Shanghai International Port (Group) Co., Ltd. (SHSE:600018) just released its latest second-quarter results and things are looking bullish. Shanghai International Port (Group) delivered a significant beat to revenue and earnings per share (EPS) expectations, hitting CN¥11b-12% above indicated-andCN¥0.20-33% above forecasts- respectively 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.

After the latest results, the consensus from Shanghai International Port (Group)'s four analysts is for revenues of CN¥39.8b in 2024, which would reflect a perceptible 3.6% decline in revenue compared to the last year of performance. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to accumulate 4.1% to CN¥0.64. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been anticipated revenues of CN¥36.9b and earnings per share (EPS) of CN¥0.60 in 2024. It looks like there's been a modest increase in sentiment following the latest results, withthe analysts becoming a bit more optimistic in their predictions for both revenues and earnings.

With these upgrades, we're not surprised to see that the analysts have lifted their price target 5.1% to CN¥5.28per share. 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. The most optimistic Shanghai International Port (Group) analyst has a price target of CN¥6.30 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at CN¥4.30. This shows there is still a bit of diversity in estimates, but analysts don't appear to be totally split on the stock as though it might be a success or failure situation.

Looking at the bigger picture now, one of the ways we can make sense of these forecasts is to see how they measure up against both past performance and industry growth estimates. These estimates imply that revenue is expected to slow, with a forecast annualised decline of 7.1% by the end of 2024. This indicates a significant reduction from annual growth of 2.8% over the last five years. By contrast, our data suggests that other companies (with analyst coverage) in the same industry are forecast to see their revenue grow 5.8% annually for the foreseeable future. So although its revenues are forecast to shrink, this cloud does not come with a silver lining - Shanghai International Port (Group) is expected to lag the wider industry.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing here is that the analysts upgraded their earnings per share estimates, suggesting that there has been a clear increase in optimism towards Shanghai International Port (Group) following these results. Fortunately, they also upgraded their revenue estimates, although our data indicates it is expected to perform worse than the wider industry. There was also a nice increase in the price target, with the analysts clearly feeling that the intrinsic value of the business is improving.

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. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for Shanghai International Port (Group) going out to 2026, and you can see them free on our platform here..

That said, it's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Shanghai International Port (Group) (at least 1 which makes us a bit uncomfortable) , and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

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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.