Salesforce upped, 'double-digit upside to consensus FCF': 4 big analyst picks

Investing.com — Here is your Pro Recap of the biggest analyst picks you may have missed today: upgrades at Salesforce, Equifax, Bank of New York Mellon, and Sunnova Energy International.

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Salesforce earns an upgrade at Wolfe Research

Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) shares rose more than 1% pre-market today after Wolfe Research upgraded the company to Outperform from Peerperform with a price target of $315.00, as reported in real-time on InvestingPro.

The analysts noted that after the previous downgrade due to issues like growth deceleration, management disruption, and lack of commitment to margin leverage, the outlook for the company improved significantly.

Our core thesis is that growth has bottomed and should stay double digits (upside from pricing, product cycles, AI), the commitment to margin leverage is real, leadership is stable while M&A if it happens will be responsible.

Looking ahead, the analysts anticipate a double-digit upside to consensus FCF estimates over the next two years.

Equifax gains on Jefferies upgrade

Equifax (NYSE:EFX) shares rose more than 1% pre-market today after Jefferies upgraded the company to Buy from Hold and raised its price target to $315.00 from $200.00. This represents the third upgrade for the stock this month.

With headwinds dissipating and us having greater conviction in the Workforce Solutions moat, our new higher resolution model suggests the potential for sustainable multi-year double-digit revenue and earnings growth on continued strong pricing power, TWN records growth, client penetration, and a return to more normalized volumes in mortgage.

Two more upgrades

JPMorgan upgraded Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE:BK) to Overweight from Neutral and raised its price target to $54.50 from $49.00.

The analysts highlighted three key reasons for the upgrade. Firstly, the bank's prospects for positive operating leverage stand out in comparison to its peers. Secondly, it exhibits better net interest income trends relative to other banks. Lastly, its diverse business mix is poised to perform more robustly in case of an economic slowdown and its effects on equity markets.

Sunnova Energy International (NYSE:NOVA) shares gained more than 4% pre-market today after Goldman Sachs upgraded the company to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $17.00 (from $11.00).

The analysts anticipate significant growth in the residential solar market in 2024. Additionally, they foresee a more stable lending environment given lower interest rates and share gain for seasoned borrowers.

The analysts also noted Sunnova's current attractive valuation, with the company's shares trading below their base-case NAV.

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