nLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) Annual Results: Here's What Analysts Are Forecasting For This Year

There's been a notable change in appetite for nLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) shares in the week since its full-year report, with the stock down 15% to US$8.32. The statutory results were not great - while revenues of US$199m were in line with expectations,nLIGHT lost US$1.27 a share in the process. 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.

Check out our latest analysis for nLIGHT

Taking into account the latest results, the most recent consensus for nLIGHT from eight analysts is for revenues of US$210.8m in 2025. If met, it would imply a modest 6.2% increase on its revenue over the past 12 months. Losses are expected to be contained, narrowing 16% from last year to US$1.04. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$206.8m and losses of US$0.98 per share in 2025. Overall it looks as though the analysts were a bit mixed on the latest consensus updates. Although revenue forecasts held steady, the consensus also made a moderate increase in its losses per share forecasts.

The consensus price target held steady at US$14.67, seemingly implying that the higher forecast losses are not expected to have a long term impact on the company's valuation. 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. The most optimistic nLIGHT analyst has a price target of US$20.00 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at US$11.00. This is a fairly broad spread of estimates, suggesting that analysts are forecasting a wide range of possible outcomes for the business.

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. The analysts are definitely expecting nLIGHT's growth to accelerate, with the forecast 6.2% annualised growth to the end of 2025 ranking favourably alongside historical growth of 0.09% per annum over the past five years. Compare this with other companies in the same industry, which are forecast to grow their revenue 7.3% annually. Factoring in the forecast acceleration in revenue, it's pretty clear that nLIGHT is expected to grow at about the same rate as the wider industry.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing to take away is that the analysts increased their loss per share estimates for next year. Happily, there were no real changes to revenue forecasts, with the business still expected to grow in line with the overall industry. The consensus price target held steady at US$14.67, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.

With that in mind, we wouldn't be too quick to come to a conclusion on nLIGHT. Long-term earnings power is much more important than next year's profits. We have estimates - from multiple nLIGHT analysts - going out to 2026, and you can see them free on our platform here.

Even so, be aware that nLIGHT is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis , you should know about...

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.