Investors in Weatherford International plc (NASDAQ:WFRD) had a good week, as its shares rose 6.4% to close at US$85.60 following the release of its quarterly results. Results overall were not great, with earnings of US$0.55 per share falling drastically short of analyst expectations. Meanwhile revenues hit US$1.1b and were slightly better than forecasts. Following the result, the analysts have updated their earnings model, and it would be good to know whether they think there's been a strong change in the company's prospects, or if it's business as usual. Readers will be glad to know we've aggregated the latest statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their mind on Weatherford International after the latest results.

Following the recent earnings report, the consensus from eleven analysts covering Weatherford International is for revenues of US$4.68b in 2026. This implies a noticeable 2.1% decline in revenue compared to the last 12 months. Per-share earnings are expected to ascend 10% to US$5.64. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been anticipated revenues of US$4.69b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$5.61 in 2026. So it's pretty clear that, although the analysts have updated their estimates, there's been no major change in expectations for the business following the latest results.

It will come as no surprise then, to learn that the consensus price target is largely unchanged at US$118. The consensus price target is just an average of individual analyst targets, so - it could be handy to see how wide the range of underlying estimates is. The most optimistic Weatherford International analyst has a price target of US$151 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at US$93.00. This shows there is still a bit of diversity in estimates, but analysts don't appear to be totally split on the stock as though it might be a success or failure situation.

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. We would highlight that revenue is expected to reverse, with a forecast 4.2% annualised decline to the end of 2026. That is a notable change from historical growth of 7.5% over the last five years. Compare this with our data, which suggests that other companies in the same industry are, in aggregate, expected to see their revenue grow 6.2% per year. So although its revenues are forecast to shrink, this cloud does not come with a silver lining - Weatherford International is expected to lag the wider industry.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing to take away is that there's been no major change in sentiment, with the analysts reconfirming that the business is performing in line with their previous earnings per share estimates. On the plus side, there were no major changes to revenue estimates; although forecasts imply they will perform worse than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at US$118, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.

Keeping that in mind, we still think that the longer term trajectory of the business is much more important for investors to consider. We have estimates - from multiple Weatherford International analysts - going out to 2028, and you can see them free on our platform here.

You can also see whether Weatherford International is carrying too much debt, and whether its balance sheet is healthy, for 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.