3 New Strong Buy Ratings from Top-Rated Analysts: 12/6/2024

Analysts see mega performance from Meta (META) in the coming year, but it’s not the only stock that just got a Strong Buy rating in recent memory. Marcus Corp. (MCS) also just got a price target hike, and Quad/Graphics Inc. (NYSE: QUAD) has the support of top-rated analysts. Keep reading to find out why.

1- Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) 

Zen Rating: A (Strong Buy) 

Analyst/Firm: Josh Beck / Raymond James

Analyst ranking: Top 2% / average return +11.38% / win rate 55% 

Price at writing: $609.40 — see latest price here

Price target: $675.00 

• Raymond James's Josh Beck reiterated their Strong Buy rating on Facebook (NASDAQ: META). The analyst also maintained a $675 price target. See more ratings + price targets for META here.
• Beck reported that they added Meta Platforms to Raymond James' Analyst Current Favorites List.
• The analyst said they believe the company is well-positioned to capitalize on the rising tide of AI monetization in 2025, thanks to tailwinds that include improved "recommendation models" that will increase engagement by mid-single to low-double-digits. 
• Beck predicted that by 2026, several industries will have made significant strides in using Meta AI, creating a search and assistant opportunity worth $10B+ within select verticals.
• The stock is trading close to its market multiple, which is expected to grow as investors "welcome" Meta's improved AI monetization story, the analyst told investors.
• Beck predicted that next year, Reality Labs' losses might peak as smart glasses and other mainstream use cases for reality gain popularity, opening the door to greater upside possibilities.

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2- Marcus Corp. (NYSE: MCS) 

Zen Rating: B (Buy) 

Analyst/Firm: Mike Hickey / Benchmark

Analyst ranking: Top 3% / average return +17.15% / win rate 73% 

Price at writing:

Price target:  $25.00 

• Benchmark's Mike Hickey raised their price target on Marcus (NYSE: MCS) by 13.6% from $22 to $25 on 11/25. The analyst maintained their Strong Buy rating on the stock. See more analyst ratings for MCS here.
• Hickey attributed their price target hike to takeaways from a recently concluded non-deal roadshow with Marcus' executive team, highlighting a belief that the company's theatrical segment will be a key growth area in coming years.
• MCS also boasts a Zen Rating score of B, with a particularly high rating for Growth. See the full score here.

3 - Quad/Graphics Inc. (NYSE: QUAD) 

Zen Rating: A (Strong Buy) 

Analyst/Firm: Barton Crockett / Rosenblatt

Analyst ranking: Top 8% / average return +8.77% / win rate 59% 

Price at writing: $7.22

Price target: $10.30

• Maintaining a Strong Buy rating, Rosenblatt's Barton Crockett raised their price target on Quad/Graphics (NYSE: QUAD) by 33.8% from $7.7 to $10.3 on 11/25 following Quad/Graphics' Investor Day.  
• The analyst detailed that management introduced very long-term guidance indicating that the company's sales trajectory can return to growth in three years.
• Management also guided EBITDA margins to gain at least 100 points in three years and 140 to 640 in five, Crockett reported.
• Quad/Graphics also "discussed in detail its nascent but intriguing In-Store Connect effort," which the analyst said could contribute "to the company's consolidated improvement."
• See why analysts project over 40% upside for QUAD in the coming year.

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