Johnson Controls International (NYSE:JCI) Upgraded to "Strong-Buy" at Zacks Research

Key Points

• Zacks Research upgraded Johnson Controls International (NYSE:JCI) from “hold” to “strong-buy,” adding to generally positive analyst sentiment on the stock.
• Across Wall Street, JCI now has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $152.85, while the stock opened at $138.62 on Thursday.
• The company reported $1.19 EPS and $6.14 billion in quarterly revenue in its latest earnings release, and insiders have also been selling shares recently, including two vice presidents.

Johnson Controls International (NYSE:JCI - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at Zacks Research from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report released on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

Other equities analysts have also issued reports about the company. Sanford C. Bernstein started coverage on Johnson Controls International in a research note on Tuesday, June 9th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $176.00 price objective on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on Johnson Controls International from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 15th. Barclays raised their target price on Johnson Controls International from $136.00 to $144.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. BNP Paribas Exane assumed coverage on Johnson Controls International in a research report on Tuesday, April 14th. They issued an "underperform" rating and a $120.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Johnson Controls International from $145.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $152.85.

Johnson Controls International Price Performance

NYSE JCI opened at $138.62 on Thursday. Johnson Controls International has a 1 year low of $102.09 and a 1 year high of $149.38. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $141.69 and a 200 day simple moving average of $132.76. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64. The company has a market cap of $84.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.80, a P/E/G ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 1.32.

Johnson Controls International (NYSE:JCI - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, March 31st. The company reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $6.14 billion for the quarter. Johnson Controls International had a net margin of 14.45% and a return on equity of 19.50%. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Johnson Controls International will post 4.89 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other Johnson Controls International news, VP Todd M. Grabowski sold 1,800 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $146.20, for a total value of $263,160.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president owned 26,215 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,832,633. This represents a 6.43% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, VP Lei Zhang Schlitz sold 88,809 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $140.99, for a total value of $12,521,180.91. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president directly owned 57,059 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $8,044,748.41. This trade represents a 60.88% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.29% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Johnson Controls International

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of JCI. Regents Gate Capital LLP lifted its holdings in shares of Johnson Controls International by 17.4% during the 3rd quarter. Regents Gate Capital LLP now owns 86,144 shares of the company's stock worth $9,472,000 after acquiring an additional 12,774 shares during the period. Elo Mutual Pension Insurance Co increased its stake in Johnson Controls International by 23.7% in the third quarter. Elo Mutual Pension Insurance Co now owns 75,021 shares of the company's stock valued at $8,249,000 after acquiring an additional 14,354 shares during the period. Bright Futures Wealth Management LLC. bought a new stake in Johnson Controls International in the third quarter valued at about $583,000. Nordea Investment Management AB raised its position in Johnson Controls International by 6.7% in the fourth quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 2,276,753 shares of the company's stock worth $274,235,000 after purchasing an additional 142,429 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kepler Cheuvreux Suisse SA acquired a new position in Johnson Controls International in the third quarter worth about $2,345,000. 90.05% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Johnson Controls International Company Profile

Johnson Controls International plc is a global diversified technology and multi‑industrial company that develops products, services and solutions for buildings and energy storage. The company's core focus is on improving building efficiency, safety and sustainability through a combination of HVAC equipment, building controls and automation, fire and security systems, and related services. Johnson Controls traces its roots to 1885, when inventor Warren S. Johnson developed an electric room thermostat; over its long history the company has expanded from controls into a broad set of building‑related technologies and, through corporate transactions, into a global provider of integrated building solutions.

Johnson Controls' product and service portfolio includes heating, ventilation and air‑conditioning equipment, chillers, air handlers and related mechanical systems, together with building automation and control platforms that monitor and manage energy use, indoor environmental quality and security.

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