which could suggest that the outcome is not totally unpredictable.

One way to get more context on these forecasts is to look at how they compare to both past performance, and how other companies in the same industry are performing. We would highlight that revenue is expected to reverse, with a forecast 2.7% annualised decline to the end of 2026. That is a notable change from historical growth of 8.8% over the last five years. By contrast, our data suggests that other companies (with analyst coverage) in the same industry are forecast to see their revenue grow 3.5% annually for the foreseeable future. So although its revenues are forecast to shrink, this cloud does not come with a silver lining - Südzucker is expected to lag the wider industry.

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 Südzucker's revenue is expected to perform worse than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at €10.64, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.

With that in mind, we wouldn't be too quick to come to a conclusion on Südzucker. Long-term earnings power is much more important than next year's profits. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for Südzucker going out to 2028, and you can see them free on our platform here..

It is also worth noting that we have found 2 warning signs for Südzucker (1 is a bit unpleasant!) that you need to take into consideration.

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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.