Corporate Earnings Forecasts
Erste Group Bank revises earnings forecasts for Shell, Unilever, and other major companies.
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Key Points
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Unilever’s latest quarterly results fell well short of expectations: it reported $0.59 in EPS versus the $1.84 consensus estimate and revenue of $14.62 billion versus the expected $14.80 billion.
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Shell’s broader analyst consensus remains cautious despite Erste Group Bank’s Buy rating: seven analysts rate the stock Buy, 11 rate it Hold, and the average price target is $107.46. Piper Sandler, for example, maintained a Neutral rating, while Zacks Research downgraded Shell to Hold.
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Freeport-McMoRan’s quarterly revenue declined 7.3% year over year despite its earnings beat; the company reported $7.03 billion in revenue and $0.74 in EPS, compared with expectations of $6.62 billion and $0.62 EPS, respectively.
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Freeport-McMoRan recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.075 per share, equivalent to an annualized $0.30 dividend and a 0.4% yield; its dividend payout ratio was reported at 14.78%.
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Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo, operates globally across men’s, women’s and children’s apparel and is known for proprietary fabric technologies including HEATTECH and AIRism. The company traces its origins to a family-owned men’s clothing shop founded in 1963.
Erste Group Bank adjusted earnings forecasts for four major companies this week, raising estimates for three while slightly trimming one. The Austrian bank lifted its FY2026 EPS forecast for Shell to $11.20 and Unilever to $3.77, and boosted its FY2027 projection for Fast Retailing to $1.22. Erste Group Bank modestly cut its FY2027 forecast for mining giant Freeport-McMoRan to $4.00 from $4.01, despite the company beating quarterly expectations.
Shell Gets Buy Rating Amid Mixed Analyst Sentiment
Erste Group Bank maintained a Buy rating on Shell and raised its FY2026 EPS estimate to $11.20. However, broader Wall Street sentiment remains divided. Only seven analysts rate Shell a Buy, while 11 assign it a Hold rating, according to Reuters. The average price target sits at $107.46, and some analysts have turned cautious—Piper Sandler kept a Neutral rating while Zacks Research downgraded the stock to Hold.
Unilever Misses Badly on Earnings and Revenue
Unilever disappointed investors with quarterly results that fell sharply below expectations. The consumer goods giant reported EPS of just $0.59 versus a consensus forecast of $1.84—a 68% miss. Revenue came in at $14.62 billion against the expected $14.80 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal. Despite this weakness, Erste Group Bank raised its FY2026 EPS estimate to $3.77, betting on a recovery ahead.
Freeport-McMoRan Beats Earnings but Revenue Slides
Freeport-McMoRan delivered an earnings surprise despite declining revenue. The mining company posted EPS of $0.74, beating the $0.62 consensus estimate. Quarterly revenue reached $7.03 billion, above the expected $6.62 billion. Yet on a year-over-year basis, revenue fell 7.3%, according to MarketWatch. Erste Group Bank trimmed its FY2027 EPS forecast slightly to $4.00 from $4.01, reflecting softer industry trends.
The mining company recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.075 per share, totaling $0.30 annualized, with a 0.4% yield. Its dividend payout ratio stood at 14.78%, indicating a conservative approach to capital returns, according to Investor's Business Daily.
Fast Retailing Lifted on Uniqlo's Strong Beat
Fast Retailing, parent of the global Uniqlo brand, surpassed quarterly earnings and revenue expectations, prompting Erste Group Bank to raise its FY2027 EPS estimate to $1.22 from $1.18. The retailer operates men's, women's, and children's apparel worldwide and is known for proprietary fabric technologies like HEATTECH and AIRism. The company traces its roots to a family-owned men's clothing shop founded in 1963, according to Bloomberg.
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