Best Analyst Ratings in the S&P 500

Bloomberg has a rating scale for analyst recommendations from one to five (worst to best) based on the number of buy and sell ratings for each stock.  Below we highlight the stocks in the S&P 500 that analysts are the most positive on.  Thermo-Fisher Scientific (TMO) is the only stock in the index that scores a five.  Philip Morris (PM) is the second highest rated stock, followed by Baxter (BAX) and MetLife (MET).  Other notables in the top 20 include GameStop (GME), Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), and Google (GOOG).

 

We also found the stocks with the biggest increase in their analyst ratings over the last month.  As shown, analysts have gotten the most bullish on Bank of America (BAC) over the last four weeks, followed by LNC, TDC, TJX, SHW, and IP.  Other stocks with big increases recently include Morgan Stanley and Walt Disney.

 

Finally, we looked at the stocks that are trading the furthest below their average analyst price target.  Most of these stocks are down big for the year and analysts have been slow to reduce their targets, but some are up big and analysts still have price targets well above where they're currently trading.  CB Richard Ellis (CBG) is up 86% year to date and has a price target 55% above its current price.  AES, MU, GME, and CHK are other stocks trading the furthest below their price targets that are also up on the year.