DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Buy this electrotherapy stock for more than 62% upside, RBC Capital Markets says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

RBC Capital Markets thinks Zynex stock could grow if the company taps into the patient monitoring market. The firm initiated coverage of the electrotherapy stock with an outperform rating and a $13 per share price target in a Sunday note. Zynex stock has slipped nearly 43% from the start of the year. ZYXI YTD mountain Zynex stock. Analyst Shagun Singh says while the company is already a player in the electrotherapy market in the U.S., Zynex could potentially capitalize on the patient monitoring market worth nearly $4 billion.

Persons: Zynex, Shagun Singh, ZYXI, Singh, CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: RBC Capital Markets Locations: U.S

☆ Goldman Sachs upgrades this homebuilder stock, says it can outperform despite higher mortgage rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Goldman Sachs thinks a focus on home sale volume will lift D.R. Horton despite higher mortgage rates. Goldman did trim its target price to $131 from $132, which still equates to 26.3% upside from Friday's $103.66 close. Mortgage rates have been rising sharply this year, as the Federal Reserve tightens monetary policy to fight inflation and the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield climbs to levels not seen in 16 years. Horton stock.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Horton, Goldman, Susan Maklari, Maklari, D.R, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Federal Reserve Locations: Horton

☆ UBS upgrades this 'core' health care stock, sees nearly 20% upside
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

UBS thinks UnitedHealth is an essential portfolio holding trading at a discount. The firm upgraded shares of the health care giant to buy from neutral and raised its target price to $640 from $520. "We believe that the strong Q3 release from UNH is a clearing event that should pave the way for improved valuation for the stock," Rice said. UnitedHealth stock has ticked up nearly 2% in 2023. UNH YTD mountain UNH in 2023 UNH YTD mountain UnitedHealth stock.

Persons: UnitedHealth, AJ Rice, Rice, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: UBS Locations: UNH

☆ Morgan Stanley upgrades this cybersecurity stock that can double from here
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Morgan Stanley thinks Varonis Systems could be in for major gains thanks to artificial intelligence. The firm upgraded the software stock to overweight from equal weight in a Monday note. Varonis provides security software for unstructured data vulnerable to cyber attacks. "[I]f Gen AI tailwinds become more apparent, we see the stock potentially doubling from here in our $62 bull case ... closer to higher growth SaaS and Security peers," Fodderwala. VRNS YTD mountain Varonis Systems stock.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Varonis, Hamza Fodderwala, tailwinds, Fodderwala, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Varonis Systems Locations: Friday's

☆ Pfizer gets upgrade at Jefferies, which says there's a buying opportunity in the pharma giant's stock
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Jefferies thinks its time for investors to go long on Pfizer . "In our view, PFE has one of the most intriguing catalyst paths over the next yr in large cap pharma and trades ~15% below where it traded at the start of the COVID pandemic." The analyst added Pfizer has already presented "an impressive innovation framework" that has helped the company adapt to healthcare headwinds, which underpinned the bullish long-term view. "During the pandemic, Pfizer in collaboration with Biontech rolled out COVID vaccines in a historical timeframe. PFE YTD mountain Pfizer stock YTD — CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report.

Persons: Jefferies, Akash Tewari, it's, Tewari, PFE, Biontech, Paxlovid, Michael Bloom Organizations: Pfizer, pharma

☆ This highly profitable industry is booming as the population ages
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Enteral nutrition is administered through a feeding tube or it can be taken orally. Fresenius owns 32% of Fresenius Medical Center, which saw shares drop on recent news that Ozempic's kidney disease treatment trial showed signs of success. Clinical nutrition is about 20% of group profits and an important subset of its larger specialized nutrition unit, Ackerman said. "Many investors only focus only on their infant formula unit and don't know how big or how profitable clinical nutrition is," he said. "Clinical nutrition is the jewel in Danone's crown and probably the most attractive part of Danone's portfolio, yet is hidden from investors."

Persons: Stefano Natella, — hasn't, Hassan Al, Wakeel, Warren Ackerman, Ackerman, Lindsay Clarke, Enteral, Danone's Nutrison, —, Baxter, Abbott, Sara Hennicken, Fresenius, Nestlé, Mark Schneider, Nestle, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Guggenheim, World Health Organization, WHO, Barclays, Danone, Fresenius, Al, Alliance for Aging Research, Aging, CNBC, Nestle, Companies, — Nestle, Nutrition, Fresenius Medical Locations: German, Paris, China, Swiss, United States, parenteral, Latin America

☆ Many are betting Ozempic will reduce the need for knee surgery. What it means if they're wrong
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Medical device stocks of all kinds were pummeled over the past week as investors tried to calculate the ripple effects of new weight loss drugs. While the use of the GLP-1 drugs to treat obesity is still very limited at this point, it is expected to soar to a $100 billion market or more, by some estimates. Judging by the momentum in the stocks, investors have been betting that as people lose weight, there will be a decline in knee replacement surgery. A case for more knee surgery? Based on Truist's polling of 50 hospital administrators, the analyst expects the third quarter will show a slowing pace of knee replacement surgeries compared to the first half of 2023.

Persons: We've, Bill Sutherland, Piper Sandler, Matt O'Brien, Stryker, Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, O'Brien, Richard Newitter, Newitter, Benchmark's Sutherland, Kaiser, Sutherland, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: American College of, Nordisk's Ozempic, Stryker, Surgery Partners, Permanente, Tenet Healthcare, Partners Locations: U.S, GLP

☆ ‘Best performing emerging market’: Analysts name stocks to cash in on India’s boom
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Amala Balakrishner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"India has been the best performing Emerging Market in terms of USD returns at 8%, surpassing Brazil at 6%," they wrote. In terms of asset allocation, AllianceBernstein is overweight on financials, while allocating a small portion of this weight to utilities. Delhivery is another favorite stock, with a price target of 460 Indian rupees, giving it around 5% upside. Electricity generation company NTPC made the list for its opportunities in thermal, renewables and green hydrogen, the analysts wrote. The asset manager is overweight on the stock at 274 Indian Rupees representing an upside of almost 15% from its Oct. 11 close.

Persons: AllianceBernstein, Venugopal Garre, Zomato, NTPC, Paytm, it's, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Stock, HDFC Bank, Jio Financial Services Locations: India, Brazil

☆ Buy this beaten-down discount retailer after a major leadership change, Gordon Haskett says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Dollar General 's latest leadership change could help re-stabilize the company and put it on track toward growth again, according to research firm Gordon Haskett. Analyst Chuck Grom upgraded shares to buy from hold in a Friday note. He also established a price target to $140, which implies shares could rally 37% over the next 12 months. Following Thursday's close, Dollar General announced former CEO Todd Vasos would be returning and replacing Jeff Owen as chief executive, effective immediately. "Taking these factors into consideration, we think Dollar General should undertake a significant margin re-set in 2024 to pave the way for a return to both comp and EBIT dollar growth in FY25 (and beyond).

Persons: Gordon Haskett, Chuck Grom, Thursday's, Todd Vasos, Jeff Owen, Owen, Grom, Vasos, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Dollar General, DG

☆ Barclays upgrades this solar stock that's trading at a discount to peers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Investors should consider taking a look at First Solar , according to Barclays. Analyst Christine Cho upgraded the solar panel maker to overweight from an equal weight rating, saying in a Thursday note that the stock's valuation offers an attractive opportunity for investors. Cho added that shares trade at a significant discount to competitors when looking at 2025 price to earnings. First Solar shares have slumped 6% this month and sit just about 1% higher for the year. According to Cho, investors are penalizing First Solar for a handful of "overblown" risks.

Persons: Christine Cho, Cho, Michael Bloom Organizations: Barclays, Solar, IRA, Bank of America

☆ Morgan Stanley says these 3 global stocks will be 'winners' in a world where data is king
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Amala Balakrishner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The analysts see Relx and Wolters Kluwer benefiting from "clear opportunities" from generative artificial intelligence. Relx and Wolters Kluwer The bank raised its forecasts for Relx and Wolters Kluwer, giving both an overweight rating. Its price target for Wolters Kluwer is 142 euros ($150.59), or around 18% upside. They like Wolters Kluwer for its software business, which generates around 45% of its revenue. Morgan Stanley has a price target of £790 on the company – giving it an 8.5% upside from its Oct. 10 close.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, George Webb, Wolters, Relx, Morgan, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Wolters Kluwer, Relx, Nasdaq, REL, Relx's, LexisNexis Locations: Europe, WKL

☆ Bank of America upgrades Target, says shares look attractive after recent pullback
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The pullback in Target 's stock, and potential near-term catalysts, create an attractive entry point for investors, according to Bank of America. Target shares have bucked 2023's broader market uptrend, with shares down nearly 27%. Last month, Target said it will close nine stores in major cities due to increased violence and theft . Still, Ohmes adjusted his price target to $135 from $120 a share, reflecting about 24% upside from Wednesday's close. Among the potential catalysts for the upgrade, Ohmes cited expectations from improving traffic.

Persons: Robert Ohmes, Ohmes, Michael Bloom Organizations: Bank of America, Target, Apparel &

☆ Morgan Stanley names this music stock a top pick, cites rising engagement and the industry's superstar year
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

2023's gold rush for Taylor Swift and Beyoncé music should continue to bode well for shares of Spotify Technology , according to Morgan Stanley. Analyst Benjamin Swinburne named the music streaming company a top pick and reiterated his buy rating. Heightened engagement levels and ongoing innovation should fuel further market share gains and help the company hold onto pricing power, he added. In the near term, Swinburne remains confident in the company's ability to retain pricing power and anticipates an acceleration in revenue growth during the fourth quarter. The record-breaking event has sold out stadiums, led to an expensive resale ticket market and heads to theaters this weekend as a concert film that's already broken records, surpassing $100 million in ticket sales .

Persons: Taylor Swift, bode, Morgan Stanley, Benjamin Swinburne, Swinburne, Taylor, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Spotify Technology, Spotify

☆ JPMorgan says this struggling clean energy play may have finally bottomed, sees nearly 60% upside
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Hydrogen fuel cell company Plug Power is on pace for meaningful upside with several near-term catalysts ahead, according to JPMorgan. Analyst Bill Peterson added Plug Power to its positive catalyst watch list for the near term in a Thursday note, in addition to reiterating its overweight rating on the stock. Plug Power lowered its 2023 revenue forecast to account for a disappointing third quarter, but Peterson said he had anticipated this would occur. On Friday, the Biden administration is expected to announce $7 billion in hydrogen hub grants, from which Peterson thinks Plug Power is well-positioned to benefit. Plug Power could see further tailwinds from a positive resolution with the U.S. Department of the Treasury on the Inflation Reduction Act's clean hydrogen production tax credits.

Persons: Bill Peterson, Peterson, Biden, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: JPMorgan, U.S . Department of, Treasury, U.S . Department of Energy Locations: Wednesday's, company's Georgia

☆ Truist upgrades Exxon Mobil, cites long-term benefits from Pioneer acquisition
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Truist is finding a number of positives in Exxon Mobil 's deal to buy Pioneer Natural Resources . "While we forecast moderate near-term incremental earnings/cash flow from Exxon acquiring Pioneer (PXD, Hold), we anticipate more pronounced longer-term benefits in '25+ given the notably more productive proforma US inventory," he wrote. Exxon Mobil announced on Wednesday that it agreed to buy Pioneer Natural Resources at $253 per share in an all-stock deal, or $59.5 billion. Despite the recent share performance, the Wall Street firm sees more upside ahead for Exxon Mobil, upping its price to $131 from $110 a share. XOM 1M mountain Exxon Mobil shares over the last month Dingmann also expects the Pioneer acquisition — and ongoing operating improvements — to keep Exxon Mobil the path toward accomplishing its $9 billion cost savings plans, while leading to new cost tightening over the longer term.

Persons: Neal Dingmann, Dingmann, Michael Bloom Organizations: Exxon Mobil, Natural Resources, Exxon, Pioneer, Mobil

☆ Bitcoin’s resilience above $25,000 is a 'silver lining' in grim crypto market, says Wolfe Research
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Things seem to have taken a turn lower in the crypto market, but bitcoin offers a glimmer of hope and Wolfe Research is defending its long view of the asset. The crypto market continues to struggle from low volume and liquidity that have dragged on for most of the year. "That changed this week with Monday seeing over $105 million in crypto liquidations, and the equal weight crypto index we track breaking down in turn," Wolfe Research's Rob Ginsberg said in a note Wednesday. On top of that, Treasury yields remain high amid stubbornly high inflation and uncertainty around the Israel-Hamas war. Crypto stocks are also trading down, but may be finding support now, according to Wolfe.

Persons: Wolfe, Rob Ginsberg, Bitcoin, bitcoin, it's, Ginsberg, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Wolfe Research, BTC, ETF Locations: bitcoin, Israel

☆ Analysts say these stocks have the most upside from here — including one solar name expected to double
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Wall Street is trying to shake off a myriad of headwinds, and analysts see certain stocks rallying from here. JPMorgan said in September that the stock is attractive for the long term, as survey data shows growing interest in residential solar panels. "We believe the survey results signal that homeowner interest for adding residential solar systems is stronger than currently low investor sentiment and recent under performance of residential solar stocks indicates," the bank said. SEDG YTD mountain SolarEdge stock. Discovery also made the list, with the average analyst price target calling for more than 76% upside.

Persons: Dow Jones, SolarEdge, JPMorgan, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Dow, CNBC Pro, Barclays, Warner Bros, Moderna Locations: Israel

☆ What's behind Exxon's mega-merger and the stocks that could be next
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Here's a look at what Exxon is getting in Pioneer and how Wall Street is reacting to the deal. Piper Sandler analyst Ryan Todd also pointed to Chevron as a company that could feel added pressure from Exxon's acquisition of Pioneer. Exxon's Denbury deal, for example, seeks to capitalize on a carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) company on the Gulf Coast and Rocky Mountain regions. What it means for Exxon's stock Piper Sandler's Todd maintained his overweight rating on Exxon on Wednesday and praised the Pioneer deal. However, Exxon's stock was down 3% in early trading Wednesday, while Pioneer rose just 1%, suggesting others are less sure.

Persons: Warren Buffett, Darren Woods, John Silverstein, Woods, We're, Biraj Borkhataria, Piper Sandler, Ryan Todd, Exxon's, Piper Sandler's Todd, RBC's, Borkhataria, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Exxon Mobil, Natural Resources, Exxon, Mobil, Denbury, Occidental Petroleum, UBS, Pioneer, EOG, APA Corp, RBC Capital Markets, Chevron, CVX, RBC Locations: United States, West Texas, New Mexico, Midland, Gulf

☆ Bank of America sees risks for employers as insurance coverage of weight loss drugs grows
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The eye-popping predictions for weight loss drug sales hinge on insurance companies agreeing to provide coverage of the pricey treatments, and momentum seems to be building on that front. The drugs include Novo Nordisk's semaglutide, which is sold as Ozempic for diabetes management and as Wegovy for weight loss. Unlike earlier generations of weight loss medicines, their side effects have been largely mild and included diarrhea, constipation and nausea. Higher hospital labor costs as well as GLP-1 medications are contributing to the biggest jump in health insurance costs since 2012, Lutz said. But those numbers will grow, especially as ongoing research continues to make the case for benefits beyond blood sugar control and weight loss.

Persons: Allen Lutz, Lutz, Lutz's, Savanta, Accolade, Eli Lilly, Mercer, Willis Towers Watson, Peter Verdult, Verdult, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Bank of America, Accolade, Novo Nordisk's semaglutide, Food, Drug Administration, Citi, Nordisk, Centers for Disease Control Locations: U.S

☆ Here’s why this under-the-radar biopharma stock could leap nearly 140%, Goldman Sachs says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An overly negative reception to clinical results could mean investors are missing out on potential upside for Syndax Pharmaceuticals , according to Goldman Sachs. The investment bank initiated coverage of the biopharmaceutical company on Wednesday with a buy rating, setting a 12-month price target of $30. This implies potential upside of 137% from the stock's Tuesday closing price of $12.65. In its Oct. 2 announcement, Syndax said it had "positive topline data" from the protocol-defined pooled analysis of this trial. "Based on our analysis and view, we believe the stock is currently trading below the value of near-term commercial opportunities ex-cash/-terminal value," he wrote.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Syndax, Chris Shibutani, Shibutani, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Syndax Pharmaceuticals Locations: 2024E

☆ Ether to soar to $8,000 in 3 years and eventually may hit $35,000, predicts Standard Chartered
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A report out Wednesday argues that the price of the ethereum cryptocurrency may eventually climb as high as $35,000. "Layer 2 scaling solutions … are likely to grow in importance over time, particularly as architecture upgrades expected in early 2024 sharply lower fees on these platforms. ETH.CM= 1Y mountain Ether (ETH) over the past year That valuation assumes future use cases and revenue streams that may not exist yet, Kendrick noted. He highlighted gaming and tokenization of real-world assets as the next big use cases for the network. Standard Chartered expects "significant developments on these fronts by 2025-26," Kendrick said.

Persons: ethereum, Geoff Kendrick, Kendrick, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Chartered, ETH Locations: Solana, Cardano, London

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Novo Nordisk, DaVita, Exxon Mobil, Amgen and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Novo Nordisk — The Danish drugmaker stock added 5.5% after saying late Tuesday it was halting Ozempic's kidney disease treatment trial after a committee said an analysis showed signs of success. DaVita , Fresenius Medical Care , Baxter International — Shares of dialysis services providers DaVita and Fresenius Medical Care sank 18.4% and 19.6%, respectively, on Novo Nordisk's news. Exxon Mobil , Pioneer Natural Resources — Exxon Mobil shares fell more than 4% after the largest U.S. oil and gas producer agreed to buy shale rival Pioneer Natural Resources for $59.5 billion in an all-stock deal, or $253 per share. Amgen — The biopharma stock added 3.5% following an upgrade from Leerink to outperform. On Wednesday, B. Riley upgraded shares to buy from neutral, saying Coherent's silicon carbide business could be worth more than the Street's current estimate.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Bruce Broussard, Jim Rechtin, Amgen, David Risinger, Goldman Sachs, Jeffrey Brown, Tim Wentworth, Riley, Raymond James, — CNBC's Michael Bloom, Hakyung Kim, Yun Li, Lisa Han Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Novo Nordisk —, Baxter, Fresenius, Novo Nordisk's, Baxter International, Exxon Mobil, Natural Resources, Exxon, Exxon's, Mobil, Healthcare, Goldman, Walgreens, Alliance Locations: Danish, Novo

☆ This fast-casual food chain is a buy after a recent sell-off, Morgan Stanley says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Cava has strong growth potential, and Morgan Stanley thinks investors need to capitalize on it. The bank upgraded shares of the fast-casual chain to overweight from equal weight. It decreased its price target to $41 from $45, but the updated forecast still implies upside of nearly 28%. Harbour pointed to Cava's strong fundamentals as a catalyst, specifically the restaurant chain's "best-in-class" store margins that still have upside potential. The analyst also highlighted Cava's strong self-funded net unit growth — which has a 15% target — and expects growth in both traffic and sales to continue this year.

Persons: Cava, Morgan Stanley, Brian Harbour, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Locations: Cava, CAVA

☆ UBS downgrades Morgan Stanley, sees little gains for the stock going forward
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

It will be hard for Morgan Stanley to move much higher from current levels, according to UBS. The investment bank downgraded shares of Morgan Stanley to neutral from buy and slashed its price target to $84 from $110. Hawken noted that while sorting is slowing, "it's unclear when it will end and the post-sorting growth algorithm for sweep balances." Morgan Stanley is slated to report third-quarter results Oct. 18. MS YTD mountain MS YTD stock chart — CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Brennan Hawken, Hawken, Michael Bloom Organizations: UBS

☆ This airplane maker can rally more than 40%, UBS says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Rising flight demand should propel Boeing shares higher, according to UBS. The investment bank initiated the airplane maker with a buy rating accompanied by a $275 per share price target. Analyst Gavin Parsons thinks the stock now has accounted for near-term obstacles at its current valuation. Parsons also said Boeing will benefit as global flight demand grows by 5% each year going forward. As demand outpaces supply, the analyst forecasts 2,500 annual new aircraft deliveries by 2030.

Persons: Gavin Parsons, Parsons, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Boeing, UBS

Search resuls for: "— CNBC'S Michael Bloom"

25 mentions found