Selected stock price target news of the day - March 14th, 2025

By: Matthew Otto

Ulta Beauty Reports Mixed Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2024 Results with Weaker 2025 Outlook

Ulta Beauty reported fourth-quarter net sales of $3.49 billion, a 1.9% decline from the prior year’s $3.55 billion. However, revenue surpassed analyst expectations of $3.46 billion. Comparable sales increased by 1.5%, driven by a 3.0% rise in average ticket, though transactions declined by 1.4%.

Gross profit margin improved to 38.2%, benefiting from lower inventory shrink and a favorable sales mix, while operating income remained steady at $516.3 million, or 14.8% of net sales. Net income was $393.3 million, and diluted earnings per share (EPS) rose to $8.46, exceeding analyst estimates of $7.11 by $1.35.

Full-year results showed growth, with net sales increasing 0.8% to $11.3 billion and comparable sales rising just 0.7%, compared to 5.7% in the prior year. Full-year diluted EPS declined to $25.34 from $26.03.

Ulta issued weaker-than-expected guidance for fiscal 2025, forecasting flat to 1% comparable sales growth and diluted EPS between $22.50 and $22.90, below the consensus estimate of $23.61. Full-year revenue is projected to be between $11.5 billion and $11.6 billion, missing analysts’ expectations of $11.67 billion. Ulta repurchased $1.0 billion in shares during fiscal 2024 and ended the year with $703.2 million in cash.

Looking ahead, Ulta plans to open approximately 60 new stores, remodel 40 to 45 locations, and allocate $425 to $500 million for capital expenditures while focusing on long-term growth strategies.

Analysts Lower Price Targets Amid Weak Guidance

Stifel analyst Mark Astrachan maintained a Hold rating while lowering the price target from $475 to $400.
BofA Securities analyst Lorraine Hutchinson reiterated a Neutral stance but reduced the price target from $475 to $380.
Piper Sandler analyst Korinne Wolfmeyer kept a Neutral rating and decreased the price target from $425 to $364.
Telsey Advisory Group analyst Dana Telsey upheld an Outperform rating yet trimmed the price target from $500 to $460.
Morgan Stanley analyst Simeon Gutman reiterated an Overweight rating while cutting the price target from $500 to $460.

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

Analyst Michael Baker (DAVIDSON) currently has the highest performing score on ULTA with 28/30 (93.33%) price target fulfillment ratio. His price targets carry an average of $81.83 (19.11%) potential upside. Ulta Beauty stock price reaches these price targets on average within 129 days.

Semtech Beats Q4 EPS Estimates but Guides Below Consensus for Q1 2026

Semtech reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 net sales of $251.0 million, surpassing the consensus estimate of $250.18 million and increasing 6% sequentially. Gross margin improved to 52.0%, up 90 basis points from the prior quarter, while the adjusted gross margin reached 53.2%, up 80 basis points sequentially.

Operating margin increased 100 basis points to 8.5%, with the adjusted operating margin expanding to 19.9%, up 160 basis points sequentially. Earnings per share (EPS) came in at $0.43, while adjusted EPS was $0.40, beating analyst expectations of $0.33 by $0.07. Semtech generated $33.5 million in operating cash flow and $30.9 million in free cash flow during the quarter.

For the full fiscal year 2025, Semtech reported net sales of $909.3 million, a 5% increase from the prior year. Gross margin rose significantly to 50.2%, an improvement of 1,610 basis points year-over-year, while the adjusted gross margin increased by 200 basis points to 51.5%. Operating margin stood at 5.5%, with the adjusted operating margin reaching 16.4%.

Semtech reported a net loss of $2.26 per share for the year, while adjusted earnings per share were $0.88. Semtech also reduced its net debt by 68% year-over-year, strengthening its financial position. However, Semtech issued a cautious outlook for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, projecting EPS between $0.34 and $0.40, which aligns with the low end of the consensus estimate of $0.34, and revenue in the range of $245 million to $255 million, slightly below the consensus estimate of $251 million.

Analysts Maintain Buy Ratings, Adjust Price Targets

Stifel analyst Tore Svanberg maintained a Buy rating but lowered the price target from $60 to $54.
Benchmark analyst Cody Acree continued to rate as Buy, reducing the price target from $82 to $68.
Needham analyst Quinn Bolton reaffirmed with a Buy rating, and the price target at $54.
UBS analyst Timothy Arcuri maintained a positive outlook and lowered the price target from $60 to $54.

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

Analyst Scott Searle (ROTH) currently has the highest performing score on SMTC with 12/13 (92.31%) price target fulfillment ratio. His price targets carry an average of $6.56 (12.28%) potential upside. Semtech stock price reaches these price targets on average within 234 days.

Blink Charging Misses Revenue Estimates in Q4; Full-Year Revenue Declines 10%

Blink Charging Co. reported total revenue of $30.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2024, a 29.3% decline from $42.7 million in the same period of 2023, and below the consensus estimate of $31.76 million.

Full-year revenue reached $126.2 million, down 10.2% from $140.6 million in 2023. Service revenue rose 24% year-over-year to $9.8 million in the fourth quarter, while full-year service revenue increased 32% to $34.8 million.

Product revenue for the fourth quarter was $17.2 million, reflecting a 48.6% decrease from $33.4 million in the prior-year quarter. However, sequentially, product revenue rose 28% compared to the third quarter of 2024. Gross margin for the fourth quarter stood at 25%, while the full-year gross margin was 32%. Blink contracted, deployed, or sold 4,357 charging stations in the fourth quarter and 19,771 chargers globally for the full year.

Operating expenses in Q4 totaled $81.1 million, including $58.0 million in non-cash impairment charges, compared to $29.5 million in Q4 2023. Excluding these charges, operating expenses decreased by 21% to $23.1 million. Net loss for the fourth quarter was $(73.5) million, or $(0.73) per share, while the full-year net loss was $(198.1) million, or $(1.96) per share. Adjusted EPS for Q4 was $(0.15), outperforming the analyst estimate of $(0.16). Adjusted EBITDA loss improved to $(10.6) million in Q4, compared to $(13.9) million in the prior-year quarter, while full-year adjusted EBITDA loss stood at $(49.5) million, an improvement from $(56.9) million in 2023.

Looking ahead, Blink expects continued service revenue growth in 2025 and anticipates product revenue in the first half of the year to align with the second half of 2024, followed by improvement in the latter half of the year.

Analysts Maintain Mixed Stance; Price Targets Lowered

Needham analyst Chris Pierce reiterated a Hold rating.
HC Wainwright & Co. analyst Sameer Joshi reiterated a Buy rating and an $8 price target.
Benchmark analyst Mickey Legg reiterated a Buy rating and lowered his price target to $2.
Stifel analyst Stephen Gengaro reaffirmed a Hold rating and a $3.50 price target.

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

Analyst Stephen Gengaro (STIFEL) currently has the highest performing score on BLNK with 4/7 (57.14%) price target fulfillment ratio. His price targets carry an average of $1.59 (83.25%) potential upside. Blink Charging Co. stock price reaches these price targets on average within 10 days.