Want Want China Holdings Limited Earnings Missed Analyst Estimates: Here's What Analysts Are Forecasting Now

Want Want China Holdings Limited (HKG:151) shareholders are probably feeling a little disappointed, since its shares fell 9.6% to HK$4.69 in the week after its latest half-yearly results. Revenues of CN¥11b were in line with forecasts, although statutory earnings per share (EPS) came in below expectations at CN¥0.15, missing estimates by 9.1%. Following the result, the analysts have updated their earnings model, and it would be good to know whether they think there's been a strong change in the company's prospects, or if it's business as usual. With this in mind, we've gathered the latest statutory forecasts to see what the analysts are expecting for next year.

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Following last week's earnings report, Want Want China Holdings' 16 analysts are forecasting 2026 revenues to be CN¥24.1b, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are expected to dip 4.6% to CN¥0.34 in the same period. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been anticipated revenues of CN¥24.2b and earnings per share (EPS) of CN¥0.37 in 2026. The analysts seem to have become a little more negative on the business after the latest results, given the small dip in their earnings per share numbers for next year.

Check out our latest analysis for Want Want China Holdings

It might be a surprise to learn that the consensus price target was broadly unchanged at HK$5.49, with the analysts clearly implying that the forecast decline in earnings is not expected to have much of an impact on valuation. 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 Want Want China Holdings at HK$7.14 per share, while the most bearish prices it at HK$3.91. Note the wide gap in analyst price targets? This implies to us that there is a fairly broad range of possible scenarios for the underlying business.

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 clear from the latest estimates that Want Want China Holdings' rate of growth is expected to accelerate meaningfully, with the forecast 3.1% annualised revenue growth to the end of 2026 noticeably faster than its historical growth of 1.4% p.a. over the past five years. By contrast, our data suggests that other companies (with analyst coverage) in a similar industry are forecast to grow their revenue at 5.3% per year. It seems obvious that, while the future growth outlook is brighter than the recent past, Want Want China Holdings is expected to grow slower than the wider industry.

The Bottom Line

The biggest concern is that the analysts reduced their earnings per share estimates, suggesting business headwinds could lay ahead for Want Want China Holdings. On the plus side, there were no major changes to revenue estimates; although forecasts imply they will perform worse than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at HK$5.49, 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 Want Want China Holdings going out to 2028, and you can see them free on our platform here..

Don't forget that there may still be risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Want Want China Holdings that you should be aware of.

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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.