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Investing.com - Stifel raised its rating on Forward Air (NASDAQ:FWRD) from Hold to Buy on Wednesday, while increasing its price target to $29.00 from $21.00. The stock, currently trading at $22.46, has shown strong momentum with a 14% gain over the past year despite a challenging six-month period. According to InvestingPro, the company’s financial health score indicates some concerns.
The upgrade comes as Forward Air demonstrates significant progress in integrating Omni Logistics following last year’s acquisition, which Stifel had previously viewed as "poorly-advised and quite expensive."
Stifel noted that Forward Air’s new management team has successfully mitigated customer attrition and established a credible strategy moving forward, suggesting that risks have decreased, though they remain elevated compared to industry peers.
The research firm believes an eventual cycle inflection would help drive multiple normalization toward less-than-truckload (LTL) and non-asset-based peers, providing additional upside potential for the stock.
Stifel also indicated there might be "heightened potential for a takeout" that could value shares in the "low-to-mid $30s" range, with details possibly emerging as soon as the second-quarter 2025 earnings announcement.
In other recent news, Forward Air Corporation faced significant shareholder actions during its 2025 Annual Meeting. Shareholders rejected the reelection of Chairman George Mayes, Jr., and directors Javier Polit and Laurie Tucker, amid pressure from Ancora Holdings Group, LLC, a major shareholder advocating for strategic changes. Ancora emphasized the need for a strategic review, potentially leading to a sale of the company. Additionally, Forward Air announced changes to its Board of Directors, with George Mayes resigning and Polit and Tucker stepping down voluntarily. The company also approved several proposals, including reincorporation from Tennessee to Delaware and the appointment of KPMG LLP as the independent auditor.
Notably, Lakeview Investment Group & Trading Company, another significant shareholder, expressed its intent to withhold support for the same directors, advocating for a company sale to benefit shareholders. Proxy advisory firms Glass Lewis (JO:LEWJ) & Co. and Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. also recommended voting against these directors, citing concerns over their oversight capabilities. Irenic Capital Management echoed this sentiment, criticizing the directors’ past actions, particularly the acquisition of Omni Logistics LLC without a shareholder vote. Forward Air has yet to publicly respond to these developments.
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