Vertiv (NYSE:VRT) Cut to "Hold" at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded Vertiv from “Buy” to “Hold,” while the broader analyst consensus remains “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $357.83.
• Vertiv reported quarterly EPS of $1.52, beating estimates of $1.43, while revenue rose 24.1% year over year to $3.27 billion. The company issued fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $6.65–$6.75.
• AI infrastructure growth remains a key catalyst: Vertiv agreed to acquire energy-infrastructure provider UIG for up to $2.6 billion, expanding its power and microgrid capabilities, although its elevated valuation and a $3.88 million insider sale add caution.

Vertiv (NYSE:VRT - Get Free Report) was downgraded by stock analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report issued on Saturday, Wall Street Zen reports.

Several other research analysts have also issued reports on VRT. Roth Capital reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $355.00 target price on shares of Vertiv in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price target on Vertiv from $418.00 to $337.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $325.00 price target on shares of Vertiv in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Zacks Research cut Vertiv from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, August 31st. Finally, UBS Group reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $370.00 price objective on shares of Vertiv in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have assigned a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $357.83.

Vertiv Price Performance

Vertiv stock opened at $280.76 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $108.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 63.52, a PEG ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 2.07. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $282.72 and a 200 day simple moving average of $290.81. Vertiv has a 52 week low of $118.70 and a 52 week high of $379.93.

Vertiv (NYSE:VRT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The company reported $1.52 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.43 by $0.09. Vertiv had a net margin of 15.09% and a return on equity of 50.47%. The firm had revenue of $3.27 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.38 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.95 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 24.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Vertiv has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 1.770-1.830 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 6.650-6.750 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Vertiv will post 6.67 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Vertiv

In related news, Director Edward Monser sold 15,287 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $253.82, for a total transaction of $3,880,146.34. Following the transaction, the director owned 16,500 shares in the company, valued at $4,188,030. This represents a 48.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Corporate insiders own 1.10% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vertiv

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust lifted its position in shares of Vertiv by 20.2% during the 2nd quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 695 shares of the company's stock valued at $233,000 after buying an additional 117 shares in the last quarter. Range Advisory LLC increased its holdings in Vertiv by 9.1% in the 2nd quarter. Range Advisory LLC now owns 2,217 shares of the company's stock worth $742,000 after acquiring an additional 185 shares in the last quarter. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. raised its stake in Vertiv by 2.1% during the 2nd quarter. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. now owns 24,954 shares of the company's stock worth $8,355,000 after acquiring an additional 505 shares during the period. Corient Private Wealth LP raised its stake in Vertiv by 1.4% during the 2nd quarter. Corient Private Wealth LP now owns 53,061 shares of the company's stock worth $17,766,000 after acquiring an additional 753 shares during the period. Finally, Formuepleje A S bought a new stake in Vertiv during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,009,000. 89.92% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Vertiv News

Here are the key news stories impacting Vertiv this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AI power infrastructure expansion: Vertiv will pay approximately $1.45 billion in cash at closing, with up to $1.15 billion in additional payments tied to 12- and 24-month earnings targets. UIG adds microgrid controls, onsite-generation orchestration, switchgear and behind-the-meter power capabilities, extending Vertiv’s offering from the electrical grid to the data-center chip. Management expects the acquisition to be accretive to adjusted earnings per share in the first year after closing. Vertiv’s UIG Deal Targets the Next Big Constraint in AI Data Centers
• Positive Sentiment: Strong AI-driven growth narrative: Recent analysis highlights Vertiv’s 60% year-over-year adjusted EPS growth in the second quarter, higher full-year guidance, doubled deferred revenue and expected third-quarter revenue growth of roughly 40%. Its technical integration with NVIDIA and expanding cooling and power portfolio continue to support investor enthusiasm. Vertiv Holdings: The Market Is Making The Same Mistake Twice, Still A Buy
• Positive Sentiment: Positive analyst and institutional sentiment: Vertiv retains a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating, while reports point to strong interest from billionaire-led funds and potential competitive advantages over other AI cooling and infrastructure providers. Vertiv Receives Moderate Buy Consensus
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation remains demanding: Analysts view Vertiv’s growth prospects favorably, but the stock’s elevated earnings multiple leaves limited room for execution disappointments and makes future gains dependent on continued strong AI infrastructure growth. Vertiv AI Infrastructure Growth and Valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sale: Director Edward Monser sold 15,287 shares worth approximately $3.88 million under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan. The planned nature limits its significance, but the transaction reduced his direct ownership by about 48%. Vertiv Director Insider Sale

Vertiv Company Profile

Vertiv is a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions for data centers, communication networks and commercial and industrial environments. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, the company designs, manufactures and services equipment and software that support power availability, thermal management and IT infrastructure management for a broad set of end markets, including hyperscale and enterprise data centers, colocation providers, telecom operators and industrial customers.

The company's product portfolio includes uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), power distribution units (PDUs), battery and DC power systems, precision cooling and thermal management equipment, racks and enclosures, and integrated modular infrastructure.

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