Han's Laser Technology Industry Group Co., Ltd. (SZSE:002008) just released its latest quarterly report and things are not looking great. Earnings came in short of expectations, with revenues of CN¥2.7b missing the mark by 23%, and statutory earnings per share of CN¥0.94 falling 3.8% short. 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. With this in mind, we've gathered the latest statutory forecasts to see what the analysts are expecting for next year.

Following the latest results, Han's Laser Technology Industry Group's twelve analysts are now forecasting revenues of CN¥14.9b in 2024. This would be a modest 4.2% improvement in revenue compared to the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to rise 2.1% to CN¥1.62. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of CN¥15.4b and earnings per share (EPS) of CN¥1.16 in 2024. Although the analysts have lowered their revenue forecasts, they've also made a great increase in their earnings per share estimates, which implies there's been something of an uptick in sentiment following the latest results.

There's been no real change to the average price target of CN¥23.12, with the lower revenue and higher earnings forecasts not expected to meaningfully impact the company's valuation over a longer timeframe. 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. Currently, the most bullish analyst values Han's Laser Technology Industry Group at CN¥35.00 per share, while the most bearish prices it at CN¥17.10. Note the wide gap in analyst price targets? This implies to us that there is a fairly broad range of possible scenarios for the underlying business.

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. It's pretty clear that there is an expectation that Han's Laser Technology Industry Group's revenue growth will slow down substantially, with revenues to the end of 2024 expected to display 5.6% growth on an annualised basis. This is compared to a historical growth rate of 8.6% over the past five years. Compare this against other companies (with analyst forecasts) in the industry, which are in aggregate expected to see revenue growth of 17% annually. Factoring in the forecast slowdown in growth, it seems obvious that Han's Laser Technology Industry Group is also expected to grow slower than other industry participants.

The Bottom Line

The biggest takeaway for us is the consensus earnings per share upgrade, which suggests a clear improvement in sentiment around Han's Laser Technology Industry Group's earnings potential next year. On the negative side, they also downgraded their revenue estimates, and forecasts imply they will perform worse than the wider industry. Yet - earnings are more important to the intrinsic value of the business. There was no real change to the consensus price target, suggesting that the intrinsic value of the business has not undergone any major changes with the latest estimates.

Keeping that in mind, we still think that the longer term trajectory of the business is much more important for investors to consider. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for Han's Laser Technology Industry Group going out to 2026, 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 2 warning signs with Han's Laser Technology Industry Group (at least 1 which can't be ignored) , and understanding them 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.