Northwest Natural (NWN) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Miss Estimates

Core Viewpoint - Northwest Natural (NWN) reported quarterly earnings of $1.41 per share, slightly missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.42 per share, but showing an increase from $1.21 per share a year ago, indicating a year-over-year growth in earnings despite the miss [1][2]. Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $370.88 million for the quarter ended December 2024, which was 9.02% below the Zacks Consensus Estimate and an increase from $355.71 million in the same quarter last year [2]. - Over the last four quarters, Northwest Natural has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times, but has not beaten consensus revenue estimates during this period [2]. Stock Performance - Northwest Natural shares have increased approximately 4% since the beginning of the year, contrasting with a decline of 0.3% in the S&P 500 [3]. - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $2.15 on revenues of $480.36 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $2.91 on revenues of $1.26 billion [7]. Industry Outlook - The Utility - Gas Distribution industry, to which Northwest Natural belongs, is currently ranked in the top 12% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable outlook for the sector [8]. - Empirical research indicates a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which could impact Northwest Natural's stock performance [5][6].