Tesla Price Target Cut; Monsanto’s Hiked; Best Buy Downgraded

By | May 25, 2016

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RBC Capital lowered its price target on Tesla ( TSLA ), Jefferies upped its price target on Monsanto ( MON ) on views that Germany’s Bayer will sweeten its $62 billion takeover offer, and  Best Buy ( BBY ) was downgraded by Citigroup and Deutsche Bank. Tesla RBC Capital trimmed its price target on Tesla to 242 from 252. The electric automaker last week announced a $2 billion stock offering that will be used to fund a production ramp-up for the Model 3. RBC Capital forecast a fresh $1 billion equity raise in 2017 and lowered its estimate for Model 3 shipments. “We were always below Tesla’s vehicle delivery targets of 500,000 by 2018 and 1 million by 2020, but after speaking with industry contacts and reconsidering our model, we are tempering our delivery forecast to account for a slower Model 3 ramp,” said the RBC Capital report. Tesla shares were up 0.4% in premarket trading. Monsanto Jefferies upped its price target on Monsanto to 132. “We believe a higher-than-$130-per-share transaction is highly likely, with details emerging by August,” Jefferies said in the report. Monsanto on Tuesday rejected Bayer ’s ( BAYRY ) all-cash, $122-per-share offer. “To date, activist pressure has been limited. If a deal falters, we would expect (a) step-up in pressure for Monsanto to do more with its balance sheet,” said Jefferies. Shares rallied 2.3% early. Best Buy Best Buy, which on Tuesday forecast current-quarter profit below views and said its CFO was leaving, was downgraded to neutral by Citigroup and Deutsche Bank. Citigroup cited a lack of hot new consumer electronics products. Virtual reality will not take off until 2017, said Citigroup. “Categories with no secular threats — home improvement and auto parts — are performing better and are more predictable,” Citigroup said. Best Buy shares slumped 0.8%. Fleetmatics Pacific Crest Securities upgraded Fleetmatics ( FLTX ) to overweight with a price target of 54. Shares in the mobile fleet management software provider are down 20% in 2016 after surging 43% last year. “With plenty of solid runway for growth, rising (customer turnover) now better understood, a positively received management transition and a conservative earnings outlook for the year, we turn more positive on FLTX,” said the Pacific Crest report. In other analyst moves, Needham upgraded Workday ( WDAY ) to buy and raised its price target to 85 from 80. Scalper1 News

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