With the end of the year approaching, where are analysts most optimistic and pessimistic in terms of their ratings on stocks in the S&P 500? How have their views changed over the past few months?
Overall, there are 11,136 ratings on stocks in the S&P 500. Of these 11,136 ratings, 53.9% are Buy ratings, 40.8% are Hold ratings, and 5.3% are Sell ratings.
At the sector level, analysts are most optimistic on the Energy (66%), Health Care (59%), Communication Services (59%), and Materials (58%) sectors, as these four sectors have highest percentages of Buy ratings.
On the other hand, analysts are most pessimistic about the Consumer Staples (40%), Utilities (44%), and Real Estate (44%) sectors, as these three sectors have the lowest percentage of Buy ratings. The Real Estate sector also has the highest percentage of Hold ratings (51%), while the Consumer Staples sector has the highest percentage of Sell ratings (10%).
Since September 30, the total number of ratings on S&P 500 companies has increased by 1.6% (to 11,136 from 10,957).
Sector-Level Breakdown
The number of Buy ratings has increased by 4.2% (to 6,001 from 5,757). Ten sectors have witnessed an increase in Buy ratings, led by the Energy (+18%) sector. The Consumer Staples (-7%) sector is the only sector that has seen a decrease in Buy ratings. The number of Hold ratings has decreased by 0.6% (to 4,543 from 4,569). Seven sectors have recorded a decrease in Hold ratings, led by the Energy (-11%) sector. Four sectors have witnessed an increase in Hold ratings, led by the Information Technology (+11%) sector. The number of Sell ratings has decreased by 6.2% (to 592 from 631). Seven sectors have a recorded a decrease in Sell ratings, led by the Communication Services (-25%), Consumer Discretionary (-19%), and Energy (-13%) sectors. Three sectors have seen an increase in Sell ratings, led by the Real Estate (+15%) sector.
Insight/2018/12.2018/12.14.2018_EI/Percentage%20of%20Buy%20hold%20and%20Sell%20Ratings.png)
Highest Buy Ratings % in S&P 500: Top 10 (Source: FactSet)
|
Company
|
Buy
|
Hold
|
Sell
|
Total
|
|
Marathon Petroleum Corporation
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Keysight Technologies Inc
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Jefferies Financial Group Inc.
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Amazon.com, Inc.
|
98%
|
2%
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
LKQ Corporation
|
94%
|
6%
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Diamondback Energy, Inc.
|
94%
|
6%
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
E*TRADE Financial Corporation
|
94%
|
6%
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Alphabet Inc. Class A
|
93%
|
7%
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Alphabet Inc. Class C
|
93%
|
7%
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Pioneer Natural Resources Co.
|
93%
|
7%
|
0%
|
100%
|
Highest Sell Ratings % in S&P 500: Top 10 (Source: FactSet)
|
Company
|
Buy
|
Hold
|
Sell
|
Total
|
|
Public Storage
|
6%
|
47%
|
47%
|
100%
|
|
Torchmark Corporation
|
18%
|
36%
|
45%
|
100%
|
|
Campbell Soup Company
|
17%
|
39%
|
44%
|
100%
|
|
Robert Half International Inc.
|
29%
|
36%
|
36%
|
100%
|
|
Southern Company
|
24%
|
43%
|
33%
|
100%
|
|
Franklin Resources, Inc.
|
0%
|
67%
|
33%
|
100%
|
|
Omnicom Group Inc
|
20%
|
47%
|
33%
|
100%
|
|
Consolidated Edison, Inc.
|
5%
|
63%
|
32%
|
100%
|
|
Expeditors Intl. of Washington, Inc.
|
13%
|
56%
|
31%
|
100%
|
|
Western Union Company
|
17%
|
52%
|
30%
|
100%
|
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