Yahoo Finance IAMGOLD Corporation Reported A Surprise Loss, And Analysts Have Updated Their Forecasts
There's been a notable change in appetite for IAMGOLD Corporation (TSE:IMG) shares in the week since its quarterly report, with the stock down 19% to CA$1.70. The results don't look great, especially considering that the analysts had been forecasting a profit and IAMGOLD delivered a statutory loss of US$0.02 per share. Revenues of US$334m did beat expectations by 2.2% though. 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 IAMGOLD
Taking into account the latest results, IAMGOLD's five analysts currently expect revenues in 2022 to be US$1.28b, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Earnings are expected to improve, with IAMGOLD forecast to report a statutory profit of US$0.0097 per share. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$1.29b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$0.052 in 2022. So there's definitely been a decline in sentiment after the latest results, noting the large cut to new EPS forecasts.
It might be a surprise to learn that the consensus price target was broadly unchanged at CA$2.30, with the analysts clearly implying that the forecast decline in earnings is not expected to have much of an impact on valuation. 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. Currently, the most bullish analyst values IAMGOLD at CA$3.50 per share, while the most bearish prices it at CA$1.58. With such a wide range in price targets, analysts are almost certainly betting on widely divergent outcomes in the underlying business. As a result it might not be a great idea to make decisions based on the consensus price target, which is after all just an average of this wide range of estimates.
Another way we can view these estimates is in the context of the bigger picture, such as how the forecasts stack up against past performance, and whether forecasts are more or less bullish relative to other companies in the industry. These estimates imply that sales are expected to slow, with a forecast annualised revenue decline of 0.1% by the end of 2022. This indicates a significant reduction from annual growth of 3.1% over the last five years. By contrast, our data suggests that other companies (with analyst coverage) in the same industry are forecast to see their revenue grow 12% annually for the foreseeable future. So although its revenues are forecast to shrink, this cloud does not come with a silver lining - IAMGOLD is expected to lag the wider industry.
The Bottom Line
The biggest concern is that the analysts reduced their earnings per share estimates, suggesting business headwinds could lay ahead for IAMGOLD. On the plus side, there were no major changes to revenue estimates; although forecasts imply revenues will perform worse than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at CA$2.30, 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 IAMGOLD. Long-term earnings power is much more important than next year's profits. We have forecasts for IAMGOLD going out to 2024, 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 IAMGOLD , and understanding it 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.
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