Core Viewpoint - Wedbush upgraded Carvana from Neutral to Outperform and raised its price target to $400 from $380, resulting in a more than 7% increase in shares intra-day on Monday [1] Group 1: Market Performance - Carvana shares had declined approximately 13% over the past month, underperforming the S&P 500, primarily due to weak near-term results from peer CarMax and broader credit market concerns [1] - The current trading valuation is around 22 times Wedbush's 2027 EPS estimate, which is near the low end of Carvana's valuation range over the past two years [2] Group 2: Investment Analysis - Wedbush believes the recent pullback in Carvana's stock price was excessive, creating an attractive entry point for investors [1] - The analysis indicates limited downside risk and a compelling risk/reward scenario at current levels [2]

The car market hasn't exactly looked healthy in recent months, but that shouldn't spook Carvana shareholders, according to analysts at Wedbush Securities. ...

Core Insights - Carvana shares have surged approximately 60% since the beginning of 2025, reflecting strong market momentum and investor confidence [1][4] - Wedbush upgraded Carvana's stock rating from "neutral" to "outperform" and increased the price target from $380 to $400, indicating a bullish outlook on the company's performance [1][7] Company Performance - Analysts at Wedbush believe Carvana's growth momentum is accelerating rapidly, potentially allowing it to surpass rival CarMax in unit vehicle volume sooner than anticipated [2][3] - Carvana's revenue for the current quarter is projected to be $5.2 billion, which is an increase of about 3% from previous estimates [3] Competitive Landscape - The poor performance of CarMax, Carvana's largest competitor, has been cited as a contributing factor to Carvana's recent stock fluctuations, suggesting that the market may have overreacted to Carvana's share price decline [3] - Analysts predict that Carvana will achieve a leading market position by unit volume in the fourth quarter of 2026, with expectations that it will surpass CarMax's quarterly used unit volumes six months earlier than initially forecasted [2][3]

Core Viewpoint - Carvana's stock has experienced significant volatility, trading at over $350 in December 2022 and peaking at over $400 in July 2023, but has since pulled back 25% from that high while still being up over 50% year-to-date in 2025 [1] Company Performance - Carvana has been upgraded by Wed Bush to an "outperform" rating with a price target of $400, reflecting improved unit economics and profitability, generating approximately $629 million on $18 billion in sales last year [3][4] - The company has seen a significant increase in sales and profitability, especially as competitors like Vroom and Shift have gone bankrupt, positioning Carvana favorably in the used car retail market [5] Stock Analysis - The stock has pulled back about 23% since early October, but analysts see a compelling risk-reward scenario with limited downside risk, as it appears to be bouncing off its 200-day moving average [6][7] - Current earnings estimates for Carvana are around $547 million for this year, with projections of $7.35 per share for 2026, placing the stock at approximately 42 times next year's earnings [7] Market Context - The overall market for used car retailers is positive, with Carvana's stock rising nearly 7% following the upgrade, alongside gains in competitors like Autoation and CarMax [2] - The market sentiment is influenced by expectations of a potential rate cut by the Federal Reserve, which could further benefit stocks like Carvana [11][14]

Core Insights - The article compiles significant research calls from Wall Street, highlighting upgrades and downgrades of various companies that investors should be aware of [1] Upgrades - Wells Fargo upgraded Merck (MRK) to Overweight from Equal Weight with a price target of $125, increased from $90, citing business development and pipeline progress as key factors for revenue growth in the early 2030s [2] - Wolfe Research upgraded Morgan Stanley (MS) to Outperform from Peer Perform with a price target of $198, anticipating accelerated revenue growth from investment banking share gains and organic growth in wealth management [3] - HSBC upgraded Flutter Entertainment (FLUT) to Buy from Hold with a price target of $228, reduced from $265, viewing the recent share selloff as a buying opportunity [3] - BofA upgraded Booking Holdings (BKNG) to Buy from Neutral with an unchanged price target of $6,000, believing that concerns regarding disintermediation risks from Google and OpenAI are overstated [4] - Wedbush upgraded Carvana (CVNA) to Outperform from Neutral with a price target of $400, increased from $380, suggesting that the recent share pullback is overdone [5] Downgrades - UBS downgraded JFrog (FROG) to Neutral from Buy with a price target of $65, up from $48, indicating that while AI-related benefits are significant, the larger revenue impact is likely 12-18 months away [6] - Jefferies downgraded Exact Sciences (EXAS) to Hold from Buy with a price target of $105, up from $90, due to the pending acquisition by Abbott, which is seen as a win for Exact Sciences [6] - Evercore ISI downgraded QuantumScape (QS) to In Line from Outperform with a price target of $12, up from $8, citing valuation concerns as shares have risen 200% year-to-date [6] - UBS downgraded Jazz Pharmaceuticals (JAZZ) to Neutral from Buy with a price target of $188, up from $163, stating that the stock appears fairly valued after a strong Phase 3 GEA update and a 25% stock increase [6] - TD Cowen downgraded PureCycle Technologies (PCT) to Hold from Buy with a price target of $9, down from $16, due to delays in orders and growth plans, prompting a more cautious stance [6]

Core Viewpoint - CarMax, Inc. is facing a class action lawsuit for securities fraud following a significant stock drop of approximately 20% after disappointing financial results and the unexpected departure of its CEO [1][6][7]. Financial Performance - CarMax reported a 5.4% decline in retail used unit sales, a 6.3% decline in comparable store used unit sales, and a 2.2% decline in wholesale units for the second quarter of fiscal year 2026 [6]. - The company's net income for the second quarter was approximately $95.4 million, down from $132.8 million in the previous year [6]. - The stock price fell from $57.05 per share on September 24, 2025, to $45.60 per share on September 25, 2025, a drop of $11.45 per share or roughly 20% [7]. Legal Issues - A class action lawsuit has been filed against CarMax and certain senior executives under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [3]. - The lawsuit claims that CarMax misrepresented the demand for its cars, which was allegedly boosted by short-term factors such as U.S. tariffs [4]. - The unexpected departure of CEO Bill Nash on November 6, 2025, is also under investigation regarding the company's assessment of its car loan portfolio [5].

Core Insights - O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. (ORLY) has a market capitalization of $86.95 billion and is a leading specialty retailer of automotive parts, tools, and accessories in the U.S. [1] Performance Overview - O'Reilly's stock has gained 25% over the past 52 weeks and 27% year-to-date, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 Index, which gained 11% and 12.3% in the same periods [2] - The stock has also outperformed the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY), which gained 4.9% over the past 52 weeks [3] Growth Drivers - The company's strong performance is attributed to steady growth backed by robust fundamentals, a powerful cash flow engine, and an aggressive share repurchase program that reduces share count, thereby boosting earnings per share [4] - O'Reilly's Q3 results showed an 8% year-over-year revenue increase to $4.71 billion, driven by a 5.6% rise in comparable store sales and market-share gains [5] - The company improved its operating margin by 20 basis points, resulting in approximately 9% growth in both operating and net income, with EPS rising 12% to $0.85 due to the share repurchase program [5] - With nearly 6,540 stores in operation and raised guidance for full-year revenue and comparable sales, O'Reilly demonstrates consistent mid-single-digit growth, solid profitability, and dependable earnings momentum [5]

Core Viewpoint - A class action lawsuit has been filed against CarMax, Inc. and certain senior executives for securities fraud following a significant stock drop attributed to potential violations of federal securities laws [1][2]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - Investors have until January 2, 2026, to request to lead the case, which is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland [2]. - The lawsuit asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of CarMax investors [2]. Group 2: Company Performance and Stock Impact - CarMax reported disappointing financial results for Q2 FY 2026, including a 5.4% decline in retail used unit sales, a 6.3% decline in comparable store used unit sales, and a 2.2% decline in wholesale units [5]. - The company's net income for Q2 was approximately $95.4 million, down from $132.8 million the previous year, attributed to a "pull forward" in demand due to U.S. tariffs [5]. - Following the financial report, CarMax's stock dropped $11.45 per share, or roughly 20%, from $57.05 on September 24, 2025, to $45.60 on September 25, 2025 [6]. - An unexpected departure of CEO Bill Nash on November 6, 2025, and a weak preliminary Q3 2025 outlook led to an additional stock drop of over 24% [6].

Core Viewpoint - CarMax is facing a class action lawsuit due to allegations of misleading statements regarding its growth prospects and financial performance, particularly related to its loan loss provisions and stock price decline [5][6][7]. Group 1: Legal Proceedings - Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP is investigating potential claims against CarMax and reminds investors of the January 2, 2026 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in the federal securities class action [2]. - The lawsuit claims that CarMax and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false statements about the company's growth and failing to disclose critical information [5]. - Investors who suffered losses between June 20, 2025, and September 24, 2025, are encouraged to contact the law firm to discuss their legal rights [1]. Group 2: Financial Performance - CarMax reported a significant decrease in income from CarMax Auto Finance, with an 11.2% decline attributed to a $142.2 million provision for loan losses in the second quarter of fiscal 2026, compared to $112.6 million in the same period the previous year [6]. - The provision for loan losses included a $71.3 million increase in estimated lifetime losses on existing loans, primarily due to worsening performance among the 2022 and 2023 vintages [7]. - Following the financial results announcement, CarMax's stock price fell by $11.45 per share, approximately 20%, closing at $45.60 on September 26, 2025 [7].

Core Viewpoint - An amended securities class action lawsuit has been filed against CarMax, Inc., expanding the class period to include those who purchased securities between June 20, 2025, and November 5, 2025, with a lead plaintiff deadline set for January 2, 2026 [1]. Allegations Against Defendants - The complaint alleges that during the class period, defendants made false and misleading statements regarding CarMax's growth prospects, claiming that earlier growth was a temporary benefit due to customer speculation about tariffs [2]. - It is asserted that the positive statements made by defendants about the company's business and operations were materially misleading and lacked a reasonable basis [2]. Lead Plaintiff Process - Investors in CarMax may seek to be appointed as lead plaintiff representatives by January 2, 2026, or may choose to remain absent class members [3]. - The lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all class members and selects counsel to represent the class, with the ability to share in any recovery not affected by the decision to serve as lead plaintiff [3]. Firm Background - Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP is known for prosecuting class actions and has recovered billions for victims of fraud and corporate misconduct [4].