Top U.S. Defense Stocks to Watch According to Jefferies Analysis
On Friday, Raymond (NS:RYMD) James made a revision to its rating on RingCentral (NYSE:RNG) shares, downgrading the company from a Strong Buy to Outperform. Alongside the rating change, the firm also adjusted the price target to $45.00, a decrease from the previous $50.00 target. With the stock currently trading at $34.83, InvestingPro analysis indicates RingCentral is undervalued, supported by a comprehensive financial health score rated as "GOOD."
The downgrade follows a period in which RingCentral stock demonstrated modest outperformance, with a 21.91% increase over the past six months. Despite the downgrade, Raymond James still sees a positive risk/reward scenario for investors, highlighting RingCentral's attractive free cash flow (FCF) valuation, which is currently at 10 times the firm's 2026 FCF estimate. InvestingPro data reveals a strong FCF yield of 14%, with analysts expecting net income growth this year. Get access to 6 more exclusive ProTips and detailed valuation metrics with InvestingPro.
Raymond James acknowledges the significant improvements in RingCentral's FCF profile and balance sheet, suggesting these factors should become more appealing to investors. However, the firm also points out that valuations for Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) have trailed behind the group for several years. The analyst does not foresee an immediate catalyst that would narrow the valuation gap between RingCentral and its peers.
Looking ahead, Raymond James anticipates potential volatility in RingCentral's stock as the market anticipates the company's initial guidance for calendar year 2024. There is a divergence in expectations among analysts, with some projecting over 8% growth in Subscription revenue, while Raymond James estimates a 7% increase. Despite the downgrade, the firm remains optimistic about the possibility of RingCentral exceeding its FCF projections and maintains that the investment's risk/reward profile is still attractive, albeit with a more cautious outlook for the near term.
In other recent news, RingCentral reported a strong financial performance for the third quarter of 2024, with a 10% year-over-year increase in revenue, reaching $583 million. This surpassed the company's own guidance. The company's Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) also saw an increase, reaching $2.48 billion, marking a 9% rise. The company's CEO Vlad Shmunis and CFO Abhey Lamba underscored the achievement of GAAP operating profitability and a significant 56% increase in free cash flow per share.
RingCentral's strategic partnerships and innovative AI-powered solutions such as RingCX and RingSense have been instrumental in driving this growth. The company's revenue guidance for the year has been raised, with subscription revenue projected between $2.295 billion and $2.297 billion. Total (EPA:TTEF) revenue is expected to range from $2.397 billion to $2.399 billion. Non-GAAP EPS is forecasted at $3.69, with free cash flow anticipated to be between $400 million and $405 million for the full year.
Despite these positive developments, RingCentral noted a slight decrease in Gross Margin for subscriptions due to investments in new products. However, the company's focus on AI strategy and products like RingSense and RingCentral Agent Assist, along with a healthy relationship with AWS, is expected to enhance future revenue opportunities. These are some of the recent developments at RingCentral.
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