What happened
Shares of Peloton Interactive (PTON 4.92%) rode higher today, up by 6% as of 12:45 p.m. EDT, after Credit Suisse initiated coverage on the stock with an outperform rating and price target of $164, which represents 50% upside from yesterday's close. The positive sentiment seems to be overshadowing a separate downgrade from Evercore ISI, which dropped its rating on Peloton shares to in line (equivalent to neutral) and reduced its price target from $160 to $125.
So what
Credit Suisse analyst Kaumil Gajrawala believes Peloton is at the "forefront of major secular trends" in the booming connected fitness market. The analyst is modeling for the consumer discretionary company to grow total subscribers to 3.1 million in fiscal 2021, and to 11 million by fiscal 2025.
Image source: Peloton Interactive.
"Our stance considers that, thus far, Peloton has built a brand and achieved success with a narrow product offering (bikes & treadmills in a few markets) while under severe supply constraints," Gajrawala wrote in a research note. "In the medium term, we expect the equity story to evolve, incorporating an expanded value proposition (new equipment, new content, new countries) that appeals to more customers: an expanding addressable market."
Now what
Evercore ISI is taking a more cautious approach. While acknowledging Peloton's leadership position, the analyst team believes the stock will likely "trade sideways" in the short term. If the stock were to pull back substantially, Evercore ISI recommends that investors buy any dips.
