Analyst Moves for December 1: What They Mean for Mutual Fund Investors (AAPL, VRTX, CCL)

On Monday morning, there were several big-name analyst moves that were announced. Below are the most important analyst moves for mutual fund investors.

Barclays Raises Price Target on Apple

Barclays has boosted its price target on Apple (AAPL) from $120 to $140. This new price target suggests a 17% increase from Friday’s closing price. The firm noted that AAPL’s multi-year story of boosting margins could be successful.

Mutual Funds to Watch

For investors that are interested in gaining exposure to Apple without owning the individual stock, a mutual fund investment may be a good alternative. Below are the mutual funds with the largest stake in Apple.

Maxim Group Raises Price Target on Vertex (VRTX)

Maxim Group has raised its price target on Vertex (VRTX) from $122 to $148 (suggesting a 25% upside). The firm has also maintained a “Buy” rating on VRTX. Analyst Jason Kolbert noted that the analyst team has been evaluating the company’s expansion of homozygous.

Mutual Funds to Watch

For investors that are interested in investing in Vertex without owning the individual stock, a mutual fund holding may be a good alternative. Below are the mutual funds with the largest stake in Vertex.

Goldman Sachs Downgrades Carnival (CCL)

Goldman Sachs has downgraded Carnival Corporation (CCL) from “Buy” to “Neutral” and has given the company a $43 price target. Analyst Steven Kent reported that the company is faced with rising supply and a delayed turnaround.

Kent noted: “Reasons for our downgrade: (1) Staying disciplined. CCL hit our price target, and it is time to move on. (2) The “no supply” environment is no longer true. Over 40,000 new berths will be added over a two year period in an already saturated market with little pricing power, with new aggressive strategies from MSC and NCLH in particular. (3) CCL’s turnaround has been too slow, in our view. When CCL appointed a new CEO, we expected to see more activity, but so far changes seem elusive. For example, management cited it could reduce airline expenses in 1Q14 results but nothing has materialized yet. (4) Management has not been as clear on financial and operational goals as we expected. In contrast, NCLH and RCL have laid out long-term return expectations.”

Mutual Funds to Watch

For investors seeking exposure to Carnival, a mutual fund may be a good alternative. Below are the funds with the largest stakes in CCL.