Earnings Previews: Cisco, SQM

For Cisco’s third quarter of fiscal 2023, analysts expect revenue of $14.36 billion, which would be an increase of 5.6% sequentially and up 11.8% year over year. Adjusted EPS are forecast at $0.97, up about 10.1% sequentially and by 11.5% year over year. For the full fiscal year ending in July, analysts estimate EPS of $3.75, up 11.6%, on revenue of $56.51 billion, up 9.6%.

Cisco’s stock trades at 12.6 times expected 2023 EPS, 11.7 times estimated 2024 earnings of $4.03 and 11.2 times estimated 2025 earnings of $4.20 per share. Its 52-week trading range is $38.60 to $52.56. Cisco pays an annual dividend of $1.56 (yield of 3.34%). Total shareholder return over the past year was negative 1.71%.

Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (SQM)

Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE: SQM) is a specialty chemicals company that produces a variety of raw materials, including lithium. SQM, as it is commonly known, had more than doubled its share price in the 12 months to late May of last year, but since then, the stock has dropped 30%. The price of lithium has dropped by more than 60% over the same period.

SQM’s stock dropped 18% in one day late last month after the government announced a new plan to create a state-owned lithium company to develop Chile’s vast lithium resources. The state company will take a majority stake in private companies involved in “the entire productive process” of lithium. Shares have bounced back to recover more than half that loss, as lithium prices also have begun rising (slightly) again.

Of 16 brokerages covering the stock, 10 have a Buy or Strong Buy rating and five have Hold ratings. At a share price of around $73.40, the implied upside to a median price target of $93.50 is 27.5%. Based on the high price target of $136.00, the upside potential is 86%.

First-quarter revenue is forecast at $2.43 billion, down 22.3% sequentially but up 20.3% year over year. Adjusted EPS are forecast at $3.01, down 25.2% sequentially and by 8.3% year over year. For the full 2023 fiscal year, analysts expect SQM to report EPS of $11.64, down nearly 15%, on sales of $9.62 billion, down 10.2%.

SQM stock trades at 6.3 times expected 2023 EPS, 7.0 times estimated 2024 earnings of $10.46 and 8.3 times estimated 2025 earnings of $8.80 per share. Its 52-week range is $60.21 to $115.76. The company pays an annual (variable) dividend of $10.84 (yield of 14.77%). Total shareholder return over the past year was negative 4.83%.

Originally published at 24/7 Wall St.

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