Hancock Whitney Corporation (NASDAQ:HWC) Released Earnings Last Week And Analysts Lifted Their Price Target To US$69.13

As you might know, Hancock Whitney Corporation (NASDAQ:HWC) recently reported its second-quarter numbers. Revenues of US$378m were in line with forecasts, although statutory earnings per share (EPS) came in below expectations at US$1.32, missing estimates by 2.8%. 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've gathered the most recent statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their earnings models, following these results.

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Taking into account the latest results, the most recent consensus for Hancock Whitney from eight analysts is for revenues of US$1.53b in 2025. If met, it would imply a meaningful 8.6% increase on its revenue over the past 12 months. Statutory per share are forecast to be US$5.57, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$1.52b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$5.52 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.

View our latest analysis for Hancock Whitney

With the analysts reconfirming their revenue and earnings forecasts, it's surprising to see that the price target rose 5.5% to US$69.13. It looks as though they previously had some doubts over whether the business would live up to their expectations. 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 Hancock Whitney analyst has a price target of US$74.00 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at US$64.00. 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. It's clear from the latest estimates that Hancock Whitney's rate of growth is expected to accelerate meaningfully, with the forecast 18% annualised revenue growth to the end of 2025 noticeably faster than its historical growth of 9.5% 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 7.5% per year. It seems obvious that, while the growth outlook is brighter than the recent past, the analysts also expect Hancock Whitney 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. 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. We note an upgrade to the price target, suggesting that the analysts believes the intrinsic value of the business is likely to improve over time.

With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. We have estimates - from multiple Hancock Whitney analysts - going out to 2027, and you can see them free on our platform here.

You can also see our analysis of Hancock Whitney's Board and CEO remuneration and experience, and whether company insiders have been buying stock.

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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.