3 New Strong Buy Ratings from Top-Rated Analysts: 04/17/2025

Following top-rated analysts can be like a fast-forward button, directing you toward high-quality stocks. Here’s a peek at the latest picks from our Strong Buy Stocks from Top Wall Street Analysts screener:

• Carnival Corp (NYSE: CCL) continues to cruise 
• Despite tariff fears, Ralph Lauren Corp (NYSE: RL) has a lot going for it
• The ultimate pandemic play is back: Why analysts are watching Zoom Communications (NASDAQ: ZM)

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1. Carnival Corp (NYSE: CCL)

This cruise company 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: $17.64 — get current quote > 

Max 1-year forecast: $33.00

Why we’re watching:

• Carnival Corp’s recovery hasn’t gone unnoticed. The stock has 7 Strong Buy ratings, 1 Buy rating, and 4 Hold ratings — no Sells or Strong Sells here. See the ratings
• The average 12-month price forecast for CCL shares sits at $28.83 — which implies a 63.45% upside.
• Tigress Financial researcher Ivan Feinseth (a top 4% rated analyst) increased his price target from $28 to $32 and maintained a Strong Buy rating following the company’s Q1 2025 earnings call.
• Feinseth cited strong booking volumes and ongoing strength in cruise demand as the key drivers behind his decision.
• At present, CCL shares have a Zen Rating of B. On average, this class of equities has outperformed the wider market for the past two and a half decades.
• Carnival Corp stock ranks quite highly in terms of Value — in the top 4%, to be exact. However, its Sentiment Component Grade rating is even more impressive — in that category, it ranks in the top 1% of stocks. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

2. Ralph Lauren Corp (NYSE: RL)

Despite being exposed to some pretty impactful tariff risks, fashion industry powerhouse Ralph Lauren has managed to maintain the confidence of Wall Street analysts. With plenty of brand strength, immense pricing power, and a hefty war chest, RL looks quite set to reclaim some of the losses it has made since February.

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

Recent Price: $197.92 — get current quote > 

Max 1-year forecast: $348.00 

Why we’re watching:

• RL stock enjoys broad analyst support — with 8 Strong Buy ratings, 3 Buy ratings, and 1 Hold rating. See the ratings
• At present, the average 12-month price forecast for RL shares implies a 47.91% upside.
• Wells Fargo analyst Ike Boruchow (a top 8% rated analyst) recently upgraded Ralph Lauren to a Strong Buy, while cutting his price target from $275 to $240.
• Boruchow reported that a deep dive into their Services (Retail & eCommerce) sector coverage area catalyzed their price target cut on Ralph Lauren. 
• Within their Softlines portfolio, Ralph Lauren has "strong brand heat KPIs," global diversification, and pricing power, which will help to mitigate the negative impact of tariffs, the analyst told readers.
• Boruchow added that the stock's "now extremely reasonable valuation" represents an opportunity. 
• RL is currently the highest-rated stock in the Apparel Manufacturing industry.
• Ralph Lauren shares have Zen Rating of A, and rank in the top 4% of stocks tracked by our system.
• Financials and AI are the company’s strongest suits — in the former, it ranks in the top 1% of equities, and in the latter, it ranks in the top 5%. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

3. Zoom Communications (NASDAQ: ZM)

Let’s jump on a quick call, and we’ll explain why Zoom deserves a closer look. Just kidding — while you might think of Zoom as yesterday’s news in comparison to, say, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, or Slack (and it probably brings up not-so-pleasant memories of a global pandemic), the business has made ample strides in growing enterprise revenue and reducing customer churn.

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

Recent Price: $72.41   — get current quote > 

Max 1-year forecast: $115.00 

Why we’re watching:

• At present, 19 analysts issue ratings for Zoom stock. While a majority — 12, to be exact, have given it a Hold rating, the stock also has 4 Buy ratings, 3 Strong Buy ratings, and not a single Sell or Strong Sell rating. See the ratings
• Despite the numerous hold ratings, analysts are still projecting plenty of upside — the average price forecast for ZM shares, at $90.74, would equate to a 27.19% rally from current prices.
• Rosenblatt researcher Catharine Trebnick (a top 10% rated analyst) recently doubled down on a Strong Buy rating, maintaining a $95 price target.   
• Trebnick credited better scalability, comprehensive sales enablement tools, and strategic regionalization as key growth drivers going forward.
• Our proprietary quant rating system has given ZM shares the highest possible Zen Rating — an A. In fact, Zoom stock currently ranks in the 96th percentile of all equities.
• There’s plenty to like here in terms of Component Grade ratings, but two factors that are all the more important in times of economic uncertainty — Value and Financials, stand apart from the rest. In terms of the former, Zoom ranks in the top 8% of stocks — in terms of the latter, it ranks in the top 4%. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

What to Do Next?

• 200 Stocks to Sell Now >
• See All “A” Rated Stocks with +32.52% Average Annual Return >
• 2 New Stocks to Buy from Steve Reitmeister >

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