Over the past eight weeks (Jan 17, 2025 – Mar 12, 2025), several major S&P 500 companies have seen their target prices cut by more than 10% in analyst reports.
This reflects a combination of fundamental shifts in these companies, macroeconomic factors, and changes in industry competition. From a sell-side perspective, such target price downgrades can signal short-term downward pressure on stock prices, requiring investors to consider appropriate risk management and sell strategies.
Below is a list of stocks whose target prices have been cut by more than 10% compared to eight weeks ago. For each stock, we provide the target price as of January 17, 2025, and March 12, 2025, along with the percentage decrease.
1. AES (AES-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $15
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $18
Decline: -16.7%
Key Issue: Slower growth in the power and utilities sector, combined with rising energy costs, is pressuring the company’s profitability.
2. Albemarle (ALB-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $98
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $112
Decline: -12.5%
Key Issue: Falling lithium prices and declining global EV demand are negatively impacting the company’s earnings outlook.
3. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $147
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $173
Decline: -15.0%
Key Issue: Slowing demand in the data center and PC markets, along with intensified AI competition, has led to downward earnings revisions.
4. Biogen (BIIB-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $198
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $228
Decline: -13.2%
Key Issue: Delays in new drug approvals and growing competition are raising concerns about the company’s revenue growth.
5. Builders FirstSource (BLDR-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $178
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $203
Decline: -12.3%
Key Issue: A slowdown in the construction industry and rising raw material costs are putting pressure on profitability.
6. Celanese (CE-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $69
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $93
Decline: -25.8%
Key Issue: Weakening demand for chemical products and rising raw material costs are negatively affecting earnings.
7. Charles River Laboratories (CRL-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $183
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $204
Decline: -10.3%
Key Issue: Increased competition in the pharmaceutical research and lab supply market is putting pressure on growth projections.
8. Electronic Arts (EA-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $144
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $163
Decline: -11.7%
Key Issue: Increased competition in the gaming industry and weaker-than-expected demand for new releases are weighing on revenue forecasts.
9. Edison International (EIX-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $71
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $86
Decline: -17.4%
Key Issue: Profitability concerns in the utilities sector and growing regulatory pressures have led to a target price reduction.
10. Enphase Energy (ENPH-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $78
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $89
Decline: -12.4%
Key Issue: Slower growth in the renewable energy market and rising raw material costs are weighing on the company’s performance.
11. Fidelity National Information Services (FIS-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $83
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $93
Decline: -10.8%
Key Issue: Increased competition in financial services and payment processing is impacting earnings outlooks.
12. FMC (FMC-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $49
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $67
Decline: -26.9%
Key Issue: Weak demand for agricultural chemicals and rising input costs are pressuring earnings expectations.
13. Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $199
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $224
Decline: -11.2%
Key Issue: Changes in defense and shipbuilding budgets, along with reductions in government spending, have weighed on earnings projections.
14. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $20
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $24
Decline: -16.7%
Key Issue: Slowing demand for enterprise IT infrastructure and increased competition in the cloud computing market are affecting the company’s growth prospects.
15. Kraft Heinz (KHC-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $32
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $36
Decline: -11.1%
Key Issue: Rising raw material costs and changing consumer spending habits highlight the need for brand competitiveness improvements.
16. Microchip Technology (MCHP-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $66
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $80
Decline: -17.5%
Key Issue: Short-term uncertainties in the semiconductor industry and inventory adjustments are negatively impacting earnings expectations.
17. Mondelez International Class A (MDLZ-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $67
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $75
Decline: -10.7%
Key Issue: Slowing global consumer goods market growth and rising raw material costs are increasing margin pressures.
18. MarketAxess Holdings (MKTX-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $232
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $259
Decline: -10.4%
Key Issue: Increased competition in the bond trading platform market and interest rate volatility are affecting revenue growth.
19. Moderna (MRNA-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $53
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $69
Decline: -23.2%
Key Issue: Declining COVID-19 vaccine demand and uncertainties in new drug development are impacting investor sentiment.
20. NetApp (NTAP-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $123
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $138
Decline: -10.9%
Key Issue: Increased competition in the data storage and cloud solutions market is slowing the company’s growth trajectory.
21. ON Semiconductor (ON-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $61
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $79
Decline: -22.8%
Key Issue: Strong demand for automotive semiconductors is offset by weak IT and consumer electronics demand, leading to lower revenue forecasts.
22. Sempra (SRE-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $83
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $94
Decline: -11.7%
Key Issue: Market volatility in the energy and utilities sector and changing regulatory environments are weighing on profitability forecasts.
23. Skyworks Solutions (SWKS-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $72
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $97
Decline: -25.8%
Key Issue: Weakening demand for 5G components and increasing competition in the smartphone market are negatively impacting growth.
24. Teleflex (TFX-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $165
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $240
Decline: -31.3%
Key Issue: Slowing demand in the medical device market and global economic uncertainty are lowering earnings projections.
25. United Parcel Service Class B (UPS-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $131
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $148
Decline: -11.5%
Key Issue: Slowing growth in the global logistics market and rising costs are putting pressure on profit margins.
26. Western Digital (WDC-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $79
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $88
Decline: -10.2%
Key Issue: Short-term weakness in the memory semiconductor market and declining prices are impacting revenue and profitability.
27. West Pharmaceutical Services (WST-US)
Target Price (Mar 12, 2025): $281
Target Price (Jan 17, 2025): $377
Decline: -25.5%
Key Issue: Rising raw material costs and increasing competition in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries are pressuring growth expectations.
While the reasons and extent of target price downgrades vary by company, overall, these revisions reflect common macroeconomic risks, such as economic recession fears, supply chain uncertainties, rising costs, intensifying competition.
Additionally, some companies are affected by structural industry changes, such as fluctuations in EV battery demand and semiconductor industry trends.
From a sell-side perspective, stocks experiencing significant target price cuts could face short-term downside pressure. Investors should consider risk management strategies, including portfolio rebalancing, short positions, market-driven adjustments – Stay alert to upcoming earnings reports, interest rate changes, and key economic indicators, as these can significantly impact volatility.
By aligning investment decisions with broader market trends, investors can navigate these shifts with greater flexibility and strategic foresight.
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All posts by Sellsmart are for informational purposes only. Final investment decisions should be made with careful judgment and at the investor’s own risk.
The content of this post may be inaccurate, and any profits or losses resulting from trades are solely the responsibility of the investor.
Core16 may hold positions in the stocks mentioned in this post and may buy or sell them at any time.
