Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:NXST) last week reported its latest second-quarter results, which makes it a good time for investors to dive in and see if the business is performing in line with expectations. It looks like a pretty bad result, all things considered. Although revenues of US$2.0b were in line with analyst predictions, statutory earnings fell badly short, missing estimates by 37% to hit US$3.61 per share. 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. With this in mind, we've gathered the latest statutory forecasts to see what the analysts are expecting for next year.

After the latest results, the seven analysts covering Nexstar Media Group are now predicting revenues of US$7.91b in 2026. If met, this would reflect a substantial 35% improvement in revenue compared to the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to surge 490% to US$33.01. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been anticipated revenues of US$7.87b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$32.29 in 2026. So the consensus seems to have become somewhat more optimistic on Nexstar Media Group's earnings potential following these results.

The consensus price target was unchanged at US$248, implying that the improved earnings outlook is not expected to have a long term impact on value creation for shareholders. 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 Nexstar Media Group at US$290 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$205. There are definitely some different views on the stock, but the range of estimates is not wide enough as to imply that the situation is unforecastable, in our view.

One way to get more context on these forecasts is to look at how they compare to both past performance, and how other companies in the same industry are performing. The analysts are definitely expecting Nexstar Media Group's growth to accelerate, with the forecast 81% annualised growth to the end of 2026 ranking favourably alongside historical growth of 2.5% per annum over the past five years. Compare this with other companies in the same industry, which are forecast to grow their revenue 9.0% annually. It seems obvious that, while the growth outlook is brighter than the recent past, the analysts also expect Nexstar Media Group to grow faster than the wider industry.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing here is that the analysts upgraded their earnings per share estimates, suggesting that there has been a clear increase in optimism towards Nexstar Media Group following these results. Happily, there were no major changes to revenue forecasts, with the business still expected to grow faster than the wider industry. There was no real change to the consensus price target, suggesting that the intrinsic value of the business has not undergone any major changes with the latest estimates.

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 Nexstar Media Group analysts - going out to 2028, and you can see them free on our platform here.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. 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.