Analysts Just Increased Price Targets of These 10 Stocks

Published October 18, 2021 at 9:11 am EDT Updated September 7, 2026 at 1:03 pm EDT

In this article, we discuss the 10 stocks that analysts just increased price targets of.

The United States economy has rebounded strongly from the 2020 lows this year, posting incredible growth numbers that have even dwarfed the pre-pandemic level of business activity. Despite fears of inflation on the back of increased demand for goods in the past few weeks, the US Federal Reserve has refused to raise the interest rates, although several policymakers project the rates will rise next year. International Monetary Fund Chief Economist Gita Gopinath has said that inflationary pressures will mostly normalize by next year.

In an interview with Nikkei Asia, Gopinath also sought to ease concerns surrounding the collapse of property giant Evergrande in China, noting that the country was more than capable of limiting the impact of the crisis to markets in the rest of the world. The economist also voiced concern over the tighter US monetary policy in the emerging world over the next few years. IMF had earlier lowered the global economic forecast to 5.9% from 6% due to supply chain disruptions and inflation pressures.

In light of these developments, investment advisors have been busy updating the economic forecast on individual stocks. Financial stocks with solid fundamentals dominate recent upgrades, with some surprises also making the cut. Some of the top stocks that analysts just raised the price targets of include Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB), BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK), and APA Corporation (NASDAQ:APA), among others discussed in detail below. The IMF has forecast that elevated inflation will subside to pre-pandemic levels in 2022.

Our Methodology

With this context in mind, here is our list of the 10 stocks that analysts just increased price targets of. All the firms listed below have had their price targets raised by an investment advisory this week.

The hedge sentiment around each stock was gauged using the data of 873 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey. The list is compiled according to the number of hedge funds having stakes in each firm.

Why pay attention to hedge fund holdings? Insider Monkey’s research was able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that outperformed the S&P 500 ETFs by more than 86 percentage points since March 2017. Between March 2017 and July 2021 our monthly newsletter’s stock picks returned 186.1%, vs. 100.1% for the SPY. Our stock picks outperformed the market by more than 86 percentage points (see the details here). That’s why we believe hedge fund sentiment is an extremely useful indicator that investors should pay attention to. You can subscribe to our free newsletter on our homepage to receive our stories in your inbox.

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Analysts Just Increased Price Targets of These Stocks

10. Bicycle Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:BCYC)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 12

Bicycle Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:BCYC) recently reported positive data from a study into a cancer drug that earned company praise from several investment advisors. It is placed tenth on our list of 10 stocks that analysts just increased price targets of. Roth Capital, Cantor Fitzgerald, and HC Wainwright all raised the price targets on the stock after the results of the cancer drug were released.

Reni Benjamin, an analyst at JPM Securities, maintained an Outperform rating on Bicycle Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:BCYC) stock on October 14 and raised the price target to $85 from $53, noting that new pipeline drugs of the firm were showcasing “strong clinical activity”.

At the end of the second quarter of 2021, 12 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $162 million in Bicycle Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:BCYC), up from 11 in the previous quarter worth $155 million.

Just like Airbnb, Inc., BlackRock, Inc., and APA Corporation, Bicycle Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:BCYC) is one of the stocks attracting the attention of institutional investors.

9. América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE:AMX)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 13

América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE:AMX) is ranked ninth on our list of 10 stocks that analysts just increased price targets of. The company recently announced that it would be merging Chilean operations with Liberty Latin America in a joint venture that is forecast to reach over 6 million homes via fixed network within the next three years. In the wireless domain, the firm has reported impressive numbers too, adding 4.2 million subscribers to the network between March and June this year.

Barclays analyst Gilberto Garcia kept an Overweight rating on América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. stock on October 14 and raised the price target to $21 from $19. The stock soared 1% after the ratings update.

Out of the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, New York-based investment firm Renaissance Technologies is a leading shareholder in América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. with 2.6 million shares worth more than $40 million.

In addition to Airbnb, Inc., BlackRock, Inc., and APA Corporation, América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. is one of the stocks on the radar of elite investors.

8. American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (NYSE:AEL)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 20

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (NYSE:AEL) recently underwent a major managerial change, naming Axel Andre as the new CFO. Andre has served at AIG and Goldman Sachs previously. The company has strong fundamentals. It beat market estimates on earnings per share in the second quarter. The firm is placed eighth on our list of 10 stocks that analysts just increased price targets of.

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company was given a new price target of $33 at Morgan Stanley on October 14, up from $31 earlier. The rating was maintained at Equal Weight in the update.

At the end of the second quarter of 2021, 20 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $187 million in American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, down from 24 in the preceding quarter worth $262 million.

Alongside Airbnb, Inc., BlackRock, Inc., and APA Corporation, American Equity Investment Life Holding Company is one of the stocks that hedge funds are buying.

7. Brighthouse Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:BHF)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 26

Brighthouse Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:BHF) stock has returned over 54% to investors in the past year. It is ranked seventh on our list of 10 stocks that analysts just increased price targets of. The company recently filed a shelf registration statement for an unspecified amount of mixed securities. It aims to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes. In the second quarter, the firm beat market predictions on earnings per share by $1.95.

Investment bank Morgan Stanley raised the price target on Brighthouse Financial, Inc. stock to $55 from $53 with an Equal Weight rating on October 14. The new target implies an upside potential of 11% from the present share price.

Out of the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, New York-based investment firm Greenlight Capital is a leading shareholder in Brighthouse Financial, Inc. with 3.6 million shares worth more than $165 million.

Airbnb, Inc., BlackRock, Inc., and APA Corporation are some of the top stocks to buy now, just like Brighthouse Financial, Inc..

In its Q4 2020 investor letter, Miller Value Partners, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Brighthouse Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:BHF) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

“In addition, we have recently increased our position size in Brighthouse Financial (BHF), one of the of the largest annuity and life insurance companies in the U.S. Since separating from MetLife, Brighthouse has built strong sales momentum and has focused on building out a new, less capital intensive business. Brighthouse is targeting nearly $9B in annual annuity sales by the end of 2021 (double 2017 levels) and expanding its life insurance businesses by 10x over the same time period. The company is targeting its capital-intensive business to be 18% by 2025 (half of 2016 levels), which should further enhance future cash flow generation. The company’s capital ratios remain strong and well above regulatory requirements. Management is aggressively returning cash to shareholders, targeting a total of $1.5B in share buybacks by the end of 2021 and retiring nearly 1/3 of their outstanding shares. While the market remains concerned about the impact of lower interest rates and their capital-intensive business, we believe the share price is over discounting these concerns and see the potential impact lessening over the coming years. Brighthouse’s equity appears significantly mispriced, closing the year at a greater than 70% discount to book value and a price-to-earnings multiple of 3 times, a significant discount to its peers and the overall market.”

6. Angi Inc. (NASDAQ:ANGI)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 26

Angi Inc. (NASDAQ:ANGI) works in the interactive media and services industry. Earlier this week, the share price of the firm jumped over 3.5% after metrics showed that the revenue of the company had jumped 18% in September. It is placed sixth on our list of 10 stocks that analysts just increased price targets of. The firm has a market cap of close to $6 billion.

On October 14, investment advisory Wells Fargo reiterated an Overweight rating on Angi Inc. stock and raised the price target to $16 from $14. The shares of the firm jumped more than 3% after the upgrade.

At the end of the second quarter of 2021, 26 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $313 million in Angi Inc., down from 35 in the previous quarter worth $309 million.

Airbnb, Inc., BlackRock, Inc., and APA Corporation are some of the elite stocks to buy now, in addition to Angi Inc..

5. Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 33

Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) is an insurance company with solid fundamentals. The firm reported earnings per share of $1.59 for the second quarter, beating estimates by $0.31. The revenue over the period was $5.5 billion, beating predictions by $190 million. The company is ranked fifth on our list of 10 stocks that analysts just increased price targets of.

Aflac Incorporated stock was given an Overweight rating by Morgan Stanley on October 14 and the price target was raised to $63 from $61. The company beat market expectations on earnings per share and revenue in the second quarter.

Out of the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Chicago-based firm Ariel Investments is a leading shareholder in Aflac Incorporated with 1.4 million shares worth more than $79 million.

In its Q2 2021 investor letter, Madison Funds, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

“This quarter we are highlighting Aflac (AFL) as a relative yield example in the Financial sector. AFL is a leading provider of life and supplemental medical insurance in Japan and the U.S. AFL products offer financial protection against loss of income for policy holders based on qualifying health events. Aflac Japan generates approximately 70% of total revenues, and the company has dominant market share in Japan. In the U.S., AFL provides voluntary insurance for policy holders at businesses with products sold through payroll deduction by its large sales force which sells primarily through face-to-face interactions. We believe AFL’s dominant market position in Japan and its large U.S. sales force create a sustainable competitive advantage for the company.

Our thesis on AFL is that its sales will recover from the impact of the COVID pandemic, and it will return significant amount of capital to shareholders. Sales were negatively impacted in both Japan and the U.S. but appear to be in early stages of recovering. We believe sales will improve further as economies open and new products are introduced in Japan. In the U.S., agents will be able to return to face-to-face interactions as people get vaccinated, something that was restricted last year.

In terms of capital returns, AFL committed to returning $8-9 billion between 2020-2022, which is expected to be 75% of operating earnings. The company returns capital via share buybacks and dividend increases. AFL is a Dividend Aristocrat that has increased its dividend 39 years in a row including 10% annually over the last five years; it also recently announced an 18% dividend increase. Other favorable attributes include an A- rated balance sheet by Standard and Poor’s and an attractive valuation with a relative yield near the high end of its historical range.

We believe its valuation is cheap with its forward expected Price/Earnings (P/E) ratio just 9x and a relative P/E of 0.4x versus the S&P 500 despite an industry leading return on equity. At the time of purchase, AFL had a dividend yield of 2.5% and its relative dividend yield vs. the S&P 500 was 1.8x, as shown. Some risks to the thesis include a prolonged economic downturn, loss of market share due to unsuccessful new product roll outs and potential losses in its investment portfolio.”

4. Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE:AMP)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 37

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE:AMP) is one of several finance stocks that recently earned target raises at Morgan Stanley. The stock has returned over 66% to investors in the past twelve months. It is placed fourth on our list of 10 stocks that analysts just increased price targets of.

Investment bank Morgan Stanley maintained an Equal Weight rating on Ameriprise Financial, Inc. stock on October 14 and raised the price target to $285 from $265. The share price of the firm jumped 2% after the ratings update.

At the end of the second quarter of 2021, 37 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $1.1 billion in Ameriprise Financial, Inc., the same as in the preceding quarter worth $969 million.

3. APA Corporation (NASDAQ:APA)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 37

APA Corporation is one of the energy firms that are poised to benefit from the gains that crude oil has made at the market in recent weeks. The company is ranked third on our list of 10 stocks that analysts just increased price targets of. Earlier this month, crude topped $80 per barrel for the first time in seven years, with further hikes likely on the back of an OPEC+ agreement to gradually raise output through winter season.

APA Corporation stock was given an Overweight rating and the price target was raised to $27 from $25 by KeyCorp on October 14. Truist had also raised the target on the stock to $25 from $21 with a Hold rating last week.

Out of the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Chicago-based investment firm Harris Associates is a leading shareholder in APA Corporation with 20 million shares worth more than $449 million.

In its Q2 2021 investor letter, Ariel Investments, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and APA Corporation (NASDAQ:APA) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

“APA Corp. (APA), (formerly Apache Corp.) increased +21.01%, benefitting from strong oil and natural gas markets. Crude oil is up +47% this year. We have lamented about surprisingly low natural gas prices in past letters and are pleased to see them moving higher this year.

Natural gas produces significantly less carbon emissions than either coal or crude oil. Equity investors have been badly burned by underperforming energy companies over the past decade. As a result, we believe they are still underestimating APA’s earning power. We have recently added to our holding.”

2. BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 47

BlackRock, Inc. is one of the largest publicly owned investment managers in the world. It is placed second on our list of 10 stocks that analysts just increased price targets of. The company posted earnings for the third quarter on October 13, reporting earnings per share of $10.95, beating estimates by $1.47. The revenue over the period was $5 billion, up 15% year-on-year.

On October 14, investment advisory Citi maintained a Buy rating on BlackRock, Inc. stock and raised the price target to $1,035 from $1,030. Analyst William Katz commented that “three key positives” would emerge from the third quarter results of the firm.

At the end of the second quarter of 2021, 47 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $1.2 billion in BlackRock, Inc., up from 42 the preceding quarter worth $1.5 billion.

In its Q1 2021 investor letter, Baron Funds, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

“During the quarter, we initiated a position in BlackRock Inc., the world’s largest investment manager with $9 trillion in assets under management. BlackRock offers an array of products across equities, fixed income, alternatives, and cash management to institutional and retail investors worldwide. About one-quarter of BlackRock’s assets under management is actively managed, and the rest is in passive index funds and iShares-branded ETFs. The company offers technology services including the investment and risk management platform, Aladdin, as well as other advisory services and solutions. Over the five years ending December 31, 2020, assets under management and earnings per share grew at compound annual growth rates of 13% and 12%, respectively.

We believe BlackRock is well positioned for continued growth given its diverse product offering, global distribution, brand recognition, and capable management team. With most of its assets in index funds and ETFs, BlackRock is a prime beneficiary of the ongoing shift to passive investing. The company also benefits from increasing demand for sustainable investment strategies and “barbell” strategies that use a combination of low-cost index funds, active and illiquid alternatives products. BlackRock fits squarely within our Tech-Enabled Financials theme given its longstanding commitment to innovation and proprietary technology platform, Aladdin, which serves as the investment and risk management system for both BlackRock and a growing number of institutional investors around the world. We expect BlackRock’s earnings per share will continue to grow at a doubledigit annual rate over a market cycle through a combination of mid-single-digit growth in assets under management from net inflows, market appreciation, low to mid-teens revenue growth in technology services, modest margin expansion, and share repurchases.”

1. Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 58

Airbnb, Inc. is ranked first on our list of 10 stocks that analysts just increased price targets of. The company has benefited from increased travel activity in the post-pandemic economy. The slowing impact of the Delta variant of the virus is likely to give tourism a further boost in the coming months.

Stifel analyst Scott Devitt reiterated a Hold rating on Airbnb, Inc. stock on October 14 but raised the price target to $160 from $145, noting that the firm was expected to deliver “less severe” quarter-over-quarter declines in average daily rates in the third quarter earnings.

Out of the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Chicago-based investment firm Citadel Investment Group is a leading shareholder in Airbnb, Inc. with 3.4 million shares worth more than $526 million.

In its Q2 2021 investor letter, Worm Capital LLC, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

“Throughout the quarter, you may have noticed that we averaged into a significant position in Airbnb (ABNB). Though the stock has been a relative underperformer since its February highs, we are highly confident about the company’s prospects and its ability to generate meaningful compounded returns over time.

Some history: We have been following Airbnb’s journey for several years, long before the company went public earlier this year. (In fact, nine years ago, in November 2012, Eric profiled the company for Inc.: “Airbnb Is Changing Travel.”)

Whenever we underwrite a new investment, we look for a few key attributes that help us determine the potential long-term value of a business, as well as its risks. In particular, we focus on management (Are they founders? Do they have skin the game? Are they playing the long game?), addressable market size (How big is the opportunity?), its relative growth and creativity to expand (Are they constantly innovating to make the product better for their customers?), margin expansion (Where can we find operating leverage in the model?), its status in the industry (Are they the dominant player? Can they

take market share from incumbents?), business risks (What are we missing? Are customers dissatisfied? What do employees say?) and probably a dozen more elements that are critical to our process. It’s only then do we take out the pencils do the valuation work.

In short, ABNB fulfills pretty much every element of a business model we’re attracted to: First, it’s highly scalable marketplace-based business model that unites buyer and seller with observable flywheel effects. (This is an important observation, in that the platform creates significant economic value for millions of hosts who rely on Airbnb, which in turn attracts new hosts who identify the opportunity, which creates more inventory, which turn attracts more travelers, which attracts more hosts, and soon.) Second, it has a global focus with significant opportunities to expand its operating leverage; Third,

its management—which is still founder-led—stands out to us as long-term thinkers capable of handling crisis, which the team demonstrated throughout the pandemic by dropping operating costs and turning the business into a more efficient, lean organization. (Like Churchill said: “Never let a good crisis go to waste.”)..”

You can also take a peek at 15 Dividend Stocks People Buy for Early Retirement and Analyzing Tesla, Inc. (TSLA): Future Growth Catalysts, Hedge Fund Sentiment and Analyst Ratings.

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