bioMérieux S.A. (EPA:BIM) Just Reported Interim Earnings: Have Analysts Changed Their Mind On The Stock?

bioMérieux S.A. (EPA:BIM) came out with its half-yearly results last week, and we wanted to see how the business is performing and what industry forecasters think of the company following this report. The result was positive overall - although revenues of €1.9b were in line with what the analysts predicted, bioMérieux surprised by delivering a statutory profit of €1.82 per share, modestly greater than expected. 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. So we gathered the latest post-earnings forecasts to see what estimates suggest is in store for next year.

See our latest analysis for bioMérieux

After the latest results, the twelve analysts covering bioMérieux are now predicting revenues of €3.92b in 2024. If met, this would reflect a reasonable 3.1% improvement in revenue compared to the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to ascend 11% to €3.86. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been anticipated revenues of €3.90b and earnings per share (EPS) of €3.88 in 2024. 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.

The analysts reconfirmed their price target of €116, showing that the business is executing well and in line with expectations. 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. Currently, the most bullish analyst values bioMérieux at €130 per share, while the most bearish prices it at €90.00. There are definitely some different views on the stock, but the range of estimates is not wide enough as to imply that the situation is unforecastable, in our view.

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. It's pretty clear that there is an expectation that bioMérieux's revenue growth will slow down substantially, with revenues to the end of 2024 expected to display 6.2% growth on an annualised basis. This is compared to a historical growth rate of 7.8% over the past five years. Compare this to the 19 other companies in this industry with analyst coverage, which are forecast to grow their revenue at 6.0% per year. So it's pretty clear that, while bioMérieux's revenue growth is expected to slow, it's expected to grow roughly in line with the industry.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing to take away is that there's been no major change in sentiment, with the analysts reconfirming that the business is performing in line with their previous earnings per share estimates. They also reconfirmed their revenue estimates, with the company predicted to grow at about the same rate as the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at €116, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.

Keeping that in mind, we still think that the longer term trajectory of the business is much more important for investors to consider. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for bioMérieux going out to 2026, and you can see them free on our platform here..

You can also see whether bioMérieux is carrying too much debt, and whether its balance sheet is healthy, for free on our platform here.

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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.