A month has gone by since the last earnings report for H&R Block (HRB Quick QuoteHRB - Free Report) . Shares have added about 13.5% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is H&R Block due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.

H&R Block’s Q1 Earnings Surpasses Estimates

H&R Block, Inc. (HRB Quick QuoteHRB - Free Report)  reported  reported mixed first-quarter fiscal 2023 results, with earnings beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate but revenues missing the same.

Adjusted earnings per share of 99 cents beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.8% but declined 26.9% year over year.

Revenues of $180 million lagged the consensus estimate by 10.1% and were down 6.6% year over year. The decline in the top line was due to the Advanced Child Tax Credit loaded onto Emerald Cards last year, resulting in a $16.6 million impact in the quarter. The Company experienced a negative impact of $4 million from foreign exchange in its Canadian and Australian businesses. The decrease was partially offset by growth at Wave and an upsurge in net average charge in the Assisted business.

Other Quarterly Numbers

Pretax loss was up 24 million year over year to $221.3 million. Total operating expenses of $389.1 million were up 6% year over year.

H&R Block exited the quarter with a cash and cash equivalents balance of $322.8 million compared with $885 million at the end of the prior quarter. Long-term debt was $1.5 billion, flat with the previous quarter figure.

H&R Block used $321.7 million of cash in operating activities while capex was $16.2 million. HRB paid out dividends of $43 million in the quarter.

2023 Outlook

H&R Block expects revenues in the range of $3.535-$3.585 billion.

Adjusted EPS is expected to be between $3.7 and $3.95. EBITDA is expected between $915 million and $950 million. The effective tax rate is expected to be around 22%.

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in estimates revision.

The consensus estimate has shifted -10.72% due to these changes.

VGM Scores

At this time, H&R Block has a strong Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. However, the stock was allocated a grade of A on the value side, putting it in the top quintile for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Notably, H&R Block has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). We expect an above average return from the stock in the next few months.

Performance of an Industry Player

H&R Block belongs to the Zacks Consumer Services - Miscellaneous industry. Another stock from the same industry, Aaron's Company, Inc. (AAN Quick QuoteAAN - Free Report) , has gained 24.8% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended September 2022.

Aaron's reported revenues of $593.38 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +31.2%. EPS of $0.31 for the same period compares with $0.83 a year ago.

Aaron's is expected to post a loss of $0.01 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -101.7%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -400%.

The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Aaron's. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of A.