The Knife River Corporation (NYSE:KNF) Yearly Results Are Out And Analysts Have Published New Forecasts

As you might know, Knife River Corporation (NYSE:KNF) recently reported its full-year numbers. It was a credible result overall, with revenues of US$2.9b and statutory earnings per share of US$3.55 both in line with analyst estimates, showing that Knife River is executing in line with expectations. 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. Readers will be glad to know we've aggregated the latest statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their mind on Knife River after the latest results.

View our latest analysis for Knife River

Taking into account the latest results, the most recent consensus for Knife River from nine analysts is for revenues of US$3.07b in 2025. If met, it would imply a modest 6.0% increase on its revenue over the past 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to expand 13% to US$4.04. In the lead-up to this report, the analysts had been modelling revenues of US$3.06b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$4.03 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.

The analysts reconfirmed their price target of US$116, showing that the business is executing well and in line with expectations. 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. There are some variant perceptions on Knife River, with the most bullish analyst valuing it at US$125 and the most bearish at US$82.12 per share. Analysts definitely have varying views on the business, but the spread of estimates is not wide enough in our view to suggest that extreme outcomes could await Knife River shareholders.

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. We would highlight that Knife River's revenue growth is expected to slow, with the forecast 6.0% annualised growth rate until the end of 2025 being well below the historical 8.7% p.a. growth over the last three years. Compare this to the 16 other companies in this industry with analyst coverage, which are forecast to grow their revenue at 6.4% per year. Factoring in the forecast slowdown in growth, it looks like Knife River is forecast to grow at about the same rate as the wider industry.

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. 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 US$116, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.

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 Knife River analysts - going out to 2026, and you can see them free on our platform here.

It might also be worth considering whether Knife River's debt load is appropriate, using our debt analysis tools on the Simply Wall St platform, here.

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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.