Analysts cut earnings estimate for Asian companies for fifth straight month

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They lowered their estimates by 3.8% at end-June, after cutting their forecasts by 4.5% in May.

“Consensus estimates do not point to a return to pre-crisis EPS levels until the third quarter of 2021. And even this estimate is highly uncertain,” said Daniel Morris, senior investment strategist at BNP Paribas (OTC:BNPQY) Asset Management, referring to earnings per share (EPS).

“The timing of a vaccine is the most important factor determining how quickly companies can return to pre-crisis activity levels.”

Over the past 30 days, analysts have slashed Indian firms’ forward 12-month earnings forecasts by 8.05% – the steepest cut in Asia, Refinitiv data shows.

Graphic: Change in Asian companies profit estimates https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/bdwvkaqbavm/Change%20in%20Asian%20companies%20profit%20estimates.jpg

Graphic: Change in Asian companies profit estimates this year https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/yxmpjlqdnpr/Change%20in%20Asian%20companies%20profit%20estimates%20this%20year.jpg

With over 700,000 coronavirus cases, India has overtaken Russia to record the world’s third-highest number of infections, just behind the United States and Brazil.

Analysts lowered their forward 12-month earnings estimate for Indonesian firms by about 8% and for Japanese firms by 4.9%.

Among sectors, industrials and consumer discretionary sectors faced the biggest cut in forecasts.

Graphic: Asian companies’ sector-wise profit estimates change https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/xlbpgomeqpq/Asian%20companies%20sector%20wise%20profit%20estimates%20change.jpg

Graphic: Asian companies sector-wise profit estimates change this year https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/rlgpdlqympo/Asian%20companies%20sector%20wise%20profit%20estimates%20change%20this%20year.jpg