Johnson Controls International (NYSE:JCI) Stock Rating Raised to "Buy" at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Johnson Controls International from “hold” to “buy.” Despite the upgrade, analyst consensus remains “Hold,” with an average price target of $166.76.
• The company beat quarterly expectations, reporting EPS of $1.66 versus $1.59 forecast and revenue of $7.11 billion versus $7.04 billion. Revenue rose 10.4% year over year.
• JCI shares opened at $139.18, within a 52-week range of $108.41 to $160.41; a company director also sold 4,000 shares at an average price of $159.19.

Johnson Controls International (NYSE:JCI - Get Free Report) was upgraded by Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Saturday, Wall Street Zen reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on JCI. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of Johnson Controls International in a report on Wednesday, October 7th. Bank of America lifted their price target on Johnson Controls International from $152.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, October 8th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on Johnson Controls International from $162.00 to $172.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 28th. Mizuho boosted their price target on Johnson Controls International from $150.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 15th. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered Johnson Controls International from a "buy (a)" rating to a "buy (a-)" rating in a research note on Monday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Johnson Controls International has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $166.76.

Johnson Controls International Price Performance

Shares of JCI opened at $139.18 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $84.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.74, a PEG ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 1.27. Johnson Controls International has a 1-year low of $108.41 and a 1-year high of $160.41. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $147.32 and its 200 day simple moving average is $142.14. The company has a current ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55.

Johnson Controls International (NYSE:JCI - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 27th. The company reported $1.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.59 by $0.07. Johnson Controls International had a net margin of 11.12% and a return on equity of 23.38%. The firm had revenue of $7.11 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.04 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.26 earnings per share. The company's quarterly revenue was up 10.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that Johnson Controls International will post 6.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Juergen Tinggren sold 4,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $159.19, for a total value of $636,760.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 27,236 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,335,698.84. This represents a 12.81% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.29% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Johnson Controls International

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in JCI. NBH Bank bought a new position in Johnson Controls International during the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. Signature Equity Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Johnson Controls International by 96.2% during the third quarter. Signature Equity Partners LLC now owns 206 shares of the company's stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 101 shares in the last quarter. Virginia Estate & Retirement Planning Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Johnson Controls International during the third quarter worth $33,000. Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC boosted its position in shares of Johnson Controls International by 51.3% in the second quarter. Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC now owns 230 shares of the company's stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 78 shares during the period. Finally, First Bancorp Inc ME bought a new stake in shares of Johnson Controls International in the second quarter valued at about $34,000. Institutional investors own 90.05% of the company's stock.

About Johnson Controls International

Johnson Controls International plc develops building technologies, products and services for commercial, industrial and institutional customers. Its offerings include heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, building automation and controls, fire detection and suppression systems, and security solutions. The company also provides maintenance, modernization and other services to help customers manage building operations. Its products and services support facilities such as offices, hospitals, schools, data centers and manufacturing sites.

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