
Core Viewpoint - Southwest Gas reported quarterly earnings of $1.39 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.15 per share, and showing an increase from $1.13 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of 20.87% [1][2] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $1.27 billion for the quarter ended December 2024, which was 7.46% below the Zacks Consensus Estimate and a decrease from $1.37 billion in the same quarter last year [2] - Over the last four quarters, Southwest Gas has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times and topped consensus revenue estimates only once [2] Stock Performance - Southwest Gas shares have increased approximately 9.3% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 1.3% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating expectations for it to outperform the market in the near future [6] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $1.90 on revenues of $1.71 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $3.69 on revenues of $5.41 billion [7] - The trend for estimate revisions ahead of the earnings release has been favorable, which may influence future stock movements [6][8] Industry Context - The Utility - Gas Distribution industry, to which Southwest Gas belongs, is currently ranked in the top 14% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a positive outlook for stocks within this sector [8]