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WFC, DKS, VRM...
12/15/2020 10:12am
Wells Fargo upgrade, Dick's Sporting initiation among top calls on Wall Street

Check out today's top analyst calls from around Wall Street, compiled by The Fly.

LONG-TERM PROSPECTS 'STILL SUBSTANTIAL': Keefe Bruyette analyst Brian Kleinhanzl upgraded Wells Fargo (WFC) to Outperform from Market Perform with a price target of $36, up from $28. The bank's longer-term prospects "are still substantial" and the stock's current valuation provides an attractive entry point, Kleinhanzl told investors in a research note. The analyst believes the rewards outweigh the risks, saying Wells' ongoing transformation should be both positive for returns and the share price longer term.

CONSENSUS 'TOO OPTIMISTIC': Stephens analyst Daniel Imbro initiated coverage of Dick's Sporting (DKS) with an Underweight rating and $45 price target. While acknowledging management has "made a number of positive investments in recent years" and driven comp sales strength that was further boosted by the pandemic, he believes consensus is "too optimistic" on the company's gross margin outlook for 2021. Imbro thinks margin expectations will need to reset before shares "become more attractive."

BUY VROOM, CARVANA: Truist analyst Naved Khan initiated coverage of Vroom (VRM) with a Buy rating and $58 price target. The analyst sees the company as an "online disruptor" in the used vehicle industry, adding that its asset-light operations should allow it to rapidly scale its ecommerce offering and gain market share in the large used vehicle sales market. Khan estimates Vroom growing its revenue by a 39% CAGR over the next 10 years.


Khan also started coverage of Carvana (CVNA) with a Buy rating and $314 price target. The analyst expects the company to grow its revenue by a "robust" 32% CAGR over the 10 years thanks to the increasing penetration in its current markets, the higher population coverage through expansion into new markets, and Carvana's rising brand awareness and industry reputation.

ATTRACTIVE VALUATION, INDUSTRY RECOVERY: Citi analyst Smedes Rose upgraded Marriott (MAR) to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $150, up from $110. The analyst believes Marriott's fee-driven business model likely supports an expanded valuation. The stock's valuation is attractive looking out further to a more normalized operating environment, Rose told investors in a research note.

Rose also upgraded Hilton (HLT) to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $130, up from $92. Hilton has shored up its balance sheet and remains well capitalized to navigate through the current challenging operating environment, the analyst contended. He believes the industry is "on the cusp" of a multiyear recovery, and that elevated multiples are sustainable in a more normalized business environment.

MOVING TO THE SIDELINES: Goldman Sachs analyst Toshiya Hari downgraded NXP Semiconductors (NXPI) to Neutral from Buy with a price target of $160, up from $152. The analyst cited valuation for the downgrade with limited relative upside to the new target. Hari maintains a positive long-term view on NXP's automotive business, but continues to forecast growth that falls short relative to peers.

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