Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) defied analyst predictions to release its third-quarter results, which were ahead of market expectations. It was a solid earnings report, with revenues and statutory earnings per share (EPS) both coming in strong. Revenues were 11% higher than the analysts had forecast, at US$8.5b, while EPS were US$4.84 beating analyst models by 36%. 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. With this in mind, we've gathered the latest statutory forecasts to see what the analysts are expecting for next year.

See our latest analysis for Thermo Fisher Scientific

Taking into account the latest results, the most recent consensus for Thermo Fisher Scientific from 20 analysts is for revenues of US$32.1b in 2021 which, if met, would be a notable 13% increase on its sales over the past 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to surge 21% to US$14.89. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been anticipated revenues of US$31.1b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$13.73 in 2021. So there seems to have been a moderate uplift in sentiment following the latest results, given the upgrades to both revenue and earnings per share forecasts for next year.

With these upgrades, we're not surprised to see that the analysts have lifted their price target 6.5% to US$494per share. 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 Thermo Fisher Scientific analyst has a price target of US$550 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at US$325. 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. Next year brings more of the same, according to the analysts, with revenue forecast to grow 13%, in line with its 11% annual growth over the past five years. Compare this with the wider industry, which analyst estimates (in aggregate) suggest will see revenues grow 9.1% next year. So although Thermo Fisher Scientific is expected to maintain its revenue growth rate, it's definitely expected 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 Thermo Fisher Scientific following these results. Pleasantly, they also upgraded their revenue estimates, and their forecasts suggest the business is expected to grow faster than the wider industry. We note an upgrade to the price target, suggesting that the analysts believes the intrinsic value of the business is likely to improve over time.

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 Thermo Fisher Scientific going out to 2024, and you can see them free on our platform here..

Before you take the next step you should know about the 2 warning signs for Thermo Fisher Scientific that we have uncovered.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.

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