How does SNFCA's latest earnings surprise compare to past quarters?

Security National Financial Corporation (SNFCA) has not experienced a positive earnings surprise in any of the past four quarters, including the latest reported quarter ending on September 30, 2024.

1. **No Positive Earnings Surprises**: The company's earnings have either decreased or remained under pressure, with no quarter showing an earnings surprise that exceeded expectations.
2. **Consistent Decline or Low Earnings**: The trend in SNFCA's earnings has been consistently downward or low, with significant declines in some quarters, such as an 83% decrease in after-tax earnings from operations for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to the previous year. This decline has not been isolated to a single quarter, indicating a prolonged period of financial challenge for the company.
3. **Recent Improvements**: While the company's earnings have not exceeded expectations, there have been some recent improvements. For instance, the after-tax earnings increased nearly 15% from $6,353,000 in 2023 to $7,401,000 in 2024 for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. Additionally, the earnings for the quarter ending September 30, 2024, increased nearly 193% from $4,041,000 in 2023 to $11,836,000.
4. **Stability Amid Challenges**: Despite the lack of positive surprises, SNFCA has managed to report financial results for each quarter, demonstrating resilience amid challenging market conditions or internal operational issues.

In summary, while SNFCA has shown some recent improvements in its earnings, it has not yet achieved a positive earnings surprise compared to the expectations. The company's financial performance has been under pressure in recent years, with significant declines in earnings in some quarters. However, there are signs of stabilization and modest growth in the latest quarters.