Symbotic Inc. (SYM) is set to report fourth-quarter earnings results on Monday, Nov. 24, after the closing bell. If you're following the robotics and warehouse automation company, here's what you need to know heading into the print.
Wall Street analysts are expecting the Wilmington, Massachusetts-based company to post earnings of 8 cents per share, which would mark a sharp drop from the 47 cents per share reported in the same quarter last year. On the revenue side, the consensus estimate sits at $604 million, up from $576.77 million in the year-ago period.
The context matters here. Back on Aug. 6, Symbotic reported a third-quarter earnings miss and issued fourth-quarter sales guidance that came in below what analysts were hoping to see. Not exactly the kind of setup that gets investors excited.
Still, shares have held up reasonably well. Symbotic stock gained 1.4% on Thursday to close at $54.72.
What the Most Accurate Analysts Are Saying
When it comes to analyst ratings, accuracy matters. Here's how Wall Street's best-performing analysts have positioned themselves on Symbotic in recent months:
UBS analyst Damian Karas took a bearish turn on Sept. 23, downgrading the stock from Neutral to Sell while simultaneously raising the price target from $27 to $35. It's an interesting move—downgrading but boosting the target—which suggests concerns about valuation even as the analyst acknowledges some upside. Karas has a 60% accuracy rate.
DA Davidson analyst Matt Summerville also turned more cautious on Aug. 25, downgrading Symbotic from Buy to Neutral while lifting the price target from $35 to $47. Summerville boasts a 73% accuracy rate, so his shift in sentiment carries some weight.
On the more optimistic side, Needham analyst James Ricchiuti maintained a Buy rating on Aug. 7 and raised his price target from $32 to $57. With a 79% accuracy rate, Ricchiuti stands as one of the most reliable voices covering the stock.
Oppenheimer analyst Colin Rusch also stayed constructive, maintaining an Outperform rating and increasing his price target from $54 to $59 on the same day. Rusch has a 64% accuracy rate.
Finally, Northland Capital Market analyst Michael Latimore maintained an Outperform rating back on July 8 and raised his price target from $35 to $56. Latimore's accuracy rate is 63%.
The takeaway? Analyst sentiment is all over the map. You've got downgrades from some reliable voices and bullish calls from others with strong track records. That divergence reflects genuine uncertainty about where Symbotic goes from here, especially after that disappointing guidance last quarter.
Monday's earnings report should provide some clarity—or at least give investors a better sense of whether the company can get back on track.