Results: GATX Corporation Exceeded Expectations And The Consensus Has Updated Its Estimates

As you might know, GATX Corporation (NYSE:GATX) just kicked off its latest third-quarter results with some very strong numbers. The company beat both earnings and revenue forecasts, with revenue of US$304m, some 3.7% above estimates, and statutory earnings per share (EPS) coming in at US$1.35, 47% ahead of expectations. Earnings are an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance, look at what the analysts are forecasting for next year, and see if there's been a change in sentiment towards the company. So we gathered the latest post-earnings forecasts to see what estimates suggest is in store for next year.

Check out our latest analysis for GATX

Taking into account the latest results, the four analysts covering GATX provided consensus estimates of US$1.20b revenue in 2021, which would reflect a definite 14% decline on its sales over the past 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are expected to crater 32% to US$3.98 in the same period. In the lead-up to this report, the analysts had been modelling revenues of US$1.18b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$4.09 in 2021. The analysts seem to have become a little more negative on the business after the latest results, given the small dip in their earnings per share numbers for next year.

It might be a surprise to learn that the consensus price target was broadly unchanged at US$72.75, with the analysts clearly implying that the forecast decline in earnings is not expected to have much of an impact on valuation. It could also be instructive to look at the range of analyst estimates, to evaluate how different the outlier opinions are from the mean. Currently, the most bullish analyst values GATX at US$82.00 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$61.00. Still, with such a tight range of estimates, it suggeststhe analysts have a pretty good idea of what they think the company is worth.

Another way we can view these estimates is in the context of the bigger picture, such as how the forecasts stack up against past performance, and whether forecasts are more or less bullish relative to other companies in the industry. Over the past five years, revenues have declined around 1.3% annually. Worse, forecasts are essentially predicting the decline to accelerate, with the estimate for a 14% decline in revenue next year. Compare this against analyst estimates for companies in the wider industry, which suggest that revenues (in aggregate) are expected to grow 4.5% next year. So while a broad number of companies are forecast to decline, unfortunately GATX is expected to see its sales affected worse than other companies in the industry.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing to take away is that the analysts downgraded their earnings per share estimates, showing that there has been a clear decline in sentiment following these results. Fortunately, the analysts also reconfirmed their revenue estimates, suggesting sales are tracking in line with expectations - although our data does suggest that GATX's revenues are expected to perform worse than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at US$72.75, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.

With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. We have estimates - from multiple GATX analysts - going out to 2022, and you can see them free on our platform here.

You still need to take note of risks, for example - GATX has 4 warning signs (and 2 which don't sit too well with us) we think you should know about.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.

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