Investing

Jefferies Picks Top Franchise Stocks to Buy

All of the top Wall Street firms that we cover here at 24/7 Wall St. have a list of what are truly their premium stocks to buy for their customers. Most firms have hundreds of names rated Buy, but usually only 20 to 30 stocks make the exclusive best of the best list. Usually after second-quarter earnings finish up, we start to see additions and deletions, plus updates on these lists.

The analysts at Jefferies have done some fine tuning to the “Franchise Picks” list, which is their cream-of-the-crop list. We looked through the updated list for the stocks on it that had the largest upside to the Jefferies designated price targets. It gives investors a wide list of top companies to choose from, all of which are rated Buy at Jefferies.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) is a very solid retail stock for investors to consider. The company recently got a nice boost as Merrill Lynch raised its rating and price target on the stock. The consumer discretionary sector has struggled this year and may be offering investors some good value going forward. Better year-over-year comparisons and a solid new offering of products could really start to reignite consumer appeal.

A&F shareholders are paid a 1.9% dividend. Jefferies has a bold $60 price target. The Thomson/First Call consensus is set at $44.31. Shares closed Tuesday at $40.50. A trade to the Jefferies target is a $50% gain.

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Arris Group Inc. (NASDAQ: ARRS) got absolutely blasted on Friday and may be giving investors a window to buy. The stock is a top franchise stock pick at Jefferies, which expects a very solid rest of the year and 2015. The company is in the communication equipment manufacturing industry, and the Jefferies analysts were very encouraged by the better-than-expected gross margin performance delivered during second-quarter earnings and commentary about share gain opportunities.

Arris created digital TV, delivered the first wireless broadband gateway and is pioneering the standards and pathways for tomorrow’s personalized, Ultra HD, multiscreen and cloud services. The Jefferies price target is $40, and the consensus target is at $37. Jefferies said in the report they would be buyers of the stock on any weakness, which may be now as the stock closed at $29.78 on Tuesday. A trade to the target is a 33% gain.

Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) has a new commitment to smartphone and mobile applications. That combined with a resurgence of PC growth this year may make Intel one of the best large cap stocks to buy for the rest of 2014. Many Wall Street firms continue to see earnings power of up to $3.00 a share for Intel, and the company is best positioned to benefit from increasing data analytics schemes.

Intel trades at a very low 14.7 times forward earnings. Investors are paid a solid 3.0% dividend. Jefferies has an aggressive $45 price target, while the consensus target is posted at $33.58. Intel closed just below that Tuesday at $32.82. A trade to the Jefferies target is a 36% gain.

ALSO READ: Deutsche Bank’s Top Technology Stocks to Own for the Rest of 2014

Mallinckrodt PLC‘s (NYSE: MNK) purchase of Cadence Pharmaceuticals earlier this year is expected to remain accretive, although the firm was put through the wringer for what some thought was overpaying. Now, as the company finishes up its most recent merger and acquisition with Questcor Pharmaceuticals, the company will once again be digesting yet another large acquisition.

The Jefferies target price for the stock is $95, and the consensus target is at $91. The stock closed Tuesday at $69.39. Trading to the Jefferies level would be a 32% gain for stockholders.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) trades at a low 14 times earnings and is the top franchise pharmaceutical name at Jefferies. The company just expanded its product offerings in a big way by purchasing the vaccine portfolio from Baxter for a tidy $635 million. Many on Wall Street think the company is still in search of a “mega-deal” that will really increase shareholder value.

Investors are paid a very solid 3.5% dividend. Jefferies has a $38 price objective for the stock, while the consensus is lower at $34.08. Shares closed Tuesday at $28.41. Hitting the target would be a 35% gain.

Ingersoll-Rand (NYSE: IR) is a top industrial name that shows up on the stocks to buy lists at many of the major Wall Street firms we cover. It makes the Jefferies Franchise list as well. With the housing market continuing to grow, albeit slower this year, the company’s wide range of portfolio products should continue to sell well.

Investors are paid a 1.6% dividend. Jefferies has posted a $75 price target, and the consensus price objective for the stock is set at $68.65. Ingersoll-Rand closed Tuesday at $59.02. Trading to the target would be a 25% gain.

With very solid stocks to buy that are not momentum priced, the Franchise Picks offer good value for investors adding new capital now. Many of them work for more conservative growth portfolios.

ALSO READ: 13 Analyst Stock Picks Under $10 With Massive Upside Potential

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