McDonald’s Stock Challenged By a Tougher Economy, Analyst Says. Plus, Marriott, Snowflake, and More.
Barrons·2025-11-07 22:36

Group 1: Targa Resources - Targa Resources reported a solid third-quarter performance driven by volume growth in the gathering and processing segment, and plans to meet the high end of the previous fiscal 2025 adjusted EBITDA guidance [3] - The company bought back approximately $156 million of stock during the quarter and announced a 25% dividend increase for 2026, which is expected to be viewed positively by investors [3] Group 2: Bio-Techne - Bio-Techne reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of $286.6 million, down 1% year over year, and flat adjusted earnings of $0.42 compared to the same quarter in 2025 [5] - The company faced headwinds in its GMP proteins business and funding delays for emerging biotech customers, leading to results below expectations [5] - A Buy rating is maintained with a price target of $75, reflecting the long-term potential of the company's diversified life science product portfolio [6] Group 3: McDonald's - McDonald's reported U.S. comparable sales growth of 2.4%, slightly below expectations, with earnings falling short due to heavy marketing investments [7] - The company anticipates U.S. comps to accelerate in the fourth quarter, driven by easier comparisons from last year's food safety incident and promotions [8] - A price target of $315 is set, but the company remains cautious due to challenges in consumer transactions and a bifurcated consumer base [8] Group 4: Docebo - Docebo is initiated with an Outperform rating and a price target of $35, as it has outpaced the broader LMS market by displacing legacy vendors and moving upmarket [9] - The company is expected to benefit from its push into the public sector after achieving FedRAMP status in April 2025 [10] Group 5: Marriott International - Marriott International's third-quarter results were a surprise positive, while the fourth-quarter guidance is considered neutral/slightly positive, reflecting macro uncertainty [11] - The preliminary outlook for 2026 indicates similar growth compared to 2025, suggesting an attractive growth path for the lodging sector [11] - A Neutral rating is maintained with a price target of $297, indicating a balanced risk/reward scenario [11] Group 6: Snowflake - Snowflake's annual developer and product conference highlighted its evolution from a "Data Cloud" to an "Enterprise Intelligence Cloud," focusing on helping customers build and reason with their data [12] - Key product announcements included the launch of Snowflake Intelligence and expanded AI capabilities, which are expected to drive future growth [13][14] - A price target of $280 is set, reflecting the company's strategic direction and product enhancements [15]