Analysts Nudge Targets Higher Across Defensives

Defense and healthcare names dominated analyst activity on Sunday, with Wall Street lifting price targets across a broad sweep of sectors ahead of a busy earnings week.

HCA Healthcare received a target bump to $470.38, up from $469.90, as the hospital group holds 16 analyst buy recommendations. The move follows a solid earnings season for hospital operators.

L3Harris Technologies saw its consensus target rise to $331.53. The defense contractor now carries 12 buy ratings and just one sell. General Dynamics also got a quiet target lift, to $408.68, keeping its eight-buy consensus intact.

The sharpest move came at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Its average target jumped to $924, up from $869, a gain of roughly 6%. That is a meaningful revision for a large-cap biotech.

Howmet Aerospace was the outlier among industrials. Its average target was cut to $306.75 from $323.90. Howmet still carries 18 buy ratings, but the target reduction stands out in an otherwise positive session for the sector.

Xcel Energy was the only name to take a rating downgrade. The utility was cut to a lower tier, with its consensus slipping. The move is notable given that utilities have attracted defensive buying in recent months.

Veralto and Republic Services both saw targets raised twice in quick succession, suggesting post-earnings revisions from multiple firms arriving simultaneously. AbbVie also got a lift, its target moving to $290.42, as pharma sentiment holds firm heading into November.