It's been a mediocre week for Weatherford International plc (NASDAQ:WFRD) shareholders, with the stock dropping 12% to US$81.16 in the week since its latest quarterly results. It looks like a credible result overall - although revenues of US$1.4b were what the analysts expected, Weatherford International surprised by delivering a (statutory) profit of US$2.06 per share, an impressive 25% above what was forecast. 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.

After the latest results, the seven analysts covering Weatherford International are now predicting revenues of US$5.97b in 2025. If met, this would reflect a reasonable 7.9% improvement in revenue compared to the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to ascend 14% to US$8.35. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$5.98b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$8.35 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$133, showing that the business is executing well and in line with expectations. Fixating on a single price target can be unwise though, since the consensus target is effectively the average of analyst price targets. As a result, some investors like to look at the range of estimates to see if there are any diverging opinions on the company's valuation. Currently, the most bullish analyst values Weatherford International at US$155 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$91.00. 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 Weatherford International shareholders.

These estimates are interesting, but it can be useful to paint some more broad strokes when seeing how forecasts compare, both to the Weatherford International's past performance and to peers in the same industry. The analysts are definitely expecting Weatherford International's growth to accelerate, with the forecast 6.3% annualised growth to the end of 2025 ranking favourably alongside historical growth of 3.4% per annum over the past five years. Compare this with other companies in the same industry, which are forecast to grow their revenue 6.0% annually. Weatherford International is expected to grow at about the same rate as its industry, so it's not clear that we can draw any conclusions from its growth relative to competitors.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing to take away is that there's been no major change in sentiment, with the analysts reconfirming that the business is performing in line with their previous earnings per share estimates. Happily, there were no real changes to revenue forecasts, with the business still expected to grow in line with the overall industry. 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.

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

You should always think about risks though. Case in point, we've spotted 2 warning signs for Weatherford International you should be aware of.

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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.