Zacks Research Predicts Itron's Q1 Earnings (NASDAQ:ITRI)

Key Points

• Zacks Research cut its Q1 2027 EPS estimate for Itron to $1.37 (from $1.67) and kept a "Hold" rating, while still projecting a consensus full‑year EPS near $5.33 and raising some later‑year estimates including a FY2028 projection.
• Itron reported Q4 EPS of $2.46 (beat $2.19) but revenue fell 6.7% year‑over‑year; the stock is down ~1.2%, with a market cap of about $4.13B, a P/E of ~14.1 and a 52‑week range of $88.57–$142.00.
• Analyst and market signals are mixed — eight Buys vs. five Holds yield a consensus "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $137.10, while short interest surged ~42.7% (~11% of the float) and insiders have recently sold shares, increasing downside risk and potential volatility.

Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ:ITRI - Free Report) - Research analysts at Zacks Research cut their Q1 2027 EPS estimates for shares of Itron in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, March 10th. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the scientific and technical instruments company will post earnings per share of $1.37 for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $1.67. Zacks Research currently has a "Hold" rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Itron's current full-year earnings is $5.33 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Itron's Q3 2027 earnings at $1.90 EPS.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Needham & Company LLC assumed coverage on shares of Itron in a research report on Friday, March 6th. They set a "buy" rating and a $124.00 price objective on the stock. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Itron from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Guggenheim set a $155.00 price objective on shares of Itron in a report on Friday, February 13th. Oppenheimer raised their target price on Itron from $125.00 to $133.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, Johnson Rice upgraded Itron from an "accumulate" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $130.00 price target for the company in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $137.10.

Itron Stock Down 1.2%

Shares of Itron stock opened at $91.96 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $4.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.13, a P/E/G ratio of 0.81 and a beta of 1.44. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $97.46 and a 200-day simple moving average of $107.18. Itron has a 52-week low of $88.57 and a 52-week high of $142.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 1.80 and a quick ratio of 1.56.

Itron (NASDAQ:ITRI - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 17th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $2.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.19 by $0.27. Itron had a return on equity of 20.04% and a net margin of 12.72%.The business had revenue of $571.66 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $561.31 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.35 earnings per share. Itron's quarterly revenue was down 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Itron has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.200-1.300 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 5.750-6.250 EPS.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Itron

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Private Trust Co. NA boosted its position in shares of Itron by 112.4% during the 4th quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 274 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 145 shares in the last quarter. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Itron in the second quarter worth about $30,000. Employees Retirement System of Texas acquired a new position in Itron in the third quarter worth about $32,000. Optiver Holding B.V. bought a new position in Itron during the third quarter worth about $36,000. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its holdings in Itron by 29.5% during the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 443 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 101 shares in the last quarter. 96.19% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, SVP Donald L. Reeves III sold 519 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $97.84, for a total value of $50,778.96. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 29,951 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,930,405.84. This trade represents a 1.70% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Laurie Ann Pulatie-Hahn sold 729 shares of Itron stock in a transaction on Friday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.17, for a total transaction of $73,023.93. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 32,950 shares in the company, valued at $3,300,601.50. This represents a 2.16% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 51,180 shares of company stock valued at $5,085,475 in the last 90 days. 1.45% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Itron News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Itron this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks raised its Q2 2027 EPS forecast to $1.71 from $1.66, suggesting improved expected momentum in 2027. MarketBeat: ITRI
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks materially increased its Q4 2026 estimate to $1.73 from $1.49, indicating stronger anticipated year‑end profitability. MarketBeat: ITRI
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks published a FY2028 EPS projection of $8.86, signaling upside expectations over the longer term. MarketBeat: ITRI
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks kept a "Hold" rating on ITRI and left the consensus full‑year view near prior levels (the broader consensus remains ~ $5.33 FY). MarketBeat: ITRI
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks trimmed several near‑term estimates: Q1 2026 cut to $1.26 (from $1.41), Q2 2026 to $1.44 (from $1.51), Q3 2026 to $1.55 (from $1.60) and modestly reduced FY2026/FY2027 numbers — near‑term earnings downgrades can weigh on the share price. MarketBeat: ITRI
• Negative Sentiment: Short interest surged ~42.7% in February to ~4.88M shares (about 11% of the float) with a ~2.5 days‑to‑cover — this elevated shorting increases downside pressure and potential volatility.

About Itron

Itron, Inc NASDAQ: ITRI is a global technology company that develops innovative solutions to measure, manage and analyze the use of energy and water. Its comprehensive portfolio includes smart meters, data collection devices, communication networks and advanced software applications designed to optimize utility operations and foster sustainable resource management. The company's offerings enable utilities and cities to accurately monitor consumption patterns, streamline billing processes and improve grid reliability.

Itron's product lineup spans a range of hardware and software solutions, from residential and commercial smart meters to meter data management systems (MDMS), networked communication platforms and analytics tools.

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