Last Updated on 03/08/2026
Monday – Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ: HBAN)
What’s the full story?
Bank of America downgraded Huntington Bancshares from Buy to Neutral and reduced its price target to $18.50. The post-merger integration following the Cadence acquisition has largely stabilized, but the anticipated valuation expansion has lost momentum. BofA is becoming less confident that investors will fully accept management’s ambitious 2027 EPS target of $1.90–$1.93, especially as pressure on net interest income continues to weigh on profitability.
The bank’s core revenue engine is showing signs of weakness. A 2% miss in quarterly net interest income forced management to acknowledge that FY26 revenue may fall below its previous target range. As a result, BofA lowered its EPS forecasts to $1.58 for FY26 and $1.85 for FY27. The new $18.50 price target reflects a balance between forward earnings multiples and tangible book value, suggesting limited upside potential if profit margins continue to deteriorate.
Tuesday – Clorox Co (NYSE: CLX)
What’s the full story?
Jefferies downgraded Clorox to Hold after conceding that its previous bullish outlook was overly optimistic. The earlier investment thesis assumed the consumer staples company could generate more than $7.00 in fiscal 2027 earnings per share while successfully overcoming operational challenges. However, weaker market share trends have persisted, and the appointment of a new CEO points toward a broader strategic overhaul.
The expected turnaround will likely require increased investment, putting further pressure on earnings. Jefferies forecasts that Clorox’s upcoming FY27 guidance could come in around 6% below current market expectations. With recovery timelines extending and management preparing for a significant operational reset, the turnaround story has lost momentum. Investors may prefer to wait until the new leadership team demonstrates clearer progress.
Wednesday – Ribbon Communications Inc (NASDAQ: RBBN)
What’s the full story?
B. Riley upgraded Ribbon Communications from Neutral to Buy and raised its price target to $3.30, despite management recently cutting its full-year 2026 outlook. The upgrade reflects the view that previous company targets were unrealistically ambitious, creating repeated earnings disappointments. By resetting expectations to more achievable levels, management has reduced execution risk and created a stronger foundation for future growth.
Although the company lowered guidance due to weaker-than-expected third-quarter expectations and delayed Tier-1 customer deployments, second-quarter results still exceeded modest forecasts. B. Riley reduced its EBITDA estimates but assigned a higher valuation multiple, applying 1.0x 2027 enterprise value-to-sales. With unrealistic expectations already removed from the stock, the reset could provide a clearer path for operational improvement.
Thursday – New Oriental Education & Technology Group (NYSE: EDU)
What’s the full story?
Macquarie upgraded New Oriental Education to Neutral and increased its price target by 15%, driven largely by the company’s strong shareholder return strategy. Fourth-quarter revenue increased 23% year-over-year, exceeding guidance, while non-GAAP operating margins improved by 60 basis points to 7.2%.
However, the improvement remains heavily dependent on the performance of the East Buy segment, while the core education business continues to show limited growth. Macquarie remains cautious about FY27 margin expansion, citing potential overseas restructuring costs that could impact efficiency goals.
Despite operational challenges, New Oriental’s strong cash generation supports investor returns. The company announced a new $500 million capital return program, including $300 million in dividends and $200 million in share buybacks, creating an estimated 6% total shareholder yield. This provides support for the stock’s valuation despite ongoing business pressures.
Friday – AXT Inc (NASDAQ: AXTI)
What’s the full story?
Needham upgraded AXT from Hold to Buy and introduced a $90 price target, valuing the company at approximately 26 times projected 2028 earnings. The upgrade comes as the company’s fundamentals begin to improve significantly, making the valuation appear increasingly attractive.
AXT delivered another strong earnings performance, beating expectations for revenue, EPS, and forward guidance. The company plans to double its Indium Phosphide substrate capacity over the next year and has returned to profitability. New agreements with two major global laser manufacturers, combined with accelerating demand from China’s optical networking sector, are turning the data center growth narrative into tangible revenue opportunities and expanding market share.
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