Analyst reaction to Interfor, Corus and Snap
Earnings season has put a spotlight on some of the key challenges corporations are facing which include weakened consumer demand and a pull back in advertising dollars.
Here's a look at what analysts had to say about Interfor Corporation, Corus Entertainment Inc. and Snap Inc. .
Interfor Corporation.
Interfor is scaling back its lumber production by 17 per cent in the fourth quarter. The company cited a drop in lumber demand and uncertain economic conditions for the decision. Shares of Interfor gained 1.15 per cent to $23.78 as of 4 p.m. EDT on Friday.
TD Bank analyst Sean Steuart wrote in a note to clients on Friday that he was not surprised by Interfor’s announcement given the recent collapse in lumber prices. Lumber has fallen from its March high of US$1,464.40 to US$542.70 as of today, according to Bloomberg data. He expects other industry competitors to announce similar measures in order to manage inventories.
Steuart has a 12-month target price of $39 on Interfor shares and a buy recommendation on the stock.
Corus missed analyst expectations in its latest quarter and reported a six per cent drop in revenue. The media giant cited weakness in TV advertisement dollars as a main reason for the profit decline. Shares of Corus sank 4.46 per cent to $2.14 as of 4 p.m. EDT on Friday.
Scotiabank analyst Maher Yaghi wrote in a note to clients on Friday that the drop in ad dollars was more extreme than he had expected and warned the company’s ability to manage costs will be key to give it enough time for a digital sales transition. He also cautioned that Canadian broadcasters at large could soon compete with streaming giants for advertising dollars.
“While it is still very early to draw conclusions about the impact of this new direction on ad spending, it is possible that a portion of current TV spending could be diverted from conventional and specialty TV to Netflix and Disney,” he said.
Yaghi has a 12-month target price of $4 on Corus shares and sector perform recommendation (the equivalent of a hold) on the stock.
Snap Inc.
Social media giant Snap reported its slowest quarterly growth ever. The company reported a six per cent increase in yearly revenue, though management cautioned that growth in the fourth quarter of 2022 is likely to be flat. Snap pointed to a drop in advertisement spending as a main drag on the quarter results. Shares of Snap plummeted 28.08 per cent to US$7.76 as of 4 p.m. EDT on Friday.
Brent Thill, an analyst at Jefferies, believes the softness in ad dollars could continue as the company undergoes reorganization.
“Twenty per cent headcount reductions and executive departures could cause further disruptions. We worry that Snap's reorg could lead advertisers to slow or even pause their spending,” Thill wrote to clients in a note on Friday.
Thill lowered his 12-month target price on Snap shares to US$12 from US$17, but maintains his buy recommendation on the stock.
