Goldman Sachs upgraded Philip Morris International Inc (NYSE: PM) from Neutral to Conviction Buy and raiseed the price target from $98.00 to $103.00.
Goldman Sachs commented, “In our view, PM offers the best combination of growth and yield at a reasonable valuation among large-cap Staples. Key reasons for our upgrade: (1) Solid double-digit EPS growth outlook – We see another year of double-digit EPS growth driven by profitable EM growth, ‘less bad’ EU and financial leverage; (2) Manageable regulation – We see limited risk of plain packaging becoming the ‘norm’; and (3) Multiple long-term ‘call option’ including China, Next Generation Products (NGPs) and conversion of illicit trade to legal sales.”
Philip Morris International closed at $87.29 on Thursday.
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Tags: Goldman Sachs
Posted in: Analyst Color, Upgrades, Pre-Market Outlook, Analyst Ratings