It's been a mediocre week for Werner Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ:WERN) shareholders, with the stock dropping 13% to US$36.88 in the week since its latest second-quarter results. Statutory earnings per share fell badly short of expectations, coming in at US$0.11, some 51% below analyst forecasts, although revenues were okay, approximately in line with analyst estimates at US$934m. This is an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance in its report, look at what experts are forecasting for next year, and see if there has been any change to expectations for the business. We've gathered the most recent statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their earnings models, following these results.

Following the latest results, Werner Enterprises' 14 analysts are now forecasting revenues of US$3.61b in 2026. This would be a solid 11% improvement in revenue compared to the last 12 months. Earnings are expected to improve, with Werner Enterprises forecast to report a statutory profit of US$0.80 per share. In the lead-up to this report, the analysts had been modelling revenues of US$3.63b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$0.87 in 2026. The analysts seem to have become a little more negative on the business after the latest results, given the minor downgrade to their earnings per share numbers for next year.

The consensus price target held steady at US$42.67, with the analysts seemingly voting that their lower forecast earnings are not expected to lead to a lower stock price in the foreseeable future. That's not the only conclusion we can draw from this data however, as some investors also like to consider the spread in estimates when evaluating analyst price targets. There are some variant perceptions on Werner Enterprises, with the most bullish analyst valuing it at US$55.00 and the most bearish at US$30.00 per share. 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 Werner Enterprises shareholders.

Of course, another way to look at these forecasts is to place them into context against the industry itself. The analysts are definitely expecting Werner Enterprises' growth to accelerate, with the forecast 23% annualised growth to the end of 2026 ranking favourably alongside historical growth of 1.8% per annum over the past five years. Compare this with other companies in the same industry, which are forecast to grow their revenue 7.0% annually. Factoring in the forecast acceleration in revenue, it's pretty clear that Werner Enterprises is expected to grow much faster than its 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. Happily, there were no major changes to revenue forecasts, with the business still expected to grow faster than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at US$42.67, 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 forecasts for Werner Enterprises 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.