What Pullback? JPMorgan Says These 2 Stocks Could Surge Over 60%

Last week, the market saw its worst losses since the coronavirus panic in March. A variety of worries impacted the financial world, pushing the losses: the uncertainty of the upcoming election, the increasing coronavirus cases, and the unlikelihood of another economic stimulus any time soon. None of these are new, but they are all coming to a head. This week should start bringing answers, especially if the election is blowout for one side or the other.

The good news for investors is that the recent correction could have created a solid buying opportunity, at least according to JPMorgan strategist Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou.

“We believe that, similar to September, [the] correction offers a good entry point to equity investors over the medium to longer term once U.S. election uncertainty subsides,” Panigirtzoglou noted.

JPMorgan analysts have been following Panigirtzoglou’s lead, and tapping two stocks they see primed to make strong gains in the weeks ahead. These are companies that the analysts see with at least 60% upside. Here are the details. We ran the two through TipRanks database to see what other Wall Street’s analysts have to say about them.

Alliance Data Systems (ADS)

First on the list, Alliance Data Systems, hands the capture and analysis of purchase transaction data for over 145 branded credit and reward programs. The company’s clients include big names like Ulta Beauty and Pottery Barn. Alliance uses the capture data on retail transactions to better tailor the reward programs, creating more effective marketing communications and enhancing customer loyalty.

The retail recession of the first half of this year – brought on by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economy – hit Alliance hard, as the company’s focus on brick-and-mortar retail clients left it exposed to the shutdowns. ADS shares fell sharply in mid-winter, and are still down; the stock is trading at a 52% loss year-to-date.

Earnings, however, have rebounded strongly after a steep loss in Q1. The coronavirus scare pushed ADS’ first quarter bottom line down to just 67 cents per share, against the forecast of $5.18. Since then, Q2 and Q3 have seen strong gains, to $1.76 and $3.36 respectively. Revenues are still down 27% yoy, but have climbed back above the $1 billion mark. On a positive note, ADS has been able to cut back on operating expenses by 33%, saving money to preserve liquidity. Also positive for Alliance, the company last month signed a definitive deal to acquire the digital payment company Bread, in a deal valued at $450 million.

JPMorgan’s Reginald Smith, reviewing Alliance Data Systems, writes of the company, “Management is moving aggressively to reposition the company and early credit and payment trends are better than feared. We are tweaking estimates modestly and remain Overweight, as we believe ADS is adequately reserved and the market still doesn’t appreciate the earnings power of the business… we believe Alliance Data is positioned to benefit from the secular shift away from traditional mass marketing toward more targeted marketing programs that provide quantifiable and measurable returns.”

In line with his Overweight (i.e. Buy) rating, the analyst gives ADS a $90 price target. This figure suggests an impressive 70% upside in the coming year. (To watch Smith’s track record, click here)

Overall, ADS has a Strong Buy rating from the analyst consensus, based on 5 Buys and 1 Hold. The stock is selling for $53 and its $71.43 average price target implies an upside of ~35% over the next 12 months. (See ADS stock analysis on TipRanks)

Bloom Energy (BE)

Next on the list is Boom Energy, a producer of solid oxide fuel cells for the green energy market. Solid oxides are alternatives to traditional batteries and petroleum derivatives, and are used to provide electrical power.

Bloom, like many companies operating in cutting edge technology, sees a regular net loss – but long trends in the revenues and earnings are positive. The net loss is ameliorating over time, with the 15-cent EPS loss reported in Q3 being the lowest in the past two years. Revenues have been rebounding steadily since the first quarter, and Q3 came in at $187.9 million. Shares are trading at a year-to-date gain of 72%.

There were some mixed feelings after the Q3 report, as quarterly sales were down year-over-year despite the moderation in the earnings loss. Analysts had expected sales to come in at $225 million, but the company reported $200 million. The miss pushed the stock down 13% in the last days of October.

That dip in the stock, however, gives investors an opportunity to enter a fundamentally sound alt energy producer, according to JPMorgan analyst Paul Coster.

“We are encouraged by improved margins in 3Q, which are expected to be sustained in 4Q. Customer demand remains strong and the company has had no cancellations or customer requests for delays. The gen 7.5 server remains on track, and commentary regarding new initiatives such as hydrogen and marine solutions was again upbeat, with potential to significantly expand the company’s TAM over the next several years,” Coster wrote.

Coster raised his price target on BE to $22, suggesting room for a 68% upside in the next year. His rating on the stock is Overweight, or Buy. (To watch Coster’s track record, click here)

Overall, with 2 Buy and 2 Hold reviews, Bloom Energy has a Moderate Buy rating from the analyst consensus. The stock is selling for $13.12 and its $22 average price target matches Coster’s. (See Bloom’s stock analysis at TipRanks)

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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.