Weatherford International plc Just Beat Analyst Forecasts, And Analysts Have Been Updating Their Predictions

It's been a good week for Weatherford International plc (NASDAQ:WFRD) shareholders, because the company has just released its latest first-quarter results, and the shares gained 3.7% to US$103. It looks like a credible result overall - although revenues of US$1.2b were what the analysts expected, Weatherford International surprised by delivering a (statutory) profit of US$1.49 per share, an impressive 42% above what was forecast. The analysts typically update their forecasts at each earnings report, and we can judge from their estimates whether their view of the company has changed or if there are any new concerns to be aware of. 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.

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After the latest results, the consensus from Weatherford International's eleven analysts is for revenues of US$4.77b in 2026, which would reflect a small 2.2% decline in revenue compared to the last year of performance. Statutory earnings per share are expected to decline 14% to US$5.53 in the same period. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$4.78b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$5.32 in 2026. The analysts seems to have become more bullish on the business, judging by their new earnings per share estimates.

View our latest analysis for Weatherford International

The consensus price target was unchanged at US$112, implying that the improved earnings outlook is not expected to have a long term impact on value creation for shareholders. There's another way to think about price targets though, and that's to look at the range of price targets put forward by analysts, because a wide range of estimates could suggest a diverse view on possible outcomes for the business. Currently, the most bullish analyst values Weatherford International at US$121 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$90.00. Still, with such a tight range of estimates, it suggeststhe analysts have a pretty good idea of what they think the company is worth.

Of course, another way to look at these forecasts is to place them into context against the industry itself. We would highlight that revenue is expected to reverse, with a forecast 2.9% annualised decline to the end of 2026. That is a notable change from historical growth of 9.1% 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 4.8% per year. It's pretty clear that Weatherford International's revenues are expected to perform substantially worse 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 Weatherford International following these results. Fortunately, the analysts also reconfirmed their revenue estimates, suggesting that it's tracking in line with expectations. Although our data does suggest that Weatherford International's revenue is expected to perform worse 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.

Keeping that in mind, we still think that the longer term trajectory of the business is much more important for investors to consider. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for Weatherford International going out to 2028, and you can see them free on our platform here..

And what about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Weatherford International you should know about.

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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.