What Are Price Targets?

Price targets reflect a security’s estimated value based on an analyst’s assessment. Typically published in research reports, they can help inform investors’ trading decisions. However, they’re not set in stone – or guaranteed to come true.

🤔 Understanding price targets

A price target is the price that an analyst believes a specific stock or security will reach in the future. (These projections are usually set 12 months ahead, though not always.) Essentially, it’s what an analyst believes a stock’s “true” value will be, which often varies from the current market price. 

For example, say that Stock X currently trades at $50. If an analyst believes that the stock is undervalued, they may assign a price target of $100. But if the analyst thinks the stock is overvalued, they may set a price target of $25. 

Analysts use different information to set their price targets. They may consider market data, technical and fundamental analysis, and a company’s management structure. Many Wall Street analysts also examine historical, current, and future economic trends. 

Analysts usually publish their price targets and other findings in a research report. However, price targets aren’t static – they often change as new information comes to light. As such, an analyst may alter or reiterate their price target after publication.

What this means for you

An analyst’s price target is essentially an educated guess as to that security’s future value. While some may guess correctly, it’s impossible to predict a stock’s price with 100% certainty. 

But that doesn’t mean price targets aren’t useful. 

For instance, when a prominent analyst releases their report, the announcement itself may impact the security’s value. Some investors use the fluctuation as an opportunity to sell at a profit or buy in at a discount. Investors and traders may also rely on analysts’ recommendations to inform their investing decisions. 

However, many successful investors eschew price targets entirely. Buy-and-hold investors typically find them irrelevant, as their long-term forecast is of little immediate use. Index and ETF investors also frequently ignore them, as their investments rarely fluctuate based on an individual stock’s price targets. 

Ultimately, individual investors shouldn’t rely on price targets to make investing decisions. Most will find more success with buy-and-hold strategies that build a well-diversified portfolio over time. 

But you don’t have to do the heavy lifting yourself. Q.ai is here to help you get started with our one-of-a-kind Investment Kits and the expert backing of artificial intelligence.