U.S. stock futures slip lower; Cook’s firing increases Fed independence worries
Investing.com - Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) upgraded Invesco (NYSE:IVZ) from Underweight to Equal Weight on Friday, while raising its price target to $18.00 from $14.50. The stock, currently trading at $17.40, has shown strong momentum with impressive returns over both one-month and three-month periods, according to InvestingPro data.
The upgrade reflects an improved risk profile for the asset management firm, with Wells Fargo noting a slowing pace of fee-rate pressure that is now better captured by consensus estimates, though still not fully in their view. InvestingPro data shows that six analysts have recently revised their earnings estimates upward for the upcoming period, suggesting growing confidence in the company’s prospects.
Wells Fargo also cited a better revenue outlook and margin expansion potential for Invesco, aided by favorable market conditions and the company’s expense discipline.
The firm acknowledged that Invesco’s leverage remains high but is trending lower, which contributes to the more balanced stance on the stock.
Despite the upgrade, Wells Fargo indicated that valuation upside for Invesco remains limited, with the new $18 price target representing 9 times the firm’s 2026 estimated earnings per share.
In other recent news, Invesco reported impressive earnings for Q1 2025, with earnings per share (EPS) of $0.44, surpassing the projected $0.40. The company’s revenue reached $1.53 billion, exceeding expectations by $420 million. Invesco also announced a 3% increase in assets under management (AUM), totaling $2 trillion as of June 30. Shareholders of Invesco elected the Board of Directors, approved executive compensation, and appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent auditor for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. Additionally, Invesco is set to leverage platforms from State Street (NYSE:STT) and Blackrock (NYSE:BLK) to enhance its investment platform capabilities. The firm plans to migrate all assets under management onto these platforms throughout 2025 and 2026. Furthermore, Invesco announced a strategic partnership with MassMutual and Barings to expand its private market offerings, with MassMutual committing $650 million in initial investment capital. These developments reflect Invesco’s ongoing efforts to optimize its operations and strengthen its market position.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.