Investors in Belden Inc. (NYSE:BDC) had a good week, as its shares rose 2.8% to close at US$105 following the release of its first-quarter results. Revenues were US$625m, approximately in line with expectations, although statutory earnings per share (EPS) performed substantially better. EPS of US$1.27 were also better than expected, beating analyst predictions by 10%. 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. Readers will be glad to know we've aggregated the latest statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their mind on Belden after the latest results.

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Taking into account the latest results, the consensus forecast from Belden's five analysts is for revenues of US$2.65b in 2025. This reflects a credible 4.0% improvement in revenue compared to the last 12 months. Statutory per-share earnings are expected to be US$5.35, roughly flat on the last 12 months. In the lead-up to this report, the analysts had been modelling revenues of US$2.66b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$5.44 in 2025. So it's pretty clear that, although the analysts have updated their estimates, there's been no major change in expectations for the business following the latest results.

See our latest analysis for Belden

It will come as no surprise then, to learn that the consensus price target is largely unchanged at US$127. It could also be instructive to look at the range of analyst estimates, to evaluate how different the outlier opinions are from the mean. Currently, the most bullish analyst values Belden at US$145 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$120. With such a narrow range of valuations, the analysts apparently share similar views on what they think the business is worth.

These estimates are interesting, but it can be useful to paint some more broad strokes when seeing how forecasts compare, both to the Belden's past performance and to peers in the same industry. The period to the end of 2025 brings more of the same, according to the analysts, with revenue forecast to display 5.3% growth on an annualised basis. That is in line with its 5.6% annual growth over the past five years. By contrast, our data suggests that other companies (with analyst coverage) in a similar industry are forecast to see their revenues grow 7.2% per year. So it's pretty clear that Belden is expected to grow slower than similar companies in the same industry.

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The Bottom Line

The most important thing to take away is that there's been no major change in sentiment, with the analysts reconfirming that the business is performing in line with their previous earnings per share estimates. On the plus side, there were no major changes to revenue estimates; although forecasts imply they will perform worse than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at US$127, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.

Keeping that in mind, we still think that the longer term trajectory of the business is much more important for investors to consider. We have forecasts for Belden going out to 2027, and you can see them free on our platform here.

It is also worth noting that we have found 2 warning signs for Belden that you need to take into consideration.

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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.