The full-year results for Smurfit Westrock Plc (NYSE:SW) were released last week, making it a good time to revisit its performance. Revenues of US$21b smashed analyst forecasts, although statutory earnings came up 59% short, at US$0.82 per share. 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 thought readers would find it interesting to see the analysts latest (statutory) post-earnings forecasts for next year.

Check out our latest analysis for Smurfit Westrock

Taking into account the latest results, the current consensus from Smurfit Westrock's 13 analysts is for revenues of US$32.0b in 2025. This would reflect a major 52% increase on its revenue over the past 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to shoot up 416% to US$3.18. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$31.8b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$3.30 in 2025. The analysts seem to have become a little more negative on the business after the latest results, given the small dip in their earnings per share numbers for next year.

The consensus price target held steady at US$60.29, with the analysts seemingly voting that their lower forecast earnings are not expected to lead to a lower stock price in the foreseeable future. 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 Smurfit Westrock at US$68.00 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$47.00. These price targets show that analysts do have some differing views on the business, but the estimates do not vary enough to suggest to us that some are betting on wild success or utter failure.

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. It's clear from the latest estimates that Smurfit Westrock's rate of growth is expected to accelerate meaningfully, with the forecast 52% annualised revenue growth to the end of 2025 noticeably faster than its historical growth of 10% p.a. over the past five years. Compare this with other companies in the same industry, which are forecast to grow their revenue 5.1% annually. It seems obvious that, while the growth outlook is brighter than the recent past, the analysts also expect Smurfit Westrock to grow faster than the wider industry.

The Bottom Line

The biggest concern is that the analysts reduced their earnings per share estimates, suggesting business headwinds could lay ahead for Smurfit Westrock. 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$60.29, 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 forecasts for Smurfit Westrock going out to 2027, and you can see them free on our platform here.

Even so, be aware that Smurfit Westrock is showing 6 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 2 of those shouldn't be ignored...

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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.