Ticker Reports for May 23rd
Analysts Think These Stocks Could More Than Double in Value
Persistent volatility has plagued the S&P 500 for much of 2025, prompting widespread caution among many investors amid the uncertainties of trade battles, tariffs, domestic policy, and more. Investors might remember that many of the biggest rallies take place during these volatile periods, and there may be potential to win big gains for those with at least a moderate tolerance for risk.
Healthcare firms are already known for being volatile, with smaller companies in particular experiencing significant spikes and dips alongside news of successes or failures in the clinical drug development space. Three companies stand out as we reach the midpoint of 2025 for their massive growth potential.
Analysts believe each of the stocks below has the potential to at least double in price, although the three firms also carry varying levels of risk.
Major Partnership With Novo Nordisk Could Boost Septerna
Septerna Inc. (NASDAQ: SEPN) is a clinical-stage biotechnology firm developing G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) oral small molecule drug candidates for applications in the areas of endocrinology, immunology and inflammation, and metabolic diseases. The firm recently secured a major partnership with Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE: NVO) to develop novel drug treatments for obesity and type 2 diabetes as competition for the larger firm's weight-loss injection drug Wegovy mounts.
Septerna is set to receive around $200 million in near-term payments on a deal that may eventually be worth more than $2 billion.
Novo Nordisk likely sought out Septerna for its work in GPCRs and drug development platform, both of which distinguish the smaller company from its rivals. The $200 million payment, though not notably large compared to similar partnerships across the industry, is nonetheless a boon for Septerna's cash position and should allow the company substantial flexibility in its research and development operations.
Three out of four analysts have rated Septerna stock a Buy. Given that shares of the company have fallen by about 58% year-to-date (YTD), the consensus price target of $27 per share is roughly triple the current price point.
Promising Trial Data and Ongoing Studies Fuel Optimism in Intellia
Genome editing firm Intellia Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: NTLA) develops in vivo programs and other therapies aiming to address hemophilia, autoimmune diseases, and cancers, among others. In mid-May 2025, the company reported positive two-year follow-up data for its ongoing Phase 1 trial of nex-z for the treatment of a rare organ and nerve disorder, ATTRv-PN.
The company is also engaging in multiple other trials for potential treatments for hereditary angioedema and ATTR with cardiomyopathy.
Though Intellia's cash position fell from the end of 2024 to the close of the first quarter this year, it retained an impressive $707 million in cash holdings as of March 31. This is likely sufficient to fund operations through early 2027. While net losses increased modestly year-over-year (YOY), net losses per share actually narrowed over the same period.
Fourteen out of 21 analysts provided a Buy rating for Intellia shares, the most recent of which was reiterated in May by HC Wainwright and Chardan Capital. However, there is a mixture of opinions among analysts, with Guggenheim and Citigroup recently maintaining ratings while lowering price targets.
Still, the consensus price target for NTLA shares is $36.90, roughly quadrupling the stock's current price.
Novavax's FDA Approval Sends Mixed Messages
Novavax Inc. (NASDAQ: NVAX) may be the highest-risk play of these three firms due to uncertainty surrounding the FDA and COVID-19 vaccines. On one hand, the FDA's recent full approval of Novavax's protein-based COVID-19 vaccine is a major benefit for the firm. It unlocks a $175 million milestone payment from Sanofi SA (NASDAQ: SNY) and positions Novavax as the sole provider of a non-mRNA option currently available.
On the other hand, the FDA also issued significant restrictions that question the vaccine's ability to be widely available.
Shares of NVAX spiked by almost a quarter on the news but gave up most of those gains within three days. The stock remains down overall by about 16% YTD. Still, four out of seven analysts believe NVAX shares are a Buy, and the consensus price target of $19 per share could represent 167% upside potential.
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TJX Stock Price Stumble Is Your Chance to Pick Up a Bargain
TJX Companies (NYSE: TJX) stock price stumbled in the wake of its Q1 earnings report and guidance update, but investors should not fret. The move is a natural market movement within an otherwise bullish trend caused by tepidness in the result report.
The results were better than expected, with organic and store count growth in the equation, but guidance left something to be desired. What that was is strength.
The company is guiding for 2% to 3% top-line growth, which is good enough to sustain the capital return outlook, but it was expected. Before the release, the market moved to a new high and needed hot guidance to hold the gain.
TJX Companies Is Trending Higher in 2025
Investors should take away that as-expected guidance aligns with the uptrend. The uptrend is supported by sustained revenue growth, the cash flow it generates, and the company’s capital allocations, which include dividends, distribution growth, and share buybacks.
Share buybacks are central to the investing thesis. They reduce the count significantly each year and are on track to hit $2.5 billion in 2025. At the end of Q1, the pace of buybacks reduced the count by 1.2% year over year and is expected to remain steady as the year progresses, providing a tailwind for stock price action and leverage for investors.
The analysts’ response to the results and guidance update aligns with an uptrending stock price. Although MarketBeat tracks a few price target reductions, more analysts lifted their price targets, which is leading to the high end of the range.
That forecasts roughly 25% upside from the critical support target, which is the 30-day moving average. Other pertinent details from the analysts’ data are that coverage is increasing, and the sentiment is firming, with the Moderate Buy rating leaning hard toward a firm Buy.
TJX Companies Is Well-Positioned for Business in 2025
TJX Companies had a solid quarter with revenue growing by 5%, outpacing the consensus estimate, and margins firm. The growth was underpinned by a 3% systemwide comp driven entirely by transactions. Segmentally, the core Marmaxx group grew by 2% organically and 4% reported, with stronger performance in HomeGoods, TJX Canada, and TJX International.
The only weak spot was comp sales in TJX Canada, which were potentially impacted by the backlash at Trump’s attitude toward Canada.
Margin news is also good. The company experienced margin pressure, but not as badly as feared. The net result is that GAAP earnings contracted by a penny compared to last year, but a penny’s worth of outperformance offsets the weakness. The critical detail is that the cash flow is sufficient to sustain the capital return outlook and the robust balance sheet health.
TJX Companies is a retailer with a fortress balance sheet. The balance sheet reflects share repurchases and increased inventory, but remains net cash with low leverage.
Long-term debt is 3x earnings and expected to remain stable. Other critical details include the 13% YOY increase in equity and the company’s position for the summer season.
Management continues to view the merchandise market as favorable, has leaned into acquiring quality products, and is prepared to channel fresh inventory to stores over the summer.
Institutions Provide Solid Support in 2025
The institutional activity suggests the post-release downturn in TJX price action will not last long. The institutions, which own about 90% of the stock, have been buying on balance in 2025.
Their activity hit multi-year highs in Q1 and remains strong in Q2, providing solid support for this market. The risk is that the TJX stock price will enter a trading range and could linger within it until macroeconomic conditions stabilize.
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Williams-Sonoma: A Fundamentally Good Buy On Sale Now
Williams-Sonoma (NYSE: WSM) is fundamentally a good buy because of its operational quality, fortress balance sheet, cash flow, and ability to sustain value-building capital returns. It is on sale in Q2 2025 because the guidance update provides no catalyst for a rally. The guidance was reaffirmed to include an outlook for growth, solid margin, and the ability to sustain value-building capital returns, including the dividend and share repurchases.
The dividend is attractive enough, yielding more than 1.5% in May, running under 30% of the earnings outlook, and growing annually at a high-double-digit pace. Still, the share buybacks make this stock a must-own name for total-return investors.
Williams-Sonoma is a capital-returning machine that has accelerated the pace of share repurchases over the past year. The amount repurchased in Q1 is more than double the prior year's figure, aiding a 4.9% year-over-year reduction in the share count, and the pace could be sustained for several more quarters.
The remaining $1.1 billion is sufficient for roughly 12 quarters at the Q1 pace, a pace that is rapidly building leverage for shareholders.
The balance sheet reflects the impact of accelerated share repurchases, including reduced cash and equity. However, the 1.9% decline in equity is negligible in light of the share count reduction and outlook for future cash flow.
Although near-term headwinds and macroeconomic uncertainty impact business in 2025, this company is set up to sustain a mid-single-digit top-line growth pace for the next decade and to sustain a robust margin while it does.
In this scenario, the stock trades at a deep value relative to its forward outlook, suggesting its stock price could more than double in value over the next decade.
Sell-Side Activity Provides a Solid Support Base for Williams-Sonoma Stock
As sketchy as the 10% price plunge caused by the earnings report looks, this market is unlikely to move significantly lower due to robust sell-side support. The sell-side support is most evident in the 99.5% institutional ownership and ramp in bullish activity this year, compounded by the analysts' sentiment trends.
Those include increasing coverage, firming sentiment, and a rising price target that forecasts a move into the $175 to $200 range. The risk for investors is that the upside potential may be limited in early 2025, and the robust gains won’t come until later in the year or in 2026 once macroeconomic headwinds have subsided.
Williams-Sonoma Shines in Q1; Reaffirms Solid Outlook for 2025
Williams-Sonoma had a healthy quarter in Q1 with revenue growing more than 4% to $1.73 billion, outpacing MarketBeat’s reported consensus by 350 basis points. Positive comps in all retail brands drove the strength, led by a 7.3% gain in the core Williams-Sonoma channel.
The other growth pillar, Pottery Barn Kids, also performed well, growing by 3.8% compared to slower growth paces at Pottery Barn and West Elm.
Margin is another area of strength. The reported figures show a decline versus last year, but this is due in part to the extra 53rd week and in part to an out-of-quarter impact not repeated in 2025.
On an adjusted basis, the gross margin contracted only 60 basis points, with occupancy leverage and efficiency nearly offsetting reduced merchandise margin and operational efficiencies reducing SG&A expense.
The adjusted operating margin expanded by 70 basis points, leaving the earnings up a leveraged 8.8% and a dime above consensus.
The only bad news is that guidance was only reaffirmed. This forecast assumes slowing traffic and sales despite the Q1 strength, but it may be cautious due to uncertainties in the outlook.
The critical takeaway is that full-year guidance assumes sequential margin improvement, positive cash flow, and sustainable capital return.
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