Core Viewpoint - SM Energy's stock performance has lagged behind major indices, with a significant decline over the past month, while upcoming earnings are anticipated to show growth in EPS and revenue compared to the previous year [1][2][3]. Company Performance - SM Energy's stock closed at $23.17, reflecting a +0.78% change from the previous day, which is lower than the S&P 500's gain of 2.03% [1]. - Over the past month, SM Energy shares have decreased by 25.33%, underperforming the Oils-Energy sector's loss of 10.82% and the S&P 500's loss of 5.07% [1]. Earnings Expectations - The company is expected to report earnings on May 1, 2025, with an anticipated EPS of $1.57, representing an 11.35% increase year-over-year [2]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projected at $822.88 million, which is a 46.98% increase from the same quarter last year [2]. Full-Year Estimates - For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $6.07 per share and revenue of $3.37 billion, indicating a year-over-year decline in earnings of -10.74% and an increase in revenue of +25.29% [3]. Analyst Forecast Revisions - Recent revisions to analyst forecasts for SM Energy are crucial as they reflect changes in short-term business dynamics, with positive revisions indicating analysts' confidence in the company's performance [4]. Zacks Rank and Valuation - SM Energy currently holds a Zacks Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), with the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate having decreased by 14.63% over the last 30 days [6]. - The company is trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 3.79, which is below the industry average Forward P/E of 7.65 [7]. Industry Context - The Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - United States industry, to which SM Energy belongs, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 197, placing it in the bottom 21% of over 250 industries [7].

SM Energy (SM) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended March 2025. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.The earnings report, which is expected to be released on May 1, 2025, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectatio ...

Company Performance - SM Energy's stock closed at $21.96, reflecting a +1.34% increase compared to the previous day, outperforming the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.79% [1] - Over the past month, SM Energy shares have decreased by 27.74%, while the Oils-Energy sector and the S&P 500 have lost 8.15% and 3.56%, respectively [1] Upcoming Earnings - SM Energy is expected to report an EPS of $1.68, which represents a 19.15% increase from the same quarter last year [2] - Revenue is anticipated to be $834.34 million, indicating a 49.02% rise compared to the year-ago quarter [2] Full Year Estimates - For the full year, earnings are projected at $7.09 per share and revenue at $3.47 billion, reflecting changes of +4.26% and +28.91% from the previous year [3] - Recent revisions to analyst forecasts for SM Energy are crucial as they indicate evolving short-term business trends, with positive revisions suggesting analyst optimism [3] Valuation Metrics - SM Energy has a Forward P/E ratio of 3.06, which is a discount compared to the industry's average Forward P/E of 6.92 [6] - The Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - United States industry is part of the Oils-Energy sector and currently holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 190, placing it in the bottom 24% of over 250 industries [6] Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from 1 (Strong Buy) to 5 (Strong Sell), currently rates SM Energy as 5 (Strong Sell) [5] - Over the past month, there has been a 0.49% decline in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate for SM Energy [5]

DENVER, April 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SM Energy Company (the "Company") (NYSE: SM) today announces that it plans to release its first quarter 2025 financial and operating results after market hours on May 1, 2025. See schedule below: May 1, 2025 – After market close, the Company plans to issue its first quarter 2025 financial and operating results, which will include an earnings release, a pre-recorded webcast discussing first quarter 2025 financial and operating results, and an associated presentation, al ...

Core Viewpoint - J.P. Morgan analyst Zach Parham maintains a Neutral rating on SM Energy Co with a price target of $41.00, highlighting the company's ongoing integration of Uinta assets and minimal impact from previous operational disruptions [1]. Production and Financial Estimates - For the first quarter, oil volumes are expected to reach 103.0 MBo/d, slightly above SM's guidance and in line with consensus expectations of 103.1 MBo/d [2]. - SM plans to deliver 45 net Turn-In-Lines (TILs) in the first quarter, which is 30% of its annual target of 150 net TILs, with a greater impact anticipated in the second quarter [2]. - Second-quarter oil volumes are projected to increase by 6% quarter-over-quarter to 106.9 MBo/d, aligning with the company's full-year production goal of approximately 107 MBo/d [3]. Financial Performance - The estimated cash flow per share (CFPS) for the first quarter is $4.37, slightly above the consensus estimate of $4.28, while EBITDA is projected at $570 million, exceeding the consensus of $559 million [3][4]. - Capital expenditures for the quarter are expected to be $430 million, within the company's guidance, and free cash flow (FCF) is estimated at $72 million [4]. Annual Projections - For the full year, SM projects oil production of 107.7 MBo/d, supported by $1.31 billion in capital spending, resulting in $740 million of free cash flow and a 22% FCF yield [5]. - The company completed a $2.0 billion cash acquisition of XCL Resources in October 2024, expanding its operations in the Uinta Basin [5]. Strategic Focus - Due to the cash-financed acquisition, SM is prioritizing debt reduction over share buybacks, aiming to reduce leverage below 1x by mid-2025, which currently results in a cash return yield lagging behind the peer median [6].

Company Performance - SM Energy's stock closed at $30.25, down 1.75% from the previous trading day, underperforming the S&P 500's loss of 0.33% [1] - Over the past month, SM Energy's stock has decreased by 4.88%, while the Oils-Energy sector gained 3.64% and the S&P 500 lost 4.03% [1] Upcoming Earnings - SM Energy is projected to report earnings of $1.67 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 18.44% [2] - The consensus estimate for revenue is $836.26 million, which represents a 49.37% increase from the prior-year quarter [2] Annual Estimates - For the annual period, earnings are anticipated to be $7.11 per share and revenue is expected to reach $3.47 billion, indicating increases of 4.56% and 29.04% respectively from the last year [3] - Recent changes in analyst estimates for SM Energy are crucial as they reflect evolving short-term business trends, with positive revisions seen as a favorable sign for the company's outlook [3] Zacks Rank and Valuation - SM Energy currently holds a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell), with a 6.43% decline in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate over the past month [5] - The company has a Forward P/E ratio of 4.33, indicating a discount compared to its industry's Forward P/E of 8.51 [5] Industry Overview - The Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - United States industry is part of the Oils-Energy sector, currently holding a Zacks Industry Rank of 127, placing it in the top 50% of over 250 industries [6] - Research indicates that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [6]

Company Performance - SM Energy's stock closed at $30.26, reflecting a +0.9% increase compared to the previous day, outperforming the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.64% [1] - Over the past month, SM Energy shares have decreased by 22.14%, while the Oils-Energy sector and the S&P 500 have lost 3.15% and 7.69%, respectively [1] Upcoming Earnings - The upcoming earnings release is expected to show an EPS of $1.65, representing a 17.02% increase year-over-year [2] - Revenue is anticipated to reach $833.14 million, indicating a 48.81% increase compared to the same quarter last year [2] Annual Forecast - Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $7.12 per share and revenue of $3.47 billion for the year, reflecting changes of +4.71% and +29.14% year-over-year, respectively [3] - Recent changes to analyst estimates for SM Energy may indicate positive business outlook trends [3] Valuation Metrics - SM Energy is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 4.21, which is lower than the industry average Forward P/E of 8.06, suggesting a discount [6] - The Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - United States industry ranks in the top 16% of all industries, with a current Zacks Industry Rank of 39 [6] Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from 1 (Strong Buy) to 5 (Strong Sell), has a strong track record, with 1 rated stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [5] - SM Energy currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), with the consensus EPS estimate having decreased by 12.04% over the last 30 days [5]

Company Performance - SM Energy closed at $27.59, reflecting a +1.62% increase from the previous day, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.55% [1] - Over the last month, SM Energy's shares have decreased by 27.1%, which is significantly worse than the Oils-Energy sector's loss of 6.33% and the S&P 500's loss of 5.56% [1] Upcoming Financial Results - Analysts expect SM Energy to report earnings of $1.87 per share, indicating a year-over-year growth of 32.62% [2] - Revenue is anticipated to be $854.53 million, representing a 52.63% increase compared to the same quarter last year [2] Annual Estimates - For the annual period, earnings are projected at $7.60 per share and revenue at $3.49 billion, reflecting increases of +11.76% and +29.89% respectively from the previous year [3] - Recent revisions to analyst forecasts for SM Energy are crucial as they indicate changing business trends, with positive revisions suggesting analyst optimism [3] Valuation Metrics - SM Energy is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 3.57, which is a discount compared to the industry average Forward P/E of 7.69 [6] - The Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - United States industry, part of the Oils-Energy sector, holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 28, placing it in the top 12% of over 250 industries [6] Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from 1 (Strong Buy) to 5 (Strong Sell), has a strong track record, with 1 rated stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [5] - Currently, SM Energy holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), with the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate having decreased by 6.18% in the past month [5]

Core Insights - SM Energy reported a revenue of $852.22 million for the quarter ended December 2024, marking a 40% increase year-over-year, with an EPS of $1.91 compared to $1.56 in the same quarter last year [1] - The revenue fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.34%, while the EPS exceeded the consensus estimate by 2.69% [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Average daily production of total oil equivalent was 208 million barrels, slightly below the estimated 211.97 million barrels [4] - Average daily production of natural gas was 424.8 million cubic feet, slightly above the estimated 423.21 million cubic feet [4] - Average daily production of crude oil was 106.9 million barrels, below the estimated 110.16 million barrels [4] - Average daily production of NGLs was 30.3 million barrels, below the estimated 31.93 million barrels [4] Pricing and Revenue Analysis - Average realized price for crude oil was $70.54 per barrel, exceeding the estimate of $68.23 [4] - Average realized price for natural gas was $2.50 per thousand cubic feet, slightly above the estimate of $2.49 [4] - Operating revenue from crude oil production was $682.21 million, below the average estimate of $721.43 million, but showed a year-over-year increase of 45.1% [4] - Operating revenue from natural gas production was $85.49 million, slightly above the estimate of $85.11 million, with a year-over-year increase of 3.5% [4] - Operating revenue from NGL production was $68.16 million, exceeding the estimate of $61.85 million, representing a year-over-year increase of 26.4% [4] - Total operating revenue from oil, gas, and NGL production was $835.86 million, below the estimate of $868.38 million, but reflecting a year-over-year increase of 37.7% [4] - Other operating income was reported at $16.36 million, significantly above the estimate of $1.62 million, with a year-over-year increase of 775.5% [4] Stock Performance - SM Energy's shares have returned -14.8% over the past month, compared to a -1.8% change in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating potential performance in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Core Viewpoint - Growth investors are focused on stocks with above-average financial growth, but identifying such stocks can be challenging due to inherent volatility and risks [1] Group 1: Growth Stock Identification - The Zacks Growth Style Score simplifies the process of finding promising growth stocks by analyzing a company's real growth prospects beyond traditional metrics [2] - SM Energy (SM) is highlighted as a recommended stock with a favorable Growth Score and a top Zacks Rank [2] Group 2: Earnings Growth - Earnings growth is crucial for growth investors, with double-digit growth being highly desirable as it indicates strong future prospects [3] - SM Energy has a historical EPS growth rate of 49.5%, with projected EPS growth of 20.3% this year, significantly surpassing the industry average of 12.2% [4] Group 3: Cash Flow Growth - Higher-than-average cash flow growth is essential for growth-oriented companies, allowing them to expand without relying on external funding [5] - SM Energy's year-over-year cash flow growth is 14.5%, compared to an industry average of -11.2% [5] - The company's annualized cash flow growth rate over the past 3-5 years is 15.4%, exceeding the industry average of 10.4% [6] Group 4: Earnings Estimate Revisions - Positive trends in earnings estimate revisions are correlated with stock price movements, making them an important consideration for investors [7] - SM Energy has seen a 7.4% increase in current-year earnings estimates over the past month [7] Group 5: Overall Positioning - SM Energy has achieved a Growth Score of B and a Zacks Rank 1 due to positive earnings estimate revisions, positioning it well for potential outperformance [9]