SoftBank Group Corp. (TSE:9984) Third-Quarter Results Just Came Out: Here's What Analysts Are Forecasting For Next Year

As you might know, SoftBank Group Corp. (TSE:9984) recently reported its third-quarter numbers. It was a pretty bad result overall; while revenues were in line with expectations at JP¥1.8t, statutory losses exploded to JP¥259 per share. 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. So we gathered the latest post-earnings forecasts to see what estimates suggest is in store for next year.

Check out our latest analysis for SoftBank Group

Taking into account the latest results, the current consensus from SoftBank Group's 13 analysts is for revenues of JP¥7.42t in 2026. This would reflect an okay 5.2% increase on its revenue over the past 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are forecast to dive 56% to JP¥259 in the same period. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of JP¥7.42t and earnings per share (EPS) of JP¥258 in 2026. 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¥11,865, suggesting that the company has met expectations in its recent result. The consensus price target is just an average of individual analyst targets, so - it could be handy to see how wide the range of underlying estimates is. The most optimistic SoftBank Group analyst has a price target of JP¥16,000 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at JP¥9,000. 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.

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 clear from the latest estimates that SoftBank Group's rate of growth is expected to accelerate meaningfully, with the forecast 4.1% annualised revenue growth to the end of 2026 noticeably faster than its historical growth of 2.9% p.a. over the past five years. Other similar companies in the industry (with analyst coverage) are also forecast to grow their revenue at 3.7% per year. SoftBank Group is expected to grow at about the same rate as its industry, so it's not clear that we can draw any conclusions from its growth relative to competitors.

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 JP¥11,865, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.

Following on from that line of thought, we think that the long-term prospects of the business are much more relevant than next year's earnings. We have forecasts for SoftBank Group going out to 2027, and you can see them free on our platform here.

Don't forget that there may still be risks. For instance, we've identified 4 warning signs for SoftBank Group (2 are a bit unpleasant) 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.