Selected stock price target news of the day - July 31st, 2025

By: Matthew Otto

AEP Tops Q2 Estimates; Maintains 2025 Guidance Toward Upper End of Range

American Electric Power (AEP) reported second-quarter 2025 earnings of $2.29 per share, compared to $0.64 in the same period last year. Adjusted earnings were $1.43 per share, exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.22.

Quarterly revenue reached $5.09 billion, up from $4.58 billion in the prior year and above the expected $4.9 billion. The largest contribution to earnings came from transmission operations, which posted $578 million, followed by $433 million from vertically integrated utilities. AEP reaffirmed its full-year 2025 adjusted earnings guidance of $5.75 to $5.95 per share and now expects results toward the upper end of that range. The current consensus estimate stands at $5.86 per share.

AEP intends to introduce a new five-year capital investment plan of approximately $70 billion, an increase from the previously announced $54 billion. The planned investment is attributed to anticipated growth in electricity demand, particularly from industrial facilities and data centers in states including Texas, Ohio, and Indiana. AEP has secured customer agreements representing 24 gigawatts of additional load expected by 2030, up from 21 gigawatts in prior disclosures. It also reports more than 190 gigawatts of load requests under consideration.

AEP completed a $2.82 billion minority equity transaction involving its Ohio and Indiana transmission businesses during the quarter. Infrastructure initiatives also progressed, including the development of a 765-kilovolt transmission line in Texas.

Analysts Adjust Price Targets Following Q2 and Updated Outlook

UBS analyst William Appicelli maintained a Sell rating but lifted the price target from $100 to $110.
Mizuho analyst Anthony Crowdell kept a Neutral stance while raising the price target from $109 to $116.

Which Analyst has the best track record to show on AEP?

Analyst Nicholas Campanella (BARCLAYS) currently has the highest performing score on AEP with 11/12 (91.67%) price target fulfillment ratio. His price targets carry an average of $-2.15 (-1.99%) potential downside. American Electric Power stock price reaches these price targets on average within 243 days.

Microsoft Reports Q4 FY25 Results; Azure Growth and Capital Expenditures Highlight Outlook

Microsoft reported revenue of $76.44 billion for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025, an increase of 18% compared to the same period a year earlier. Net income for the quarter was $27.23 billion, up from $22.04 billion in the prior-year quarter. Diluted earnings per share reached $3.65, above the consensus estimate of $3.37 compiled by LSEG.

Microsoft’s Intelligent Cloud segment recorded $29.88 billion in revenue, a 26% increase year-over-year. Azure revenue rose 39% in the quarter. For the full fiscal year, Microsoft reported $75 billion in revenue from Azure and other cloud services, marking a 34% annual increase.

For the first quarter of fiscal 2026, Microsoft projected revenue in the range of $74.7 billion to $75.8 billion. The midpoint of this range, $75.25 billion, is above the $74.09 billion analyst consensus estimate from LSEG. The company expects Azure revenue to grow 37% year-over-year at constant currency, compared with a consensus of 33.7% from StreetAccount.

Microsoft also issued guidance for approximately $30 billion in capital expenditures and assets acquired through finance leases for the fiscal first quarter. This outlook exceeds the $23.75 billion forecast from Visible Alpha. Capital expenditures in the fiscal fourth quarter were reported at $24.2 billion, a 27% increase compared to the same period a year earlier.

Analysts Raise Price Targets Following Results and Azure Growth

Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives maintained an Outperform rating and lifted the price target from $600 to $625.
Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Thomas Blakey reiterated an Overweight rating while increasing the price target from $581 to $639.
Oppenheimer analyst Brian Schwartz maintained an Outperform rating and raised the price target from $600 to $630.
Keybanc analyst Jackson Ader upgraded from Sector Weight to Overweight, and set a price target of $630.
BofA Securities analyst Brad Sills kept a Buy rating and increased the price target from $585 to $640.
WestPark Capital analyst Curtis Shauger reiterated a Hold rating.

Which Analyst has the best track record to show on MSFT?

Analyst Mark Murphy (JPMORGAN) currently has the highest performing score on MSFT with 29/29 (100%) price target fulfillment ratio. His price targets carry an average of $49.6 (11.66%) potential upside. Microsoft stock price reaches these price targets on average within 128 days.

eBay Reports Q2 Earnings Above Estimates, Guides for Modest Growth in Q3

eBay reported second quarter 2025 revenue of $2.73 billion, up 6% from $2.57 billion in the same period last year and above the consensus estimate of $2.64 billion. Gross Merchandise Volume rose to $19.5 billion, also up 6% year-over-year.

Net income from continuing operations was $369 million, or $0.79 per diluted share, compared to $226 million and $0.45 per share in the year-ago quarter. On an adjusted basis, earnings were $1.37 per diluted share, exceeding analyst expectations of $1.29. Adjusted net income increased to $643 million from $602 million a year earlier.

Operating margins for the quarter were 17.7% on a reported basis and 28.4% on an adjusted basis. The company returned $759 million to shareholders, including $625 million in share repurchases and $134 million in dividends.

Cash and investments totaled $5.4 billion at the end of the quarter. Operating cash flow stood at negative $307 million, while free cash flow was negative $441 million. Advertising revenue totaled $482 million, representing 2.5% of total GMV, with $455 million attributed to first-party ad products, reflecting 19% growth year-over-year.

For the third quarter of 2025, eBay expects revenue between $2.69 billion and $2.74 billion and earnings per share between $1.29 and $1.34.

Analyst Ratings Rise Following Q2 Results and Upbeat Guidance

Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Deepak Mathivanan maintained a Neutral rating while raising the price target from $69 to $85.
UBS analyst Kunal Madhukar maintained a Neutral stance and lifted the price target from $82 to $87.
Morgan Stanley analyst Nathan Feather kept an Overweight rating and raised the price target from $81 to $89.
Needham analyst Bernie McTernan reiterated a Buy rating and increased the price target from $78 to $95.
BMO Capital analyst Brian Pitz upgraded from Market Perform to Outperform and the price target from $70 to $102.

Which Analyst has the best track record to show on EBAY?

Analyst Mark Kelley (STIFEL) currently has the highest performing score on EBAY with 3/5 (60%) price target fulfillment ratio. His price targets carry an average of $-5.67 (-8.38%) potential downside. eBay stock price reaches these price targets on average within 66 days.