Albemarle, First Solar, Intuit, GM, Ford Trending With Analysts

Analysts are intrested in these 5 stocks: ( (ALB) ), ( (FSLR) ), ( (INTU) ), ( (GM) ) and ( (F) ). Here is a breakdown of their recent ratings and the rationale behind them.

Albemarle is quickly moving back into the spotlight as lithium prices climb and analysts turn more optimistic. Baird’s Ben Kallo has upgraded Albemarle to a Buy rating with a sharply higher price target of $210, arguing that the recent jump in battery‑grade lithium carbonate – now near $16 per kilogram versus about $11 just a month ago – should flow directly into stronger profits. The firm highlights Albemarle’s leverage to the Energy Storage market, particularly stationary storage, and believes that demand here is structurally improving rather than driven only by short‑term factors like pre‑Lunar New Year buying in China. Despite a 24% rally in the stock over the past month, Kallo still sees valuation as attractive compared with lithium peers, using a higher earnings multiple than the sector average and modeling 2027 EBITDA between $1.39 billion and an upside case of $1.8 billion. Albemarle’s upcoming 2026 guidance, expected in different lithium‑price scenarios, will be a key catalyst; if prices remain above $15/kg, the analyst’s bullish case of higher EBITDA and further upside in the shares could gain support. For investors watching electrification and energy storage trends, Albemarle is being framed as a high‑risk but potentially rewarding way to play a sustained upswing in lithium.

First Solar, by contrast, is losing some of its shine in the eyes of at least one major Wall Street voice. Jefferies analyst Julien Dumoulin‑Smith has downgraded the stock to Hold with a $260 price target, warning that expectations for 2026 may have run ahead of reality. While the stock recently pushed back toward multi‑year highs, the analyst sees limited visibility on bookings for 2026 and emerging questions about the company’s longer‑term strategy. Policy support that previously fueled the bull case – especially Section 232 tariffs and other trade measures – may not be the powerful earnings driver some investors expect, as developers shift procurement ahead of new rules and potential carve‑outs for allies such as Germany dilute pricing power. In addition, international factories add risk to margins, with underutilization, logistical costs, and potential non‑cash charges all clouding the 2026 profit picture. Even though First Solar is on track to build a sizable net cash position and could ultimately return capital via buybacks, Dumoulin‑Smith argues that this payoff is too far out to justify current valuation, especially with the stock trading at peak multiples. For investors, the message is that while the long‑term solar story remains compelling, near‑term upside in First Solar may be limited unless bookings and margins surprise on the upside.

Intuit is being cast as a high‑quality compounder that may be misunderstood in the era of artificial intelligence headlines. Analyst Jared Levine has initiated coverage with a Buy rating and an ambitious $802 target, built on the view that worries about AI disrupting Intuit’s core tax and financial software franchises are overblown. Intuit, which owns brands like TurboTax, QuickBooks, Credit Karma, and Mailchimp, is seen as capable of sustaining double‑digit revenue growth through at least 2028, driven by a 12.5% annual growth rate overall and even faster expansion in its Global Business Solutions unit. Levine points out that Intuit still has only around 6% penetration of a large, $327 billion addressable market, suggesting plenty of room to grow as it moves deeper into mid‑market business customers and enhances AI‑driven features across its platform. Margins are expected to expand steadily, supporting mid‑teens annual growth in earnings and free cash flow, with potential catalysts including quarterly “beat and raise” results, a turnaround to double‑digit growth at Mailchimp, and more detailed disclosures at investor events. Despite this backdrop, the stock trades below its own historical valuation, and the analyst’s target assumes only a return to average multiples. For investors searching for durable growth names that could benefit – rather than suffer – from AI and automation, Intuit is being positioned as a standout in the software and fintech space.

General Motors is getting a fresh vote of confidence as a cash‑generating veteran that may still be undervalued despite a strong run. Piper Sandler’s Alexander Potter has upgraded GM to Overweight (equivalent to Buy) and lifted his 12‑month price target to $98, based on a 7x multiple of his 2027 earnings forecast. Potter acknowledges the company’s old‑line image and questions around its technology edge in electric and autonomous vehicles, but emphasizes that GM has quietly delivered some of the best total returns in his coverage universe over the last year and even over three‑ and five‑year periods. The analyst argues that GM’s limited exposure to Chinese competition, combined with a more forgiving regulatory environment from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, creates room for continued strong cash generation, price discipline, and aggressive share repurchases. His revised estimates assume flat revenue but rising adjusted EBIT to about $13.8 billion in 2026, with the real earnings power coming from ongoing buybacks that could push EPS above $15 by 2027 in a bullish scenario. Even after the rally, GM trades at what Potter views as a modest valuation relative to its earnings potential and its track record of beating the broader market. For investors, the upgrade reinforces the idea that GM is less a speculative EV story and more a cash‑rich auto incumbent that can reward shareholders through steady profits and capital returns.

Ford Motor, another Detroit mainstay, is also climbing back into favor as it pivots away from an aggressive early push into electric vehicles and refocuses on profit. Piper Sandler’s Alexander Potter has upgraded Ford to Overweight with a higher price target of $16, arguing that the company’s “EV capitulation” – including a partnership with Renault and a large write‑down of EV assets – is actually a positive move. By shifting emphasis back to its strongest segments, such as trucks, SUVs, and vans, and delaying the ramp of a new, more efficient EV platform until around 2027, Ford aims to protect margins in the near term while still keeping a long‑term EV option open. The analyst notes that few on the sell side currently recommend Ford, making the setup potentially attractive if earnings revisions move upward as he expects. He forecasts EBIT rising toward $10.8 billion by 2027, supported by reduced losses in the EV division and lower warranty costs after years of quality issues. Potter believes the market will keep awarding Ford a slight valuation premium to GM, helped by a higher dividend yield, and applies an 8x multiple to 2027 earnings to derive his target. For investors, Ford is being reframed not as a high‑risk EV bet, but as a turnaround story in which strategic retrenchment, cost control, and shareholder‑friendly dividends could deliver solid returns over the next few years.