Zhejiang Huace Film & TV Co., Ltd. (SZSE:300133) last week reported its latest half-yearly results, which makes it a good time for investors to dive in and see if the business is performing in line with expectations. Zhejiang Huace Film & TV reported a serious miss, with revenue of CN¥368m falling a huge 41% short of analyst estimates. The bright side is that statutory earnings per share of CN¥0.20 were in line with forecasts. 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. So we gathered the latest post-earnings forecasts to see what estimates suggest is in store for next year.

Taking into account the latest results, the most recent consensus for Zhejiang Huace Film & TV from six analysts is for revenues of CN¥2.79b in 2024. If met, it would imply a sizeable 86% increase on its revenue over the past 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to leap 84% to CN¥0.21. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been anticipated revenues of CN¥2.90b and earnings per share (EPS) of CN¥0.27 in 2024. From this we can that sentiment has definitely become more bearish after the latest results, leading to lower revenue forecasts and a large cut to earnings per share estimates.

Despite the cuts to forecast earnings, there was no real change to the CN¥6.48 price target, showing that the analysts don't think the changes have a meaningful impact on its intrinsic value. 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. The most optimistic Zhejiang Huace Film & TV analyst has a price target of CN¥8.40 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at CN¥5.30. 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.

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. One thing stands out from these estimates, which is that Zhejiang Huace Film & TV is forecast to grow faster in the future than it has in the past, with revenues expected to display 247% annualised growth until the end of 2024. If achieved, this would be a much better result than the 12% annual decline over the past five years. Compare this against analyst estimates for the broader industry, which suggest that (in aggregate) industry revenues are expected to grow 13% annually. Not only are Zhejiang Huace Film & TV's revenues expected to improve, it seems that the analysts are also expecting it to grow faster than the wider industry.

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. Regrettably, they also downgraded their revenue estimates, but the latest forecasts still imply the business will grow faster than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at CN¥6.48, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.

Following on from that line of thought, we think that the long-term prospects of the business are much more relevant than next year's earnings. We have forecasts for Zhejiang Huace Film & TV 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 3 warning signs for Zhejiang Huace Film & TV 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.