Shareholders might have noticed that Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (NYSE:HLX) filed its first-quarter result this time last week. The early response was not positive, with shares down 8.0% to US$6.29 in the past week. Revenues of US$278m missed analyst estimates by a little bit, but statutory earnings beat expectations by an impressive , coming in at US$0.02 per share. The analysts typically update their forecasts at each earnings report, and we can judge from their estimates whether their view of the company has changed or if there are any new concerns to be aware of. So we collected the latest post-earnings statutory consensus estimates to see what could be in store for next year.

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Taking into account the latest results, Helix Energy Solutions Group's four analysts currently expect revenues in 2025 to be US$1.32b, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are expected to tumble 35% to US$0.37 in the same period. In the lead-up to this report, the analysts had been modelling revenues of US$1.39b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$0.76 in 2025. From this we can that sentiment has definitely become more bearish after the latest results, leading to lower revenue forecasts and a large cut to earnings per share estimates.

Check out our latest analysis for Helix Energy Solutions Group

It'll come as no surprise then, to learn that the analysts have cut their price target 11% to US$11.88. That's not the only conclusion we can draw from this data however, as some investors also like to consider the spread in estimates when evaluating analyst price targets. The most optimistic Helix Energy Solutions Group analyst has a price target of US$14.00 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at US$10.00. There are definitely some different views on the stock, but the range of estimates is not wide enough as to imply that the situation is unforecastable, in our view.

One way to get more context on these forecasts is to look at how they compare to both past performance, and how other companies in the same industry are performing. We would highlight that revenue is expected to reverse, with a forecast 1.7% annualised decline to the end of 2025. That is a notable change from historical growth of 17% over the last five years. Compare this with our data, which suggests that other companies in the same industry are, in aggregate, expected to see their revenue grow 3.6% per year. It's pretty clear that Helix Energy Solutions Group's revenues are expected to perform substantially worse than the wider industry.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing to take away is that the analysts downgraded their earnings per share estimates, showing that there has been a clear decline in sentiment following these results. On the negative side, they also downgraded their revenue estimates, and forecasts imply they will perform worse than the wider industry. Furthermore, the analysts also cut their price targets, suggesting that the latest news has led to greater pessimism about the intrinsic value of the business.

Following on from that line of thought, we think that the long-term prospects of the business are much more relevant than next year's earnings. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for Helix Energy Solutions Group going out to 2027, and you can see them free on our platform here..

You can also see our analysis of Helix Energy Solutions Group's Board and CEO remuneration and experience, and whether company insiders have been buying stock.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.