Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Zacks Earnings Trends Highlights: JPMorgan and Progressive

Read MoreHide Full Article

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – January 11, 2024– Zacks Director of Research Sheraz Mian says, "Q4 earnings are expected to be above the year-earlier level for half of the 16 Zacks sectors, with the Technology, Retail, Consumer Discretionary, and Utilities sectors enjoying robust year-over-year earnings growth."

Q4 Earnings Season Gets Underway

Note: The following is an excerpt from this week's Earnings Trends report. You can access the full report that contains detailed historical actual and estimates for the current and following periods, please click here>>>

Here are the key points:

  • Q4 earnings for the S&P 500 index are currently expected to be down -0.4% from the year-earlier level on +2.2% higher revenues, which would follow the +3.8% earnings growth in 2023 Q3 on +2.0% higher revenues.
  • Earnings estimates for Q4 came down in October and part of November but notably stabilized afterward. That said, the magnitude of declines to aggregate 2023 Q4 estimates exceeds what we saw in the first three quarters of the year.
  • Q4 earnings are expected to be above the year-earlier level for half of the 16 Zacks sectors, with the Technology, Retail, Consumer Discretionary, and Utilities sectors enjoying robust year-over-year earnings growth.
  • For the 21 S&P 500 members that have reported results for their fiscal quarters ending in November (counted as part of the Q4 tally), total earnings are up +9.0% from the same period last year on +4.8% higher revenues, with 90.5% beating EPS estimates and 52.4% beating revenue estimates.

For 2023 Q4, total S&P 500 earnings are currently expected to be -0.4% below the year-earlier period on +2.2% higher revenues. This would follow the +3.8% increase in index earnings in 2023 Q3 on +2.0% higher revenues.

Earnings estimates for Q4 have been steadily coming down since the quarter got underway.

This is a bigger decline in quarterly estimates compared to what we had seen in the comparable periods for the preceding two quarters, a reversal of the favorable revisions trend we have spotlighted in this space since April 2023.

We should point out here that the pressure on Q4 estimates was the greatest in October and part of November, appearing to ease after that. That said, the pressure on Q4 estimates was broad-based, with estimates for 11 of the 16 Zacks getting cut since the start of the period. The biggest cuts to estimates have been for the Transportation, Construction, Conglomerates, Consumer Discretionary, Technology, and Medical sectors.

On the positive side, Q4 estimates have been raised since the quarter got underway for five sectors, with the most significant upward adjustments to estimates for the Utilities, Industrial Products, Autos, Finance, and Energy sectors.

The Finance sector, which will dominate the first phase of the Q4 reporting cycle, has enjoyed a modest upgrade to earnings estimates. You can see this in the Q4 revisions trend for sector players likeJPMorgan (JPM - Free Report) , Progressive (PGR - Free Report) and others.

As with 2023 Q4 estimates, full-year 2024 estimates also came under pressure as the last quarter of the year got underway. But the pressure started easing in November, and the stabilizing trend continued in December.

The growth picture is expected to steadily improve over the next few quarters.

Given the expected moderation in the U.S. economy's growth trajectory due to the cumulative effects of Fed tightening, these estimates likely need to come down. Some of that downward adjustment is already happening, as we showed earlier. In any case, there is no recession in this outlook.

Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks?

Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +6.2 average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +46.4%, +49.5% and +55.2% per year. Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.

See Stocks Free >>

Follow us on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/zacksresearch

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/performancefor 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:


JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) - free report >>

The Progressive Corporation (PGR) - free report >>

Published in