3 New Strong Buy Ratings from Top-Rated Analysts: 04/01/2025

Nothing like a fresh Strong Buy rating. These 3 stocks were sourced from our Strong Buy Stocks from Top Wall Street Analysts screener:

• Alkermes (NASDAQ: ALKS) gets a hefty price target increase from Deutsche Bank
• Carnival Corp’s (NYSE: CCL) business is cruising  
• How EverQuote Inc. (NASDAQ: EVER) is securing handy returns

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1. Alkermes PLC (NASDAQ: ALKS)

This biotech company has a stable footprint in the industry and a 30+ year track record. Alkermes maintains a robust offering of neuroscience treatments, as well as a focused oncology pipeline after spinning off most of its cancer-related operations as a separate company. Despite strong performance in 2024, the stock is still trading at quite an attractive valuation.

Zen Rating: A (Strong Buy) — see full analysis >  

Recent Price: $33.17   — get current quote > 

Max 1-year forecast: $52.00 

Why we’re watching:

• A consensus Strong Buy, ALKS stock currently has 5 Strong Buy ratings, 1 Buy rating, and 3 Hold ratings. See the ratings
• Deutsche Bank’s David Hoang (a top 22% rated analyst) maintained an earlier Strong Buy rating on March 27. The researcher also hiked his price target from $40 to a Street-high $52, which implies a 55.08% upside. 
• Deutsche Bank's increased conviction in ALKS 2680, a prospective narcolepsy treatment, after speaking with sleep specialists was the catalyst for their price target hike, Hoang said.
• The orexin-2 receptor agonist candidate is in "pole position" for narcolepsy, the analyst explained, with "doctors endorsing a bullish view of the orexin class as a game-changer for the treatment of narcolepsy."
• With an overall Zen Rating of A, Alkermes PLC stock belongs to a class of equities that have provided an average annual return of 32.52% since the early 2000s.
• Two Component Grade ratings just jump off the page with ALKS — Value and Financials, in which it ranks in the top 4% and top 2%, respectively. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

2. Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) 

Our next pick sails into view from the travel and leisure sector. Carnival Corp. has staged an impressive post-pandemic recovery, with occupancy rates nearing historic levels. The cruise giant has also made headway on deleveraging its balance sheet, trimming billions in debt while improving margins. Yet despite the rebound, CCL remains well below its pre-COVID highs — and while macro worries remain, long-term investors are presented with a discounted entry into a resurging industry leader. 

Zen Rating: B (Buy) — see full analysis >  

Recent Price: $19.79 — get current quote > 

Max 1-year forecast: $33.00 

Why we’re watching:

• CCL stock enjoys broad bullish coverage. At present, 13 analysts issue ratings for the stock — 7 of whom have deemed it a Strong Buy. The rest of the ratings are split between 2 Buys, 3 Holds, and a lone Strong Sell. See the ratings
• Following the company’s Q1 2025 earnings call on March 25, Tigress Financial researcher Ivan Feinseth (a top 3% rated analyst) maintained a Strong Buy rating, while increasing his price target from $28 to $32.
• Noting that their updated target represents "a potential return of over 50% from current levels," Feinseth hiked their price target in response, pointing out that the quarter "delivered record results supported by robust booking volumes." 
• Looking ahead, the analyst told readers Carnival "remains well-positioned to benefit from ongoing strength in cruise demand and consumer spending on travel."
• Carnival Corp’s Zen Rating of B signifies that it carries a high likelihood of outperforming the wider market according to a holistic review of 115 proprietary factors.
• Sentiment, which is a reflection of both analyst coverage as well as earnings surprises, short interest (or lack thereof), and insider selling, is CCL’s strongest Component Grade rating, in which it ranks in the top 2% of the more than 4,600 stocks that we track.
• However, Carnival Corp also ranks highly in terms of Value — in the 96th percentile, to be precise. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

3. EverQuote Inc (NASDAQ: EVER)

EverQuote operates an online marketplace, but a slightly atypical one. If you’re in the market for insurance, you might want to give the company’s platform a look. As advertising budgets across the industry are in recovery, EVER stock has already managed to secure a pretty handy return since the start of the year. With a double beat in tow, Wall Street is confident that there’s plenty of upside remaining.

Zen Rating: A (Strong Buy) — see full analysis >  

Recent Price: $26.86 — get current quote > 

Max 1-year forecast: $38.00 

Why we’re watching:

• Out of a total of 5 analysts, 4 gave EverQuote stock a Strong Buy rating, and the odd rating out happens to be a Buy. See the ratings.
• There’s an interesting detail here — that lone Buy rating comes from Needham researcher Mayank Tandon (a top 2% rated analyst). Despite not giving the stock a Strong Buy rating, the analyst set the Street-high price target of $38, which implies a 35.28% upside, after the company’s Q4 and FY 2024 earnings.
• Tandon summarized the quarter's results as "well above expectations across the board because auto carrier marketing spend continued to recover."
• Looking ahead, the analyst noted that management's above-consensus Q1 2025 guidance reflects impressive 73% revenue growth and healthy profitability supported by the improving operating environment.
• EVER stock carries an overall Zen Rating of A — moreover, it ranks in the top 1% of all the stocks that our system tracks. It’s also in an industry with an A rating (here’s why that matters).
• Yet another interesting detail can be found by taking a closer look at EverQuote’s Component Grade ratings. A whopping three categories have merited an A rating — Financials, Sentiment, and Growth. Respectively, the stock ranks in the top 1%, top 1%, and top 2% in those areas. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

What to Do Next?

• 8 Stock Lists You Need Now >
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