Robinhood shares gain on Q2 beat, as user and crypto growth accelerate
On Tuesday, HSBC analysts upgraded shares of IMCD NV (AS:IMCD:NA) from "Hold" to "Buy," with an increased price target set at €174.00, up from the previous €155.00. The upgrade comes despite acknowledging the challenges the company faces, such as pricing pressures, cost inflation, and overall market volatility which may affect the fourth quarter of 2024’s conversion margin expectations.
HSBC analysts anticipate that IMCD may experience a dip in conversion margins, contrary to market expectations of year-over-year improvement. This forecast aligns with the historical seasonal trend observed for the company. Analysts also suggest that the market might be underestimating the impact of last year’s bonus provision release or the ongoing cost pressures that IMCD is currently facing.
Despite these concerns, HSBC sees a positive outlook for IMCD, highlighting that the company is nearing the end of a phase of normalization. The analysts argue that IMCD’s strategic approach, which combines robust organic growth with accretive bolt-on mergers and acquisitions, is likely to stand out and contribute to further margin gains through increased scale.
The firm also downplays the potential impact of a fourth-quarter earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization (EBITA) miss. Given the series of earnings downgrades IMCD has experienced over the past year, HSBC suggests that the forthcoming results could represent a "final reset," setting the stage for future outperformance driven by the company’s acquisition strategy.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.