Stock Analysis

Fanuc Corporation (TSE:6954) First-Quarter Results Just Came Out: Here's What Analysts Are Forecasting For This Year

TSE:6954
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It's been a good week for Fanuc Corporation (TSE:6954) shareholders, because the company has just released its latest quarterly results, and the shares gained 6.2% to JP¥4,510. It was a workmanlike result, with revenues of JP¥195b coming in 3.6% ahead of expectations, and statutory earnings per share of JP¥140, in line with analyst appraisals. 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. Readers will be glad to know we've aggregated the latest statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their mind on Fanuc after the latest results.

Check out our latest analysis for Fanuc

earnings-and-revenue-growth
TSE:6954 Earnings and Revenue Growth July 31st 2024

Following last week's earnings report, Fanuc's 20 analysts are forecasting 2025 revenues to be JP¥799.3b, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Statutory per share are forecast to be JP¥142, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of JP¥786.7b and earnings per share (EPS) of JP¥139 in 2025. 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.

There were no changes to revenue or earnings estimates or the price target of JP¥5,017, suggesting that the company has met expectations in its recent result. 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 Fanuc analyst has a price target of JP¥5,700 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at JP¥3,300. 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.

Taking a look at the bigger picture now, one of the ways we can understand these forecasts is to see how they compare to both past performance and industry growth estimates. It's pretty clear that there is an expectation that Fanuc's revenue growth will slow down substantially, with revenues to the end of 2025 expected to display 1.8% growth on an annualised basis. This is compared to a historical growth rate of 12% over the past five years. By way of comparison, the other companies in this industry with analyst coverage are forecast to grow their revenue at 4.8% per year. Factoring in the forecast slowdown in growth, it seems obvious that Fanuc is also expected to grow slower than other industry participants.

The Bottom Line

The most obvious conclusion is that there's been no major change in the business' prospects in recent times, with the analysts holding their earnings forecasts steady, in line with previous estimates. On the plus side, there were no major changes to revenue estimates; although forecasts imply they will perform worse 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.

Keeping that in mind, we still think that the longer term trajectory of the business is much more important for investors to consider. We have estimates - from multiple Fanuc analysts - going out to 2027, and you can see them free on our platform here.

That said, it's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Fanuc , and understanding this should be part of your investment process.

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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.