Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:NUS) will reveal its earnings numbers for the first three months of 2014 on Tuesday. The company, which is involved in the distribution and sale of anti-aging products and nutritional supplements across the world, is expected to show seasonally work earnings, but growth is still expected to be strong.
Direct selling companies like Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:NUS) have attracted a lot of attention in recent years on the back of the rise of Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF) and the short campaign ran by investor Bill Ackman against that company. The multilevel marketing business model is under pressure in 2014, and the future of Nu Skin appears to be intertwined with that of competitors Herbalife, though much of its recent issues have been on the other side of the world.
Nu Skin earnings to grow in 2014
Analysts are, by consensus, expecting to show earnings of 94 cents per share when it reveals earnings numbers before the market opens on Tuesday May 6. Consensus revenue estimates, which were taken from a Businessweek survey of 7 analysts following the company, came in at $657 million.
The same three months of 2013 saw Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:NUS) perform well, bringing in earnings of 90 cents per share on revenue totaling $550 million. Despite the problems that the company has been facing in the early months of 2014, growth is still expected to come in strong. Analysts are expecting full year 2014 earnings to come in at $6.22 per share, an increase of 5% over last year’s total.
Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:NUS) is a growth company, and the company’s performance has been spectacular over the last few years. In the last twelve months the company’s stock has more than doubled, while the last five years have seen the company’s shares multiply in value close to seven times.
Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:NUS) has a lot of potential, and the market still prices it as a growing concern. Problems in recent months have led to shareholder losses, however, and worries about the company’s future.
Nu Skin problems in China
A couple of major problems have pushed Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:NUS) toward a fall in value in 2014. The federal investigations into Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF) have helped to tarnish the reputation of the analogous company in the minds of some investors. The big problems, however, came from the other side of the world where Nu Skin is supposed to be growing impressively.
In the second week of January a Chinese Newspaper accused Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:NUS) of breaking the country’s laws and called the company a “suspected illegal pyramid scheme.” An investigation by the Chinese government led to a relatively light fine of $500,000 on the company. The government also pledged tighter control over its sales, however, and that may concern investors going ahead.
The multi-level marketing business model is under pressure in 2014, and whether Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:NUS) can handle, and eventually escape, that or not will speak to its future. The first signs of those changes are likely to be evidenced in the earnings report on the way tomorrow.
