There's been a notable change in appetite for Warby Parker Inc. (NYSE:WRBY) shares in the week since its second-quarter report, with the stock down 13% to US$13.16. The statutory results were not great - while revenues of US$188m were in line with expectations,Warby Parker lost US$0.06 a share in the process. 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. We thought readers would find it interesting to see the analysts latest (statutory) post-earnings forecasts for next year.

Following the latest results, Warby Parker's 14 analysts are now forecasting revenues of US$761.3m in 2024. This would be a credible 5.7% improvement in revenue compared to the last 12 months. The loss per share is expected to greatly reduce in the near future, narrowing 64% to US$0.14. Before this earnings announcement, the analysts had been modelling revenues of US$760.1m and losses of US$0.13 per share in 2024. So it's pretty clear consensus is mixed on Warby Parker after the new consensus numbers; while the analysts held their revenue numbers steady, they also administered a moderate increase in per-share loss expectations.

The consensus price target held steady at US$16.58, seemingly implying that the higher forecast losses are not expected to have a long term impact on the company's 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 Warby Parker at US$19.00 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$14.00. Analysts definitely have varying views on the business, but the spread of estimates is not wide enough in our view to suggest that extreme outcomes could await Warby Parker shareholders.

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 period to the end of 2024 brings more of the same, according to the analysts, with revenue forecast to display 12% growth on an annualised basis. That is in line with its 12% annual growth over the past three years. By contrast, our data suggests that other companies (with analyst coverage) in a similar industry are forecast to see their revenues grow 4.8% per year. So it's pretty clear that Warby Parker is forecast to grow substantially faster than its industry.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing to take away is that the analysts increased their loss per share estimates for next year. 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 forecasts for Warby Parker going out to 2026, and you can see them free on our platform here.

You should always think about risks though.

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.