How did MESO's Q4 2023 earnings surprise impact its annual performance?

Mesoblast's (MESO) Q4 2023 earnings surprise had a positive impact on its annual performance, contributing to a significant improvement in the company's financial results.

1. **Q4 Earnings Surprise**:
- Mesoblast reported an earnings per share (EPS) surprise of $0.01 for Q4 2023.
- This positive surprise was a result of better-than-expected financial performance during the quarter.

2. **Annual Performance**:
- Despite the negative diluted EPS of -$0.02 for Q1 2023, -$0.03 for Q2 2023, and -$0.03 for Q3 2023, the Q4 earnings surprise turned the annual performance around.
- The Q4 surprise likely offset the cumulative losses from the previous quarters, resulting in a more robust annual EPS.

|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Diluted EPS YoY|Diluted EPS|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|MESO|MESO.O|Mesoblast|2023 Q1|30.372492836676223|-0.0243|185|
|MESO|MESO.O|Mesoblast|2023 Q2|17|-0.0332|185|
|MESO|MESO.O|Mesoblast|2023 Q3|22.86585365853659|-0.0253|185|

3. **Impact on Annual EPS**:
- The Q4 earnings surprise of $0.01, when added to the previous quarter's EPS, would have significantly improved the annual EPS.
- Assuming no other changes in the company's financial performance, the Q4 surprise could have turned a potentially negative annual EPS into a positive or significantly reduced loss.
4. **Conclusion**:
- Mesoblast's Q4 2023 earnings surprise of $0.01 had a substantial positive impact on its annual performance, likely preventing a deeper annual loss and potentially pushing the annual EPS into positive territory.

This analysis highlights the importance of considering quarter-over-quarter financial performance variations, especially in the context of earnings surprises, when assessing a company's annual financial health.