(This is CNBC Pro’s live coverage of Monday’s analyst calls and Wall Street chatter. Please refresh every 20-30 minutes to view the latest posts.) Home improvement stocks were in focus Monday, and not in a positive way. Oppenheimer downgraded Home Depot and Lowe’s to perform from outperform, cutting its price targets on both names. On a more upbeat note, Goldman Sachs upgraded Brazilian payments stock StoneCo, calling for more gains ahead after a strong 2023. Check out the latest calls and chatter below. All times ET. 5:45 a.m.: Oppenheimer downgrades Home Depot, Lowe’s over forecast ‘unfavorable’ 2024 guidance Oppenheimer thinks the short-term picture for shares of Lowe’s and Home Depot will be complicated by “complacent” market positioning which will pressure both stocks. The firm downgraded both stocks to market perform from outperform in a Monday note and lowered its price target to $345 for Home Depot and $230 for Lowe’s. Oppenheimer’s forecast implies roughly 5% downside moving forward for Home Depot stock and 5% upside for Lowe’s. Shares of Home Depot have added 5% so far this year while Lowe’s stock has slipped more than 1%. “[W]e are fretting that shorter-term market positioning towards HD and LOW is turning too complacent and that shares might not discount adequately for potential persistent fundamental weakness at the chains, in earlier FY24 (Jan. 2025),” analyst Brian Nagel said. “Upcoming initial 2024 guidance from HD, LOW could prove unfavorable catalysts for shares. Investors looking to play prospects for strengthening trends in the sector, and at HD and LOW, beginning later in 2024, are likely to be presented better entry points, in coming weeks and months,” he added. Both companies are slated to report earnings next month. — Brian Evans 5:45 a.m.: Goldman Sachs upgrades StoneCo Goldman Sachs thinks Brazilian payments stock StoneCo can keep going higher even after a monster performance in 2023. The bank raised its rating on the company to buy from neutral and increased its price target to $21 from $12. The new forecast calls for 23.3% upside. “Stone is our preferred name within Brazil payments, given its superior revenue and earnings growth outlook,” analyst Tito Labarta wrote. “While we expect [total payment volume] to track the industry in 2023 (11% yoy), Stone’s positioning in the MSMB segment could warrant stronger growth in 2024 (15% vs. industry at 10%), leading to a 60bps market share gain.” StoneCo shares soared 91% in 2023. The stock also popped 4.6% in the premarket. STNE 1D mountain STNE pops To be sure, Labarta said the company could be under pressure due to increased competition. — Fred Imbert
