Deutsche Bank raised the the automaker concern's price target to $9 from $8
The shares of Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) are up 2.2% at $7.84 at last check, after receiving its second analyst upgrade in as many days. This morning, Deutsche Bank named the stock a "catalyst call buy" and raised the automaker concern's price target to $9 from $8. The analyst in question said strong outperformance is expected in the third quarter, and added that the company's new CEO as well as an attractive product launch cycle could lead investors to anticipate a more aggressive earnings improvement trajectory, further benefitting the stock.
Today's upside move has F stock trading at its highest level since mid February. The shares have been inching higher since dropping to a 11-year low near the $3 level in March. This week's gains help F reclaim recent overhead pressure at the $7.50 mark, and now have the security up 46% in the last six months.
Analysts were mostly pessimistic towards the equity coming into today, leaving plenty of room for more upgrades and target hikes moving forward. Of the 11 in coverage, eight carry a tepid "hold" rating, while the remaining three call the stock a "strong buy." Plus, the 12-month consensus target price of $7.90 is only a 3% premium to current levels.
In the options pits, calls are flying off the shelves today. In just the first half hour of trading, over 34,000 calls have changed hands, three times the average intraday amount and almost seven times the number of puts traded. The most popular is the October 8 call, which expires at the end of the day this Friday, Oct. 16.
Traders looking to speculate on Ford stock's next move should consider options. The equity's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 51% sits in the 19th percentile of its annual range, suggesting short-term options are pricing in relatively low volatility expectations. In other words, the stock's near-term options are attractively priced at the moment.