Shareholders might have noticed that Haitian International Holdings Limited (HKG:1882) filed its half-year result this time last week. The early response was not positive, with shares down 3.8% to HK$21.25 in the past week. It was a workmanlike result, with revenues of CN¥8.0b coming in 2.1% ahead of expectations, and statutory earnings per share of CN¥0.95, in line with analyst appraisals. 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. Readers will be glad to know we've aggregated the latest statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their mind on Haitian International Holdings after the latest results.

After the latest results, the eleven analysts covering Haitian International Holdings are now predicting revenues of CN¥15.8b in 2024. If met, this would reflect an okay 7.3% improvement in revenue compared to the last 12 months. Per-share earnings are expected to increase 7.6% to CN¥1.88. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been anticipated revenues of CN¥15.2b and earnings per share (EPS) of CN¥1.83 in 2024. So there seems to have been a moderate uplift in sentiment following the latest results, given the upgrades to both revenue and earnings per share forecasts for next year.

Despite these upgrades,the analysts have not made any major changes to their price target of HK$28.33, suggesting that the higher estimates are not likely to have a long term impact on what the stock is worth. 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 Haitian International Holdings, with the most bullish analyst valuing it at HK$32.87 and the most bearish at HK$23.98 per share. 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 Haitian International Holdings shareholders.

One way to get more context on these forecasts is to look at how they compare to both past performance, and how other companies in the same industry are performing. It's clear from the latest estimates that Haitian International Holdings' rate of growth is expected to accelerate meaningfully, with the forecast 15% annualised revenue growth to the end of 2024 noticeably faster than its historical growth of 6.2% p.a. over the past five years. Compare this with other companies in the same industry, which are forecast to grow their revenue 11% annually. Factoring in the forecast acceleration in revenue, it's pretty clear that Haitian International Holdings is expected to grow much faster than its industry.

The Bottom Line

The biggest takeaway for us is the consensus earnings per share upgrade, which suggests a clear improvement in sentiment around Haitian International Holdings' earnings potential next year. Happily, they also upgraded their revenue estimates, and are forecasting them to grow faster than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at HK$28.33, 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. We have estimates - from multiple Haitian International Holdings analysts - going out to 2026, and you can see them free on our platform here.

You can also see our analysis of Haitian International Holdings' Board and CEO remuneration and experience, and whether company insiders have been buying stock.

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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.