What long-term trends can investors expect from EAF's EPS?

**GrafTech International's EPS is expected to show a general decline over the long term**, with a few fluctuations. Here's a detailed analysis:

1. **Trend Analysis**: The EPS of GrafTech International has experienced a significant decrease from $2.87 in 2018 to $0.03 in 2017, and further to -$0.51 in 2024. This indicates a general downward trend in the company's earnings over the past decade.

|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Diluted EPS YoY|Diluted EPS|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|EAF|EAF.N|GrafTech|2017 Q1||-0.09|169|
|EAF|EAF.N|GrafTech|2017 Q2||-0.06|169|
|EAF|EAF.N|GrafTech|2017 Q3||-0.01|169|
|EAF|EAF.N|GrafTech|2018 Q1|922.2222222222222|0.74|169|
|EAF|EAF.N|GrafTech|2018 Q2|1216.6666666666665|0.67|169|
|EAF|EAF.N|GrafTech|2018 Q3|6800|0.67|169|
|EAF|EAF.N|GrafTech|2019 Q1|-8.1081081081081|0.68|169|
|EAF|EAF.N|GrafTech|2019 Q2|1.492537313432837|0.68|169|
|EAF|EAF.N|GrafTech|2019 Q3|-8.955223880597023|0.61|169|
|EAF|EAF.N|GrafTech|2020 Q1|-33.82352941176471|0.45|169|

2. **Recent Performance**: The company's recent reports for Q1 and Q2 2024 show an EPS of -$10 and -$5 respectively, which were both above the analyst estimates. This suggests that while the company's performance is improving, it is still negative, which could be a concern for investors.
3. **Analyst Expectations**: Analysts expect the company to report a quarterly loss of $0.14 per share for the upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +48.2%. This indicates that while there is an expectation of improvement, the baseline for comparison is a negative EPS.
4. **Revenue Considerations**: It's important to note that the company's revenue has been declining, which could be a contributing factor to the negative EPS. For instance, the revenue was down 52% from FY 2022 to FY 2023. However, the recent quarters show an improvement in revenue, which could have a positive impact on EPS if the cost management is effective.

In conclusion, while there is a possibility of improvement in GrafTech International's EPS in the short term, as indicated by the recent positive revenue surprises and improved EPS estimates, the long-term trend has been and is expected to be downward. Investors should be cautious and monitor the company's operational improvements and market conditions closely.