Results: Bharti Airtel Limited Exceeded Expectations And The Consensus Has Updated Its Estimates

As you might know, Bharti Airtel Limited (NSE:BHARTIARTL) recently reported its full-year numbers. It looks like a credible result overall - although revenues of ₹1.7t were what the analysts expected, Bharti Airtel surprised by delivering a (statutory) profit of ₹56.04 per share, an impressive 23% above what was forecast. 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.

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Taking into account the latest results, the consensus forecast from Bharti Airtel's 33 analysts is for revenues of ₹2.07t in 2026. This reflects a meaningful 20% improvement in revenue compared to the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are forecast to dip 5.4% to ₹52.10 in the same period. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of ₹2.02t and earnings per share (EPS) of ₹52.23 in 2026. So it looks like there's been no major change in sentiment following the latest results, although the analysts have made a small lift in to revenue forecasts.

View our latest analysis for Bharti Airtel

It may not be a surprise to see thatthe analysts have reconfirmed their price target of ₹1,976, implying that the uplift in revenue is not expected to greatly contribute to Bharti Airtel's valuation in the near term. 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 Bharti Airtel analyst has a price target of ₹2,351 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at ₹1,370. These price targets show that analysts do have some differing views on the business, but the estimates do not vary enough to suggest to us that some are betting on wild success or utter failure.

These estimates are interesting, but it can be useful to paint some more broad strokes when seeing how forecasts compare, both to the Bharti Airtel's past performance and to peers in the same industry. The analysts are definitely expecting Bharti Airtel's growth to accelerate, with the forecast 20% annualised growth to the end of 2026 ranking favourably alongside historical growth of 13% per annum over the past five years. Compare this with other companies in the same industry, which are forecast to grow their revenue 4.9% annually. It seems obvious that, while the growth outlook is brighter than the recent past, the analysts also expect Bharti Airtel to grow faster than the wider 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. Pleasantly, they also upgraded their revenue estimates, and their forecasts suggest the business 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 Bharti Airtel. Long-term earnings power is much more important than next year's profits. We have forecasts for Bharti Airtel 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 3 warning signs for Bharti Airtel (1 doesn't sit too well with us) 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.