7 Best Holding Company Stocks to Buy According to Analysts

3. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:JEF)

Upside Potential as of December 12: 22.6%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 46

As reported by TheFly, Oppenheimer lifted its price target on Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:JEF) to $97 from $81 on December 11, while maintaining an ‘Outperform’ rating. This upward shift in outlook, reflecting an upside potential of roughly 56%, comes ahead of the company’s fiscal Q4 report.

According to the firm, the company’s “strong growth trajectory remains in place” for the upcoming two years, 2026 and 2027. It expects JEF to “completely impair its $113M investment in the Point Bonita Funds,” which reduces the EPS guidance for the quarter to 80c. The firm believes that the “rebound in mergers and underwriting activity” will serve as the catalyst for the company’s growth.

On the same day, Michael Brown from UBS initiated coverage of Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:JEF) with a ‘Buy’ rating and a price target of $76, which suggests an upside potential of approximately 23%. As cited by TheFly, the analyst noted “strong sector fundamentals across 20 U.S. asset managers and brokers despite more mixed views on valuations and consensus expectations.”

Overall, Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:JEF) has a ‘Buy’ rating from four of the six analysts covering the stock. With a median price target of $76, the company has 22.58% upside potential.

Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:JEF) is a New York-based company operating as an investment banking and capital markets firm. Founded in 1962, the company operates in two segments: Investment Banking and Capital Markets, and Asset Management.