Fluence Energy, Inc. (FLNC) delivered a mixed bag of results after Monday's closing bell—missing earnings targets but offering guidance that has analysts feeling optimistic about the energy storage company's future.
The numbers weren't pretty at first glance. Fluence Energy reported fourth-quarter earnings of 13 cents per share, falling short of the 20-cent analyst estimate. Revenue came in at $1.04 billion, missing Street expectations of $1.38 billion and declining from $1.23 billion in the same period last year. Not exactly the kind of beat-and-raise quarter that sends investors into celebration mode.
But here's where things get interesting. Despite the quarterly miss, CEO Julian Nebreda struck a confident tone about where the company is headed. "We believe we are well-positioned to capitalize on the accelerating demand for energy storage. We achieved $1.4 billion of new orders for the quarter and 13.7% adjusted gross profit margin for the year, both record results for the Company," Nebreda said.
That record order book appears to be what caught Wall Street's attention. Fluence Energy issued fiscal 2026 revenue guidance ranging from $3.2 billion to $3.6 billion—substantially above the $2.6 billion analyst consensus. That's the kind of forward-looking optimism that can make investors forget about a disappointing quarter pretty quickly.
The market certainly seemed to appreciate the outlook. Shares jumped 8.3% to trade at $18.17 on Wednesday, suggesting investors are willing to look past the near-term stumble in favor of the company's growth trajectory.
Analysts followed suit with a wave of price target increases. Susquehanna analyst Biju Perincheril maintained a Positive rating and raised his price target from $17 to $20. RBC Capital analyst Christopher Dendrinos kept a Sector Perform rating while lifting his target from $9 to $10. Morgan Stanley analyst Andrew Percoco maintained an Equal-Weight rating and boosted the price target from $12 to $14. Meanwhile, Barclays analyst Christine Cho stuck with an Equal-Weight rating and raised her price target from $13 to $15.
The analyst moves suggest that while nobody's ready to pound the table on Fluence, the Street sees enough momentum in the energy storage market to justify higher valuations. Sometimes it's not about where you've been, but where you're going—and right now, analysts seem to believe Fluence is heading in the right direction.