Analysts cut earnings estimates more than usual for next quarter

Analysts cut earnings estimates more than usual for next quarter

Analysts have lowered EPS estimates more than normal for Standard & Poor’s 500 companies for the first quarter, FactSet reported today. During the months of January and February, analysts lowered EPS estimates by a larger margin than average. The bottom-up EPS estimate for the first quarter decreased by 3.5% (to $60.66 from $62.89) from December 31 to February 27. Companies will begin to report first quarter earnings, which for most companies ends on March 31, in April. Analysts almost always cut their earnings estimates during the first two months of a quarter. During the past five years (20 quarters), the average decline in the bottom-up EPS estimate during the first two months of a quarter has been 2.6%. So it’s not the analysts are cutting estimates for the quarter ahead now that’s unusual. But instead it’s the larger than usual size of the cuts.

Saturday Night Quarterback says (on a Sunday), For the week ahead expect…

Saturday Night Quarterback says (on a Sunday), For the week ahead expect…

Earnings, earnings, earnings. From members of the Magnificent 7: Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN), Meta Platforms (META) and Apple (AAPL). in the consumer sector from consumer stocks Starbucks (SBUX), McDonald’s (MCD), Mastercard (MA).From drug companies Pfizer (PFE), Moderna (MRNA) and Merck (MRK). And from Big Oil Chevron (CVX), ExxonMobil (XOM), Shell (SHEL), and BP (BP). Here’s what I’d watch for.

Please Read My New YouTube Video: Quick Pick ASML

Please Read My New YouTube Video: Quick Pick ASML

Today’s Quick Pick is ASML Holding (ASML). ASML Holding is a chip equipment maker, specializing in high-end ultraviolet lithography. The stock released an impressive earnings report on Tuesday which sent the stock up 8.5% on that day. It’s up about 18% since I recommended the stock back in December. However, please remember, chip stocks and especially chip equipment stocks are cyclicals. They do well when demand is high, and then dip back down when demand is low. We’re currently in a big up cycle for chips with demand for new AI chips continuing to rise. ASML expects 2024 to maintain that upward swing and the stock is rising as expected. The thing I want to point out is how we know cyclical PEs to behave. The highest point for a cyclical PE tends to be down at the bottom, and as the stock goes up, the PE should go down. At the moment, the market is not at all focused on fundamentals and what we’re seeing is cyclical stocks trading like growth stocks. ASML is not a growth (forever) stock, but it’s currently trading at a PE of 39, the same as Microsoft, a definite growth stock (for comparison). There will be a top for ASML, it may not be 2024 but make sure you’re looking at fundamentals even if no one else in the market is.

Saturday Night Quarterback (Part 2) says, For the week ahead expect…

Saturday Night Quarterback (Part 2) says, For the week ahead expect…

Investors see a ton of third-quarter earnings reports this coming week with news from Microsoft, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Alphabet quite capable of moving the entire market. We’ll also get more consumer company (Coca-Cola and Kimberly-Clark for example) reports to show whether last week’s higher revenue but lower volume pattern continues. And Wall Street is expecting negative new from oil companies ExxonMobil (XOM) and Chevron (CVX) when they both report on Friday.

Saturday Night Quarterback says, For the week ahead expect…

Saturday Night Quarterback says, For the week ahead expect…

Look for a big earnings test for regional banks and a feW clues about consumer goods, airlines, and autos. Last week ended with great earnings reports from Big Banks JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Wells Fargo (WFC) and Citigroup (C). Big Bank earnings continue this week with Bank of America (BAC) and Goldman Sachs (GS) reporting on Tuesday. But the important news for the financial sector will come from the dozens of earnings reports from regional banks.