What do SBSI's past earnings say about future?

Southside Bancshares (SBSI) has shown a general decline in earnings per share (EPS) over the past five years, from $2.47 in 2020 to $3.47 in 2021, and a peak at $3.26 in 2022, followed by a decrease to $2.91 in 2024. The revenue has shown a general upward trend, from $237 million in 2020 to $257.86 million in 2024:

|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Total Revenue YoY|Total Revenue|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|SBSI|SBSI.N|Southside Bancshares|2020 Q1|18.822414780016974|6.0199E7|169|
|SBSI|SBSI.N|Southside Bancshares|2020 Q2|9.338972143054152|5.9464E7|169|
|SBSI|SBSI.N|Southside Bancshares|2020 Q3|7.933213671378356|5.7727E7|169|
|SBSI|SBSI.N|Southside Bancshares|2020 Q4|11.122089446505472|5.9607E7|169|
|SBSI|SBSI.N|Southside Bancshares|2021 Q1|-0.4534959052475955|5.9926E7|169|
|SBSI|SBSI.N|Southside Bancshares|2021 Q2|-4.849993273240952|5.658E7|169|
|SBSI|SBSI.N|Southside Bancshares|2021 Q3|5.626483274724133|6.0975E7|169|
|SBSI|SBSI.N|Southside Bancshares|2021 Q4|3.0281678326371066|6.1412E7|169|
|SBSI|SBSI.N|Southside Bancshares|2022 Q1|-0.4922738043587091|5.9631E7|169|
|SBSI|SBSI.N|Southside Bancshares|2022 Q2|6.353835277483209|6.0175E7|169|

1. **Analysts' Expectations**: Analysts estimate that SBSI will report an EPS of $0.66 for the latest quarter, which is lower than the previous quarter's EPS of $0.78. This suggests a potential decline in earnings.
2. **Historical Performance**: SBSI has a history of missing EPS estimates, with a recent example being the EPS of $0.60 for the quarter ending September 2023, compared to the estimated $0.72. This trend of not meeting expectations could continue.
3. **Revenue Growth**: Despite the expected EPS decline, SBSI's revenue is forecasted to grow at an average annual rate of 7.4% over the next three years, compared to the industry average of 6.6%. This indicates a positive outlook for the company's revenue.
4. **Profit Margin**: SBSI has seen an increase in profit margin to 34% in the third quarter of 2024, up from 32% in the previous quarter. This improvement in margin suggests that the company is becoming more efficient in generating profits from its revenue.

In conclusion, while SBSI's past earnings show a decline in EPS, the positive trend in revenue growth and profit margin improvement provides a hopeful outlook for the company's future financial performance.