Celsius, Walmart, Target, Costco, Sunrun Trending With Analysts

Analysts are intrested in these 5 stocks: ( (CELH) ), ( (WMT) ), ( (TGT) ), ( (COST) ) and ( (RUN) ). Here is a breakdown of their recent ratings and the rationale behind them.

Celsius Holdings is back in the limelight after analyst Peter Galbo executed a rare double upgrade, shifting CELH from Underperform to Buy and lifting his price objective to $65 from $45. He argues that strong fourth-quarter results, powered by the Alani Nu brand’s move into the Pepsi system, have set up robust momentum into 2026, even as inventory movements create short-term noise.

Galbo now values Celsius at 20.5 times his 2027 EV/EBITDA estimate, in line with other non-alcoholic beverage peers, and sees 17% shelf space gains for the core Celsius brand in North America next year as a key growth engine. He has raised his 2026 adjusted EBITDA forecast to about $816 million and keeps gross margin expectations in the low 50s, while warning that continued inventory friction between Celsius and Alani Nu is the main risk investors should watch.

Walmart is being framed as a very different retailer from the one many investors remember, with Christopher Nardone reinstating coverage at Buy and setting a $150 price objective. He highlights that Walmart is winning business from higher-income shoppers through faster delivery and a powerful digital ecosystem, while still catering to price-sensitive customers with its everyday low pricing strategy.

Nardone points to Walmart’s $150 billion digital arm, now roughly one-fifth of sales and compounding at 23% over two years, as the primary reason to own the stock. With ecommerce, advertising, and membership now profitable and offering incremental margins of 10–15%, he expects accelerating profit growth, improved general merchandise trends, and a gradual move toward Costco-like valuation multiples as earnings revisions turn more positive.

Target, by contrast, is viewed more warily, with Nardone restarting coverage at Underperform and a $103 price objective versus a recent price near $115. He is skeptical that consensus forecasts for steady positive comparable sales beyond the first quarter are realistic, especially given weak signs in key discretionary categories and the likelihood that any earnings recovery will be slow.

The analyst notes that Target’s apparel and home business, about 30% of sales, has lagged and faces intense competition from off-price chains, Walmart, and specialty retailers, all while housing softness weighs on home goods demand. While new leadership, stepped-up capital spending, and tax refund tailwinds could give comps a short-term boost, he cautions that higher SG&A from investments and ongoing inflation in labor and other costs may cap margin improvement and leave the stock vulnerable after a sharp rebound.

Costco continues to be a market darling, and Nardone reinforces that view by reinstating coverage with a Buy rating and a bold $1,185 price objective. He sees Costco as uniquely positioned in a “K-shaped” economy, drawing both affluent members and value hunters, thanks to its mix of sharp pricing, curated assortment, and a long-standing strategy of reinvesting in price and wages.

The company’s low-SKU, high-traffic warehouse model and the power of its Kirkland private label help it maintain price leadership, particularly when food inflation eases and price cuts bring even more customers through the doors. Beyond merchandise, Nardone calls executive memberships the real crown jewel, as these higher-tier members now make up about half of the base but generate roughly three-quarters of revenue, even as Costco faces pressure to keep pushing forward on ecommerce and AI to match rising digital expectations.

Sunrun is facing a very different narrative, with analyst Gordon Johnson downgrading RUN to Sell amid what he describes as a “stalling securitization machine.” He says headline revenue strength is being inflated by asset-sale accounting while underlying unit economics deteriorate, with volumes slipping, creation costs rising, and 2026 cash generation guidance coming in roughly $110 million below market expectations.

On the latest conference call, management admitted they are not capturing much share from the collapse of certain tax credit competitors, and Johnson highlights troubling signs from the financing side, including tighter default assumptions and signs that major tax equity providers like JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley are pulling back. Combined with rising default rates in solar asset-backed securities and widening spreads, he warns that funding conditions are worsening and that the walls may be closing in on Sunrun’s growth model.