Atkore Inc. (NYSE:ATKR) defied analyst predictions to release its quarterly results, which were ahead of market expectations. It was overall a positive result, with revenues beating expectations by 2.8% to hit US$798m. Atkore reported statutory earnings per share (EPS) US$3.61, which was a notable 11% above what the analysts had forecast. 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.

Taking into account the latest results, Atkore's five analysts currently expect revenues in 2024 to be US$3.54b, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are expected to fall 12% to US$15.45 in the same period. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been anticipated revenues of US$3.58b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$15.29 in 2024. 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.

It will come as no surprise then, to learn that the consensus price target is largely unchanged at US$188. The consensus price target is just an average of individual analyst targets, so - it could be handy to see how wide the range of underlying estimates is. Currently, the most bullish analyst values Atkore at US$200 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$176. With such a narrow range of valuations, the analysts apparently share similar views on what they think the business is worth.

These estimates are interesting, but it can be useful to paint some more broad strokes when seeing how forecasts compare, both to the Atkore's past performance and to peers in the same industry. It's pretty clear that there is an expectation that Atkore's revenue growth will slow down substantially, with revenues to the end of 2024 expected to display 2.1% growth on an annualised basis. This is compared to a historical growth rate of 19% 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 7.8% annually. Factoring in the forecast slowdown in growth, it seems obvious that Atkore is also expected to grow slower than other industry participants.

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. On the plus side, there were no major changes to revenue estimates; although forecasts imply they will perform worse than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at US$188, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.

With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for Atkore going out to 2026, and you can see them free on our platform here..

It is also worth noting that we have found 1 warning sign for Atkore that you need to take into consideration.

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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.