Gartner, Inc. (NYSE:IT) Given Consensus Recommendation of "Hold" by Analysts

Key Points

• Analysts hold a mixed view of Gartner. Twelve firms assign the stock a consensus “Hold” rating, with an average 12-month price target of $185.50 and targets ranging from $120 to $205.
• Gartner exceeded quarterly earnings expectations with adjusted EPS of $4.37 versus the $3.76 consensus and revenue of $1.68 billion versus $1.65 billion expected. However, revenue declined 0.6% year over year and contract-value growth remained weak.
• Insider selling and legal headlines add caution. Two executives recently sold shares, while institutional investors own 91.51% of the stock; a shareholder investigation announcement also creates additional headline risk.

Gartner, Inc. (NYSE:IT - Get Free Report) has earned a consensus rating of "Hold" from the twelve research firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, seven have given a hold recommendation, two have assigned a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $185.50.

Several analysts have issued reports on IT shares. Truist Financial set a $205.00 price target on Gartner in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Zacks Research raised Gartner from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. Morgan Stanley set a $177.00 price objective on Gartner in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their price objective on Gartner from $160.00 to $164.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Gartner from $164.00 to $196.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Yvonne Genovese sold 1,205 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $190.06, for a total value of $229,022.30. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,208 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,179,892.48. This represents a 16.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Anne Sutherland Fuchs sold 860 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $184.30, for a total transaction of $158,498.00. Following the sale, the director owned 8,097 shares in the company, valued at $1,492,277.10. The trade was a 9.60% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Corporate insiders own 2.60% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Gartner

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in IT. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Gartner during the second quarter worth about $676,246,000. Capital International Investors boosted its stake in Gartner by 28.3% in the 4th quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 4,004,093 shares of the information technology services provider's stock worth $1,010,153,000 after purchasing an additional 884,250 shares during the period. State Street Corp boosted its stake in Gartner by 2.8% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 3,510,206 shares of the information technology services provider's stock worth $922,728,000 after purchasing an additional 96,809 shares during the period. Independent Franchise Partners LLP grew its holdings in Gartner by 3.5% during the 4th quarter. Independent Franchise Partners LLP now owns 3,308,566 shares of the information technology services provider's stock valued at $834,685,000 after buying an additional 112,439 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley grew its holdings in Gartner by 5.8% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 2,495,575 shares of the information technology services provider's stock valued at $629,585,000 after buying an additional 136,233 shares in the last quarter. 91.51% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Gartner News

Here are the key news stories impacting Gartner this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly earnings beat expectations. Gartner reported adjusted EPS of $4.37 versus the $3.76 consensus, while revenue of $1.68 billion exceeded forecasts of $1.65 billion. EPS also rose from $3.53 a year earlier, indicating solid profitability and cost discipline.
• Positive Sentiment: AI-related demand remains a potential long-term tailwind. Gartner’s research continues to be cited in announcements from technology vendors including USU, IronOrbit, lakeFS, Parallels, Impact Analytics and Sangfor. This supports Gartner’s brand visibility and research relevance, although the announcements do not represent new contracts or revenue guidance for Gartner.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst sentiment is mixed. Recent price targets range from $120 to $205, with a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target near $185.50. Some firms raised targets after the earnings report, while Wells Fargo maintained an “underweight” view and other analysts remain cautious about growth.
• Neutral Sentiment: Gartner faces a shareholder investigation announcement. Bernstein Liebhard said it is investigating potential fiduciary-duty breaches by certain directors and officers. The announcement contains no finding of wrongdoing, but it creates additional headline and legal risk for investors. Gartner shareholder investigation alert
• Negative Sentiment: Core growth trends remain weak. Global contract value increased only 1% on an FX-neutral basis in the first quarter, while consulting revenue declined sharply. Quarterly revenue also fell 0.6% year over year, raising concerns about whether strong earnings can continue without a demand recovery.
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple insiders have sold shares. EVP Yvonne Genovese sold 1,205 shares for approximately $229,000, reducing her position by 16.26%; Director Anne Sutherland Fuchs separately sold 860 shares for about $158,500. Three open-market insider transactions in the past six months have been sales, with no reported purchases. These trades are not necessarily evidence of weakening fundamentals but may weigh on sentiment. SEC insider transaction filing

Gartner Stock Up 2.0%

IT opened at $182.98 on Friday. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $147.71 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $156.18. The company has a market capitalization of $12.25 billion, a PE ratio of 16.41, a PEG ratio of 0.59 and a beta of 0.94. Gartner has a 1-year low of $124.25 and a 1-year high of $265.85. The company has a current ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 46.98.

Gartner (NYSE:IT - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The information technology services provider reported $4.37 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $3.76 by $0.61. Gartner had a net margin of 11.99% and a return on equity of 525.46%. The firm had revenue of $1.68 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.65 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $3.53 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was down .6% compared to the same quarter last year. Gartner has set its FY 2026 guidance at 14.000- EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Gartner will post 14.44 EPS for the current year.

About Gartner

Gartner, Inc is a global research and advisory firm that provides insights, advice and tools for leaders in IT, finance, HR, customer service and other business functions. Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, Gartner specializes in helping organizations make informed decisions about technology, operations and strategy through a combination of published research, advisory services, consulting, executive programs and events.

The company's offerings include proprietary research reports, market forecasts, and analytical frameworks that are widely used by technology buyers and vendors.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

Continue following MarketBeat

Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.

Add As Preferred Source