Keysight Technologies, Inc. (KEYS) is set to report fourth-quarter earnings on Monday after the closing bell, and Wall Street's watching closely to see if the measurement technology company can deliver on elevated expectations.
Analysts are forecasting quarterly earnings of $1.83 per share for the Santa Rosa, California-based company, which would represent solid growth from the $1.65 per share reported in the same period last year. Revenue estimates sit at $1.38 billion, up from $1.29 billion a year earlier.
The company made some news recently beyond the upcoming earnings report. On November 20, Keysight announced its board appointed Keith Jensen as a director, adding fresh leadership ahead of the quarterly results.
Shares closed Friday at $172.71, up 1.8% on the day, as investors positioned themselves ahead of the earnings announcement.
What the Most Accurate Analysts Are Saying
Looking at recent analyst calls from those with proven track records reveals a generally optimistic picture, though not without some caution. Here's what the experts have been saying:
Citigroup analyst Atif Malik, who boasts an 83% accuracy rate, reinstated coverage of Keysight with a Buy rating on November 14 and set a $215 price target. That's the most bullish target among recent analyst actions and suggests meaningful upside from current levels.
Morgan Stanley analyst Meta Marshall took a more cautious stance, downgrading the stock from Overweight to Equal-Weight on October 10 with a $180 price target. This analyst carries a 69% accuracy rate.
Barclays analyst Tim Long maintained an Overweight rating but trimmed his price target from $200 to $195 on August 20. Long's accuracy rate stands at 70%, and the modest target reduction suggests some tempered expectations while maintaining overall confidence.
JP Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee, with a 78% accuracy rate, maintained an Overweight rating and actually increased the price target from $177 to $200 back on July 17, showing growing conviction in the stock's prospects.
Baird analyst Richard Eastman, working with a 76% accuracy rate, maintained an Outperform rating and raised his price target from $180 to $190 on February 27.
The range of price targets from $180 to $215 tells you something interesting: even among analysts who generally like the stock, there's disagreement about just how much upside exists. Monday's earnings report should help clarify which camp has the better read on where Keysight is headed.
