Amazon
Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) is the absolute leader in online retail, and is also a dominant player in cloud storage business (AWS) and just crushed earnings last week. Despite a huge run up last week, Cowen and other Wall Street analysts says investors can still buy the stock. Even with currency headwinds that amounted to $1.4 billion, the company still had worldwide unit growth that grew 22% in the quarter. Plus, AWS revenues increased an astounding 81% to $1.8 billion and that was much more than the analysts estimates.
The Cowen price target for the stock jumps up to $700 from $565 , and the Thomson/First Call consensus target is posted at $638.13. The stock closed Monday at $531.41.
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LogMein
Despite a big move higher this year, the Cowen analysts sees more upside for this company. LogMein, Inc. (NASDAQ: LOGM) provides cloud-based services for individuals and businesses to securely connect to their workplace, colleagues, and customers. It offers services, such as join.me, join.me pro, and join.me enterprise that are browser-based online meetings and screen sharing services; Cubby Basic, Cubby Pro, and Cubby Enterprise that are cloud-based file syncing, storage, and sharing services; and LogMeIn Pro, a remote access service. The company also provides support services comprising LogMeIn Rescue and LogMeIn Rescue+Mobile, which are Web-based remote support and customer care services offering remote support via the Internet; and BoldChat, a Web-based live chat service that helps customer service staff to directly.
The company posted across the board earnings increases with bookings up a huge 23% beating the Cowen and consensus estimates soundly. LogMein also raised guidance for the rest of 2015 significantly for revenues and earnings-per-share. The Cowen price target is raised to $80 from $72. The consensus is posted at $78.33. The shares closed Monday at $73.17.
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) dominates the retail coffee business in the United States, and the international growth is helping to boost earnings. In fact, the brand has become so ubiquitous that consumers often just say “Let’s grab a Starbucks.” Despite a pricing point that is higher than others, the company continues to add new items at its stores which have been received well. This is yet another company that beat Wall Street earnings estimates for the quarter.
The Cowen team pointed to the strong growth in card loads which was up 20% and growth in the My Starbucks Rewards program which was up 28%. They also cited the digital initiatives which helped to drive same-store-sales growth in the Americas up a solid 8%. Guidance for the year was raised to reflect this quarters solid beat and the current fourth quarter guidance was maintained. Investors are paid a 1.12% dividend. Cowen raise the price target for the stock to $65 from $58. The consensus price target for the stock is $61.46. Starbucks closed Monday at $56.98.
Qlik Technologies
This company is a top technology pick at Cowen, and yet another company that beat earnings estimates. Qlik Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: QLIK) QlikView Business Discovery platform lets people quickly bring data sources together to create dynamic visual applications that can be navigated and searched intuitively. QlikView uses Natural Analytics to reflect the way human curiosity searches and processes information, while delivering the enterprise manageability, governance and service offerings organizations require.
The Cowen analyst noted that the new Qlik Sense product which has helped push the company in the business intelligence and analytic market, is seeing strong demand trends as the second quarter licensing total of $76.3 million was much higher than estimates and the strongest since 2011. New customer license and maintenance billings were up 35% in the U.S. and 28% in the European Union. Best of all the Cowen team thinks upside to estimates for the second half of the year are very possible. The Cowen price target for the stock is raised from $43 to $47 and the consensus is posted at $44.56, versus Monday’s closing price of $39.94.
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With a very nervous stock market it makes total sense for growth investors to stay with companies that have already beaten earnings estimates and are consistent or higher on guidance. Surprises in earnings and guidance does not look like it will be tolerated very well at this point.
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