Here's What Analysts Are Forecasting For Virbac SA (EPA:VIRP) After Its Yearly Results

Last week saw the newest yearly earnings release from Virbac SA (EPA:VIRP), an important milestone in the company's journey to build a stronger business. Virbac reported in line with analyst predictions, delivering revenues of €1.2b and statutory earnings per share of €14.38, suggesting the business is executing well and in line with its plan. 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 thought readers would find it interesting to see the analysts latest (statutory) post-earnings forecasts for next year.

See our latest analysis for Virbac

Taking into account the latest results, the consensus forecast from Virbac's seven analysts is for revenues of €1.35b in 2024. This reflects a meaningful 8.4% improvement in revenue compared to the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to grow 10% to €15.85. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been anticipated revenues of €1.33b and earnings per share (EPS) of €15.91 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.

It will come as no surprise then, to learn that the consensus price target is largely unchanged at €351. It could also be instructive to look at the range of analyst estimates, to evaluate how different the outlier opinions are from the mean. There are some variant perceptions on Virbac, with the most bullish analyst valuing it at €390 and the most bearish at €295 per share. Still, with such a tight range of estimates, it suggeststhe analysts have a pretty good idea of what they think the company is worth.

Of course, another way to look at these forecasts is to place them into context against the industry itself. We can infer from the latest estimates that forecasts expect a continuation of Virbac'shistorical trends, as the 8.4% annualised revenue growth to the end of 2024 is roughly in line with the 7.9% annual growth over the past five years. Compare this with the broader industry, which analyst estimates (in aggregate) suggest will see revenues grow 4.6% annually. So it's pretty clear that Virbac is forecast to grow substantially faster than its 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. Fortunately, they also reconfirmed their revenue numbers, suggesting that it's tracking in line with expectations. Additionally, our data suggests that revenue is expected to grow faster than the wider industry. There was no real change to the consensus price target, suggesting that the intrinsic value of the business has not undergone any major changes with the latest estimates.

With that in mind, we wouldn't be too quick to come to a conclusion on Virbac. Long-term earnings power is much more important than next year's profits. We have estimates - from multiple Virbac analysts - going out to 2026, and you can see them free on our platform here.

We also provide an overview of the Virbac Board and CEO remuneration and length of tenure at the company, and whether insiders have been buying the stock, 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.