Noble Corp. price target lowered to $34 from $40 at Citi

Citi lowered the firm’s price target on Noble Corp. to $34 from $40 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. The offshore driller stocks have declined 35%, on average over the past six months given extended whitespace expectations, concerns around day rates slipping lower, and lower crude prices, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm says where rates bottom “is the big question.” Citi prefers Noble Corp. (NE) on its near-term buyback potential, and Seadrill (SDRL) on valuation “as those waiting for a deal appear to have exited.”