It's been a mediocre week for C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHRW) shareholders, with the stock dropping 16% to US$73.50 in the week since its latest annual results. It was not a great result overall. While revenues of US$18b were in line with analyst predictions, earnings were less than expected, missing statutory estimates by 18% to hit US$2.72 per share. The analysts typically update their forecasts at each earnings report, and we can judge from their estimates whether their view of the company has changed or if there are any new concerns to be aware of. We thought readers would find it interesting to see the analysts latest (statutory) post-earnings forecasts for next year.

Taking into account the latest results, C.H. Robinson Worldwide's 20 analysts currently expect revenues in 2024 to be US$17.7b, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Per-share earnings are expected to leap 25% to US$3.48. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$18.1b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$3.88 in 2024. The analysts seem to have become more bearish following the latest results. While there were no changes to revenue forecasts, there was a real cut to EPS estimates.

The average price target fell 6.2% to US$81.14, with reduced earnings forecasts clearly tied to a lower valuation estimate. 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. There are some variant perceptions on C.H. Robinson Worldwide, with the most bullish analyst valuing it at US$104 and the most bearish at US$60.00 per share. As you can see, analysts are not all in agreement on the stock's future, but the range of estimates is still reasonably narrow, which could suggest that the outcome is not totally unpredictable.

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. We would highlight that C.H. Robinson Worldwide's revenue growth is expected to slow, with the forecast 0.7% annualised growth rate until the end of 2024 being well below the historical 8.4% p.a. growth over the last five years. By way of comparison, the other companies in this industry with analyst coverage are forecast to grow their revenue at 4.2% per year. So it's pretty clear that, while revenue growth is expected to slow down, the wider industry is also expected to grow faster than C.H. Robinson Worldwide.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing to take away is that the analysts downgraded their earnings per share estimates, showing that there has been a clear decline in sentiment following these results. On the plus side, there were no major changes to revenue estimates; although forecasts imply they will perform worse than the wider industry. Furthermore, the analysts also cut their price targets, suggesting that the latest news has led to greater pessimism about the intrinsic value of the business.

With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. We have forecasts for C.H. Robinson Worldwide going out to 2026, and you can see them free on our platform here.

And what about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for C.H. Robinson Worldwide you should know about.

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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.