As equity markets show signs of fatigue after a prolonged bull run, defensive sectors like utilities are gaining attention. The Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU), with its low cost and stable dividend yield, presents a compelling option for investors seeking to buffer their portfolios against potential volatility.
Analysts at Truist reaffirm their Buy rating on DLocal (DLO), raising their price target to $17 ahead of the fintech firm's Q4 2025 earnings. While expecting solid results, they flag challenging year-over-year volume comparisons that may cap upside surprises.
Goldman Sachs raises its price target for Zeta Global (ZETA), citing strategic positioning ahead of an expected surge in software sector mergers and acquisitions driven by valuation gaps and synergy potential.
Rosenblatt Securities initiates coverage on Credo Technology with a Neutral rating and a $170 price target, highlighting its strong position in high-speed connectivity for AI infrastructure while flagging competitive pressures. The note follows a more bullish target hike from Barclays earlier in the month.
Clinical-stage biopharma Alumis Inc. (ALMS) is gaining significant Wall Street attention after its lead drug candidate, envudeucitinib, successfully met all endpoints in key Phase 3 trials for plaque psoriasis, prompting multiple analyst upgrades and optimistic price targets.
B.Riley initiates coverage on BrightSpire Capital (BRSP) with a Buy rating, highlighting its robust cash position and improved credit quality as key drivers for future loan originations, while its stock trades at a discount to book value.
ARMOUR Residential REIT (ARR) received a bullish upgrade from Jones Trading, which moved the stock to Buy with a $20.50 target, citing a discounted valuation and expected book value growth compared to agency mortgage REIT rivals.
Analysts at BTIG have upgraded mortgage REIT Annaly Capital Management (NLY) from 'Neutral' to 'Buy', with a $25 price target, arguing the stock is positioned to benefit from dividend stability and potential spread movements in a turbulent interest rate landscape.
Analyst firm Piper Sandler reiterates its Overweight rating on AGNC Investment Corp., highlighting a favorable shift in agency mortgage-backed securities spreads that could bolster the REIT's book value.
UBS initiates coverage on Rithm Capital with a Buy rating and a $16 price target, highlighting the REIT's aggressive acquisition strategy—including the purchases of Paramount Group and Crestline—as a key driver for expanding its asset management footprint and unlocking shareholder value.
LifeSci Capital reaffirms its Buy rating on Olema Pharmaceuticals (OLMA) and raises its price target to $45, following bullish analyst sentiment on the company's lead drug candidate, Palazestrant, for ER+/HER2- breast cancer.
Immunocore Holdings (NASDAQ: IMCR) has drawn renewed bullish sentiment from analysts at H.C. Wainwright and UBS, who highlight the stock's potential as key Phase 3 trial data for its cancer immunotherapies approaches later this decade.
Iran's foreign minister stated readiness for 'fair' negotiations with Washington but firmly ruled out discussing its defense capabilities, as regional powers intensify diplomacy to avert a military confrontation.
Six Italian police and coastguard members face trial for alleged negligence in the Cutro shipwreck that killed at least 94 migrants, a case testing Italy's hardline migration policies.
Truist Securities has slightly lowered its price target on Tesla shares to $438, citing the significant capital expenditure required for the automaker's aggressive shift towards AI and robotics, despite a solid Q4 performance.
Investment firm TD Cowen has increased its price target on Tesla (TSLA) to $519, maintaining a Buy rating. The adjustment follows a fourth-quarter performance marked by strong margins and progress on autonomous driving projects, though tempered by higher capital expenditure forecasts and vague timelines for full self-driving technology.
Truist Securities has lowered its price target on Landstar System (LSTR) from $150 to $145, maintaining a Hold rating following the logistics provider's fourth-quarter earnings miss. Analysts cite one-time insurance costs as a drag, while noting core fundamentals have yet to show a decisive turnaround.
Truist Securities raises its price target on Meta Platforms to $900, maintaining a Buy rating. The upgrade follows stronger-than-expected Q4 results and a robust Q1 outlook, driven by AI enhancements boosting ad performance and user engagement.
Analysts at TD Cowen have increased their price target on logistics giant C.H. Robinson to $194, citing better-than-expected fourth-quarter results and margin resilience in a tough spot market, while maintaining a Hold rating.
Semiconductor security firm SEALSQ deepens its investment in France, now employing around 200 specialists across its Toulouse, Aix-en-Provence, and Grenoble offices, positioning the country as a core R&D center for its post-quantum cryptography and secure chip technologies.
