Buying Stocks: 2013 S&P 500 Targets from Everyone, Up to 20% Upside Seen

We are entering the closing stretch of 2013, and Wall St. is starting to make its adjustments for 2013 S&P 500 price targets. As 2013 gets closer we will make adjustments to new firms making 2013 predictions. As you would expect, there is still a month until 2012 comes to an end, so there could easily be some adjustments to any and all of these expectations. Here are the preliminary expectations for the stock market in 2013:

Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) sees upside to 1,600 in the S&P 500 and gold to $2,000 by the end of 2013.

Canaccord Genuity sees upside to 1,650, and its Overweight sectors remain consumer discretionary, information technology, financials and to a lesser degree industrials.

Credit Suisse Group A.G. (NYSE: CS) has introduced its preliminary 2013 year-end target for the S&P 500 at 1,550. The firm said that it is increasing its Overweight rating in equities and would be Underweight in government bonds. The firm is reducing its Overweight of gold outlook and would stay Underweight in cash.

Deutsche Bank A.G. (NYSE: DB) sees a target of 1,500 on the S&P 500 index if the fiscal cliff is averted. This is a gain of about 6% from current prices, but the firm sees upside to 1,600 if dividend and capital gains taxes do not rise too much.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) sees the S&P 500 index hitting 1,575 over the next 12 months, with an earnings multiple expansion of 13.2 to 13.8. It sees GDP growth of 1.9% in 2013 and almost 3% in 2014. Interestingly enough, the firm sees more upside to European stocks in the DJ Euro Stoxx 50 Index, with close to 16% implied upside.

Jefferies has a pairs trade for gold, long gold against the weaker miners.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) expects a major rally if fiscal resolution issues are overcome. The firm’s initial projection for the S&P 500 is 1,434, with a bull case of up to 1,733 and a bear case of down to 1,135.

Piper Jaffray Companies (NYSE: PJC) sees upside to 1,700 for the S&P 500 index.

Standard & Poor’s Capital IQ sees a 1,550 close for the S&P 500 index.

Again, some of these numbers will change. If the fiscal cliff wrecking ball creates the worst outcome, some of these targets may feel a bit silly. We will be making updates as more targets come in.

JON C. OGG