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FS Bancorp (FSBW) is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) has seen earnings estimates slide lower recently despite the fact that it has beaten the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the last four quarters. This article will look at why this stock is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) as it is the Bear of the Day.

Description

FS Bancorp, Inc. is a holding company of 1st Security Bank of Washington that delivers banking and financial services to local families, local and regional businesses and industry niches within distinct Puget Sound area communities. It originates home improvement loans, commercial real estate mortgage loans, commercial business loans, and second mortgage/home equity loan products, consumer loans, including home improvement loans. The company also offers various lending products, such as commercial real estate, commercial business, and residential construction lending. FS Bancorp, Inc. is headquartered in Mountlake Terrace, Washington.

Earnings History

When I look at a stock, the first thing I do is look to see if the company is beating the number.  This tells me right away where the market’s expectations have been for the company and how management has communicated to the market.  A stock that consistently beats has management communicating expectations to Wall Street that can be achieved.  That is what you want to see.

In the case of FSWB, I see two straight beats of the Zacks Consensus Estimate.  This alone does not make the stock a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and it doesn’t make it a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) either.

The Zacks Rank does care about the earnings history, but it is much more heavily influenced by the movement of earnings estimates.

Earnings Estimates

The Zacks Rank tells us which stocks are seeing earnings estimates move higher or in this case lower.  For FSWB I see annual estimates moving lower of late.

The current fiscal year consensus number moved lower from $4.74 to $4.43 over the last 60 days. 

The next year has moved from $4.89 to $4.48 over the last 60 days.

Negative movement in earnings estimates like that is why this stock is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

It should be noted that a lot of stocks in the Zacks universe are seeing negative earnings estimate revisions.  That means that the stocks that are seeing small but negative earnings estimate revisions are falling to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

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