Oracle Corp. (NYSE: ORCL) is scheduled to report its fiscal first-quarter financial results after markets close on Thursday. The consensus estimates from Thomson Reuters are calling for $0.58 in earnings per share (EPS) and $8.7 billion in revenue. The same period from last year had $0.53 in EPS on $8.45 billion in revenue.
Currently shares are trading under 15 times estimated 2017 earnings, and with a solid free cash flow yield, many analysts also feel that Oracle’s 12C database cycle starts to contribute during calendar 2016, and the stock could very well be poised for what they term a breakout year.
Some analysts have raised fiscal year 2017 cloud margins to 66% from 63% and EPS to $2.80. Some also believe that the software giant may be on the verge of a multiyear database product cycle. Among the analysts the consensus EPS estimate is $2.76.
Looking ahead, should the Fed raise rates Oracle might be one of the few companies that could benefit from this if the markets take a turn to the downside. Market downturns generally allow for companies with larger cash holdings to pursue some M&A options when stock prices are under pressure. Previously Microsoft took advantage of this trend when it acquired LinkedIn earlier this summer. At the end of its 2016 fiscal year (June) the company recorded $36.1 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities.
Ahead of the earnings report a few analysts weighed in on Oracle:
- MKM Partners reiterated a Neutral rating with a $42 price target.
- JMP Securities reiterated an Outperform rating.
- Jefferies reiterated a Buy rating and a $51 price target.
- BTIG Research reiterated a Buy rating with a $47 price target.
- Credit Agricole reiterated an Underperform rating.
- Rosenblatt Securities initiated coverage with a Buy rating and a $48 price target.
- D.A. Davidson initiated coverage with a Buy rating.
- Goldman Sachs upgraded it to Neutral from Sell.
- Atlantic Securities has a Neutral rating and a $44 price target.
- Macquarie reiterated an Outperform rating.
- Sanford Bernstein reiterated an Outperform rating with a $51 price target.
- BMO Capital Markets has an Outperform rating with a $47 price target.
So far in 2016, Oracle has outperformed the broad markets and the stock is up about 11% in this time. Over the past 52-weeks the stock is up nearly 9%.
Shares of Oracle were last trading at $40.26, with a consensus analyst price target of $44.29 and a 52-week trading range of $33.13 to $42.00.
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