Wall Street Analysts See a 67.54% Upside in CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP): Can the Stock Really Move This High?

Core Viewpoint - CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) shows potential for significant upside based on analysts' price targets and positive earnings estimate revisions, despite skepticism around the reliability of price targets as investment indicators [1][2][5]. Price Targets - The mean price target for CRSP is $81.96, indicating a 67.5% upside potential from the current price of $48.92 [1]. - Price targets range from a low of $30 to a high of $199, with a standard deviation of $34.57, suggesting variability in analysts' estimates [1]. - A low standard deviation indicates a high degree of agreement among analysts regarding the stock's price movement direction [4]. Earnings Estimates - Analysts have shown increasing optimism about CRSP's earnings prospects, with a 0.5% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year [5]. - There has been strong agreement among analysts in revising EPS estimates higher, which correlates with potential near-term stock price movements [5]. - CRSP holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), placing it in the top 20% of over 4,000 ranked stocks based on earnings estimates [5]. Analyst Behavior - Analysts' price targets may often be overly optimistic due to business incentives, which can lead to inflated estimates [3]. - Despite the skepticism surrounding price targets, the direction implied by these targets can still serve as a useful guide for investors [6].