Analysts turned broadly positive on US financials this week while flagging risk in media.
Morgan Stanley received the most notable upgrade. Its consensus rating moved up, with the average analyst target rising to $231.86 from $226.48. The $339 billion bank carries just 1.5% short interest — short sellers are not betting against it.
State Street saw the sharpest target price jump. The average moved to $196.89 from $185.04, a gain of nearly $12. Regions Financial and Fifth Third Bancorp also saw target price increases. Banks are in favour after a solid earnings season.
On the downside, Prudential Financial was downgraded. Its consensus slipped from 5 buys to 4. The insurer trades at a $41 billion market cap with short interest at 3.4% of free float.
Fox Corporation also drew a downgrade. Its short interest stands at a notable 21.1% of free float. That combination of heavy shorting and a fresh downgrade puts further pressure on the stock.
saw a slight target price trim despite broad analyst support. 35 analysts rate it a buy against zero sells. The consensus average dipped to $98.16 from $98.77.
Homebuilder NVR also had its target clipped to $7,052 from $7,132. Housing-sensitive names remain under mild pressure.
ORTEX Market Intelligence content is generated by AI from a snapshot of ORTEX's proprietary data. Content is informational only and does not constitute investment advice.
