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FMC Corp (FMC) to Post Q1 Earnings: What's in the Cards?

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FMC Corporation (FMC - Free Report) will release first-quarter 2019 results on May 6, after the bell.

The stock has lost 4.2% in the past year compared with the industry’s 19.9% decline.

 



Few of the Factors at Play

For first-quarter 2019, FMC expects adjusted earnings in the range of $1.58-$1.68 per share, up 3% at the midpoint compared with recast first-quarter 2018 earnings. The company expects revenues in the band of $1.18-$1.21 billion.

Adjusted EBITDA for the to-be-reported quarter is forecast in the range of $320-$340 million, flat year over year at the midpoint compared with recast first-quarter 2018 adjusted EBITDA. The company anticipates headwinds from higher raw material costs and currency in first-half 2019.

In March 2019, the company closed the earlier announced distribution of 123-million common shares of Livent Corporation.

The common stocks of Livent were distributed as a pro rata dividend on shares of FMC Corp common stock outstanding as of on the record date of Feb 25, 2019. Based on the common stock outstanding shares as of Feb 25, each of FMC Corp common stock shares received 0.935301 shares of Livent common stock in the distribution.

The company also stated that the distribution qualifies as a tax-free distribution to stockholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, cash received in lieu of fractional shares are taxable.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter revenues is pegged at $1,190 million, indicating estimated decline of 1.7% year over year.

FMC Corp faces headwind from unfavorable currency translation. Currency headwinds are expected to mostly affect its results in first-half 2019. FMC Corp sees unfavorable currency impact on sales of 6% in the first quarter. Headwind on EBITDA is also forecast to be 15% for the first quarter.

The company is also exposed to challenges from higher raw material costs. It expects unfavorable impact on EBITDA for the first quarter to be 18%. However, price increases are expected to partly offset currency and input cost headwinds.

What the Zacks Model Says?

Our proven model does not show that FMC is likely to beat estimates in the to-be-reported quarter. That is because a stock needs to have a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). That is not the case here, as you will see below:

Earnings ESP: Earnings ESP for FMC is -0.51%. The Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are currently pegged at $1.61 and $1.62, respectively. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Zacks Rank: FMC currently carries a Zacks Rank #3, which when combined with a negative ESP makes surprise prediction difficult.

Note that we caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions.

FMC Corporation Price and EPS Surprise

 

FMC Corporation Price and EPS Surprise | FMC Corporation Quote

Stocks Poised to Beat Estimates

Here are some companies in the same space you may want to consider as our model shows that they have the right combination of elements to beat estimates.

Intrepid Potash, Inc (IPI - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +25.00% and carries a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Bunge Limited (BG - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +5.00% and carries a Zacks Rank #3.

Covia Holdings (CVIA - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +9.47% and carries a Zacks Rank #3.

Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019

In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year?

Who wouldn't? Our annual Top 10s have beaten the market with amazing regularity. In 2018, while the market dropped -5.2%, the portfolio scored well into double-digits overall with individual stocks rising as high as +61.5%. And from 2012-2017, while the market boomed +126.3, Zacks' Top 10s reached an even more sensational +181.9%.

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