Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.In the case of Lumen, the consensus sales estimate of $3.78 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of -22.1%. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Lumen is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:12 Month EPSProjected Revenue GrowthEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -5.9%.Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. This estimate has changed -2.1% over the last 30 days.For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $0.80 indicates a change of -32.5% from what Lumen is expected to report a year ago.

Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -12.5%.The consensus earnings estimate of $1.18 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of -38.2%. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.Lumen is expected to post earnings of $0.14 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -72.6%. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.Revisions to Earnings EstimatesRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. During this period, the Zacks Technology Services industry, which Lumen falls in, has lost 4.2%. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.Over the past month, shares of Lumen have returned -10.3%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -4.4% change. Lumen (LUMN) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on lately.

Lumen technologies stock price