What happened
Starting the week on an inauspicious note, Ameresco (AMRC -1.46%) reported its fourth-quarter 2022 financial results after the market closed on Monday. The next day investors began voicing their disappointment with the energy efficiency company, sending the stock lower. Besides the company's recent performance, management's 2023 forecast contributed to the stock's sell-off.
As of 10:03 a.m. ET Friday, shares of Ameresco have fallen 9.3% since the end of last Friday's trading session, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
So what
Coming up short of analysts' expectations that it would report sales of $367.6 million, Ameresco booked revenue of $331.7 million for Q4 2022. But it wasn't only the fact that revenue was lower than analysts' expectations; the company's Q4 2022 revenue declined 20% from that which the company reported during the same period last year. At the bottom of the income statement, Ameresco reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.35 -- lower than the $0.39 that analysts had anticipated. A steeper decline than the revenue, the adjusted EPS represented a year-over-year decrease of 34%.
With regard to 2023, management doesn't anticipate significant growth. On the top line, management projects revenue of $1.45 billion to $1.55 billion. Should the company achieve the midpoint of this guidance, it will represent a 17.8% decline from 2022. Similarly, Ameresco forecasts adjusted EPS of $1.80 to $1.90 in 2023, whereas it booked adjusted EPS of $1.87 in 2022.
Now what
It's unsurprising that investors aren't charged up about Ameresco's performance last quarter or its outlook for 2023. The company acknowledged that it plans on increasing activity in Europe during 2023 to further its growth. At this point, prospective investors should confirm in future earnings reports that the company is making strides in this endeavor before choosing to power their portfolio with this renewable energy stock.
