Investing.com – Here's a professional summary of the most important pieces of information Wall Street analysts said over the past week.
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American Airlines
What happened? On Monday, Raymond James upgraded American Airlines (NASDAQ:) to outperform with a $24 price target.
*Tilder: New Citi card deal (2026 Citi moves remainder of Barclays AAL customer book to LINK branded credit card) to increase rewards.
What's the full story? Raymond James upgraded American Airlines from market perform to outperform, citing an attractive risk-reward profile and above-consensus outlook. Analysts highlighted improved revenue forecasts, competitive preparation, and better engagement with corporate clients. America increased RASM guidance for Q4 2024 to 0-1% and revised EPS from $0.25-0.50 to $0.55-0.75.
The new 10-year co-branded card deal with Citi, which will take effect in 2026, is expected to boost cash rewards by approximately 10% annually, putting American on track to reach Delta's long-term goal by 2030. Despite being pre-revenue, the deal positions the US company for sustainable cash pay growth.
Outperformance at Raymond James means “the security is expected to outperform and outperform the S&P/TSX Composite Index over the next 12-18 months.”
vertex
What happened? On Tuesday, DA Davidson initiated coverage of Vertex (NASDAQ:) at Buy with a price target of $62.
*Tilder: DA Davidson analysts backed Vertex's acquisition on ongoing value. Analysts praised Vertex's growth and competitive strength.
What's the full story? DA Davidson analysts believe Vertex has demonstrated multiple attributes to capture sustainable value and maximize each share. They highlighted the company's presence in a market characterized by steady growth and favorable disruptive catalysts. According to analysts, Vertex's competitive moat was strengthened by unparalleled “reversibility” and its cost infrastructure was conducive to margin accumulation.
Additionally, analysts commended Vertex's management team for its disciplined capital allocation and aligned incentives, which supported the company's growth trajectory. Together, these factors underscored analysts' positive outlook on Vertex's value and long-term performance.
Buying into DA Davidson means it is “expected to achieve a total return of greater than 15% on a risk-adjusted basis over the next 12 to 18 months.”
alphabet
What happened? On Thursday, JMP Securities downgraded Alphabet (NASDAQ:) to market perform
*Tilder: JMP Securities downgraded Alphabet due to antitrust sanctions. Analysts are awaiting legal clarity regarding the distribution of Google search in the United States.
What's the full story? JMP Securities downgraded Alphabet due to the potential impact of antitrust sanctions on Google's (NASDAQ:) search distribution and revenues. Analysts expect a final ruling by August 2025 to be a key focus for investors, limiting multiple expansion although implementation is likely to take years due to appeals.
Analysts expect a “tough” court decision, given the failure of European regulators to influence the search market. They were comfortable moving to the sidelines after a 37% return in 2024, waiting for greater legal clarity before turning positive again. They saw shares as low as… what. value.
JMP Securities Market Performance means that “Citizens JMP Securities, LLC expects its stock price performance to be in line with the Russell 3000® Index over the next 12 months.”
Block Company
What happened? On Friday, Raymond James upgraded Block Inc (NYSE:) to outperform with a price target of $115.
*Tilder: RaymondJames upgrades Block on confidence in 2025. Analysts are bullish on the acceleration and growth of the seller's GPV.
What's the full story? Raymond James upgraded Block after analyzing the key elements of Seller GPV, expressing confidence in 2025 acceleration. They consider Seller GPV to be the most important metric, and projected growth could return to double digits in 2025 due to facilitating comparisons, improving distribution, international expansion, and innovation. Products.
Despite acknowledging Cash App's stagnant user growth, analysts were optimistic about maintaining overall revenue growth through increased engagement within the existing customer base. They had high confidence in Seller GPV's acceleration, felt estimates were well-placed, and viewed the stock as inexpensive relative to its growth potential.
Outperformance at Raymond James means “(MO2) the security is expected to outperform and outperform the S&P/TSX Composite Index over the next 12-18 months.”
