We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
FedEx, Nike, Micron, Conagra and Constellation Brands are part of Zacks Earnings Preview
Read MoreHide Full Article
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – October 3, 2022 – Zacks.com releases the list of companies likely to issue earnings surprises. This week’s list includes FedEx (FDX - Free Report) , Nike (NKE - Free Report) , Micron (MU - Free Report) , Conagra (CAG - Free Report) and Constellation Brands (STZ - Free Report) .
Previewing Q3 Earnings After Rough Reports from Nike, Micron
We had been skeptical about extrapolating too much from FedEx’s downbeat quarterly numbers as we see a big part of the problems as FedEx specific. But FedEx is hardly alone in pointing towards a cloudier horizon.
We don’t typically associate Nike with management and operational missteps, but we just heard them tell us about a large inventory overhang that’s having negative implications for margins and profitability. Part of the +44% jump in Nike’s inventory is reportedly related to apparel whose movement through the company’s supply chain was impacted by ongoing logistical challenges.
We don’t know the details, but it’s fair to assume that some part of the inventory buildup is related to softening demand. After all, the U.S. Fed’s ongoing tightening cycle is directed at crimping aggregate demand as a way to bring down inflationary pressures.
Nike’s inventory problem validates what we heard from retailers in the Q2 reporting cycle. Chipmaker Micron is faced with a comparable issue that forced it to cut guidance and slash CapEx to bring chip supplies in alignment with market demand that has come down as a result of weakening PC, tablet and smartphone sales.
We are starting to look at these early reports from FedEx, Nike, Micron and others for their fiscal periods ending in August as giving us a preview of what likely lies ahead as the banks kick-off the Q3 reporting cycle in about two weeks. For the record, we and other data vendors count these early reports as part of the Q3 earnings season.
Through Friday, September 30th, we have seen a total of 15 S&P 500 members report results in recent days, including the aforementioned companies. We have another 4 index members on deck to report results this week, including Conagra and Constellation Brands.
Total earnings for these 15 S&P 500 companies that have reported results are down -8.3% from the same period last year on +10.5% higher revenues, with 66.7% beating EPS estimates and 53.3% beating revenue estimates.
We are trying hard not to draw any conclusions here given how small the sample size of Q3 results are at this stage. But it’s hard to put a gloss on the fact that these 15 index members, some of whom are true bellwethers, struggled to beat consensus estimates.
In fact, you can see above that the 2022 Q3 EPS and revenue beats percentages are tracking the 5-year lows for this group of companies. Needless to add, it is hardly a reassuring start to the Q3 reporting cycle.
The Earnings Big Picture
2022 Q3 earnings are expected to be up +0.9% on +9.1% higher revenues.
Don’t forget that it is the strong contribution from the Energy sector that is keeping the aggregate Q3 earnings growth in positive territory. Excluding the Energy sector, Q3 earnings for the rest of the S&P 500 index would be down -5.8% from the same period last year.
Analysts have been lowering their estimates since the quarter got underway.
The -5.8% decline expected in Q3 on an ex-Energy basis is down from +2.1% in early July.
Third quarter estimates have come down for all sectors, except Energy and Autos, with the biggest declines within Consumer Discretionary, Basic Materials, Consumer Staples, Technology, and Construction.
In the aggregate, 2022 Q3 earnings estimates for the S&P 500 index have been cut -6.5% since mid-June. If we look at the revisions trend after excluding the Energy sector where estimates are still going up, aggregate Q3 estimates have declined by -8.5% since mid-June.
Estimates for 2022 Q4 and full-year 2024 have also been coming down.
These aren’t modest cuts to estimates, but rather towards the higher end of the historical range. The key takeaway here is that estimates have already been coming down. Yes, there may be some more cuts ahead, as we can reasonably expect will happen with estimates for Nike and Micron in the days ahead.
But to suggest that earnings estimates have to massively come down to reach a ‘fair’ level would imply that we are projecting a global financial crisis type of economic event on the horizon, which is hard to justify given current economic fundamentals. We should also keep in mind that corporate earnings and revenues are in ‘nominal’ (or not adjusted for inflation) dollars and will largely keep pace with inflationary trends.
The +6.8% earnings growth expected for the index this year drops to +0.3% once the Energy sector’s contribution is excluded.
Our 5 best-performing strategies have blown away the S&P's impressive +28.8% gain in 2021. Amazingly, they soared +40.3%, +48.2%, +67.6%, +94.4%, and +95.3%. Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.
Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.
Zacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. www.zacks.com/disclaimer.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss.This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
See More Zacks Research for These Tickers
Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:
Image: Shutterstock
FedEx, Nike, Micron, Conagra and Constellation Brands are part of Zacks Earnings Preview
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – October 3, 2022 – Zacks.com releases the list of companies likely to issue earnings surprises. This week’s list includes FedEx (FDX - Free Report) , Nike (NKE - Free Report) , Micron (MU - Free Report) , Conagra (CAG - Free Report) and Constellation Brands (STZ - Free Report) .
Previewing Q3 Earnings After Rough Reports from Nike, Micron
We had been skeptical about extrapolating too much from FedEx’s downbeat quarterly numbers as we see a big part of the problems as FedEx specific. But FedEx is hardly alone in pointing towards a cloudier horizon.
We don’t typically associate Nike with management and operational missteps, but we just heard them tell us about a large inventory overhang that’s having negative implications for margins and profitability. Part of the +44% jump in Nike’s inventory is reportedly related to apparel whose movement through the company’s supply chain was impacted by ongoing logistical challenges.
We don’t know the details, but it’s fair to assume that some part of the inventory buildup is related to softening demand. After all, the U.S. Fed’s ongoing tightening cycle is directed at crimping aggregate demand as a way to bring down inflationary pressures.
Nike’s inventory problem validates what we heard from retailers in the Q2 reporting cycle. Chipmaker Micron is faced with a comparable issue that forced it to cut guidance and slash CapEx to bring chip supplies in alignment with market demand that has come down as a result of weakening PC, tablet and smartphone sales.
We are starting to look at these early reports from FedEx, Nike, Micron and others for their fiscal periods ending in August as giving us a preview of what likely lies ahead as the banks kick-off the Q3 reporting cycle in about two weeks. For the record, we and other data vendors count these early reports as part of the Q3 earnings season.
Through Friday, September 30th, we have seen a total of 15 S&P 500 members report results in recent days, including the aforementioned companies. We have another 4 index members on deck to report results this week, including Conagra and Constellation Brands.
Total earnings for these 15 S&P 500 companies that have reported results are down -8.3% from the same period last year on +10.5% higher revenues, with 66.7% beating EPS estimates and 53.3% beating revenue estimates.
We are trying hard not to draw any conclusions here given how small the sample size of Q3 results are at this stage. But it’s hard to put a gloss on the fact that these 15 index members, some of whom are true bellwethers, struggled to beat consensus estimates.
In fact, you can see above that the 2022 Q3 EPS and revenue beats percentages are tracking the 5-year lows for this group of companies. Needless to add, it is hardly a reassuring start to the Q3 reporting cycle.
The Earnings Big Picture
2022 Q3 earnings are expected to be up +0.9% on +9.1% higher revenues.
Don’t forget that it is the strong contribution from the Energy sector that is keeping the aggregate Q3 earnings growth in positive territory. Excluding the Energy sector, Q3 earnings for the rest of the S&P 500 index would be down -5.8% from the same period last year.
Analysts have been lowering their estimates since the quarter got underway.
The -5.8% decline expected in Q3 on an ex-Energy basis is down from +2.1% in early July.
Third quarter estimates have come down for all sectors, except Energy and Autos, with the biggest declines within Consumer Discretionary, Basic Materials, Consumer Staples, Technology, and Construction.
In the aggregate, 2022 Q3 earnings estimates for the S&P 500 index have been cut -6.5% since mid-June. If we look at the revisions trend after excluding the Energy sector where estimates are still going up, aggregate Q3 estimates have declined by -8.5% since mid-June.
Estimates for 2022 Q4 and full-year 2024 have also been coming down.
These aren’t modest cuts to estimates, but rather towards the higher end of the historical range. The key takeaway here is that estimates have already been coming down. Yes, there may be some more cuts ahead, as we can reasonably expect will happen with estimates for Nike and Micron in the days ahead.
But to suggest that earnings estimates have to massively come down to reach a ‘fair’ level would imply that we are projecting a global financial crisis type of economic event on the horizon, which is hard to justify given current economic fundamentals. We should also keep in mind that corporate earnings and revenues are in ‘nominal’ (or not adjusted for inflation) dollars and will largely keep pace with inflationary trends.
The +6.8% earnings growth expected for the index this year drops to +0.3% once the Energy sector’s contribution is excluded.
For a detailed look at the overall earnings picture, including expectations for the coming periods, please check out our weekly Earnings Trends report >>>>Are Earnings Estimates Out of Sync with the Economy?
Why Haven’t You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks?
Our 5 best-performing strategies have blown away the S&P's impressive +28.8% gain in 2021. Amazingly, they soared +40.3%, +48.2%, +67.6%, +94.4%, and +95.3%. Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.
See Stocks Free >>
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZacksInvestmentResearch/
Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.
Media Contact
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
support@zacks.com
https://www.zacks.com
Zacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. www.zacks.com/disclaimer.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss.This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.