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H&R Block (HRB) Down 5.7% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Rebound?

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It has been about a month since the last earnings report for H&R Block (HRB - Free Report) . Shares have lost about 5.7% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is H&R Block due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.

H&R Block’s Q2 Earnings Loss

H&R Block, Inc. (HRB - Free Report)  reported  a second-quarter fiscal 2023 adjusted loss per share of $1.37, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $1.48. The company had suffered a loss of $1.02 per share in the year-ago quarter.

Revenues of $166.4 million surpassed the consensus estimate by 11% and increased 5% year over year. The top line was positively impacted by volumes and net average charge as the company had a strong end to the 2022 tax season. Lower Emerald Card revenues partially offset the top-line growth.

Other Quarterly Numbers

Adjusted loss per share from continuing operations widened from $1.02 to $1.37 on a year-over-year basis, mainly due to the higher net loss from lower income tax benefits and fewer shares outstanding.

H&R Block exited the quarter with a cash and cash equivalents balance of $264.5 million compared with the $322.8 million at the end of the prior quarter. Long-term debt and line of credit borrowings were $2.1 billion compared with $1.5 billion in the previous quarter figure.

H&R Block used $458.8 million of cash in operating activities while capex was $25.3 million. HRB paid out dividends of $46 million in the quarter.

2023 Outlook

H&R Block expects revenues in the range of $3.535-$3.585 billion.

Adjusted EPS is expected to be between $3.7 and $3.95. EBITDA is expected between $915 million and $950 million. The effective tax rate is expected to be around 22%.

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

It turns out, fresh estimates have trended downward during the past month.

VGM Scores

Currently, H&R Block has a poor Growth Score of F, a grade with the same score on the momentum front. However, the stock was allocated a grade of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Notably, H&R Block has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). We expect an above average return from the stock in the next few months.


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