BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) Raised to Moderate Buy at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods

BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) was upgraded by research analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from a “hold” rating to a “moderate buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, Zacks reports.

A number of other equities analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Evercore reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $1,260.00 price target on shares of BlackRock in a research report on Monday, August 10th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,389.00 price target on shares of BlackRock in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. UBS Group reduced their price objective on shares of BlackRock from $1,320.00 to $1,277.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday. BNP Paribas Exane upped their price objective on shares of BlackRock from $1,300.00 to $1,350.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of BlackRock from $1,250.00 to $1,300.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, July 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,303.35.

BlackRock Stock Down 0.2%

NYSE:BLK opened at $1,067.09 on Wednesday. BlackRock has a twelve month low of $917.39 and a twelve month high of $1,219.94. The firm has a market capitalization of $165.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.21 and a beta of 1.41. The company has a quick ratio of 3.59, a current ratio of 3.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $1,110.01 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $1,058.13.

BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 15th. The asset manager reported $13.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $12.69 by $1.22. BlackRock had a net margin of 24.09% and a return on equity of 14.90%. The firm had revenue of $7.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.73 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $12.05 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 30.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts expect that BlackRock will post 55.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in BLK. RMG Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of BlackRock during the first quarter worth approximately $25,000. Addison Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of BlackRock in the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Kelly Lawrence W & Associates Inc. CA acquired a new stake in BlackRock during the second quarter worth approximately $25,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in BlackRock during the second quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC increased its stake in BlackRock by 100.0% during the 1st quarter. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC now owns 34 shares of the asset manager’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 17 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.69% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting BlackRock

Here are the key news stories impacting BlackRock this week:

• Positive Sentiment: BlackRock’s shares have gained 6.8% over the past six months, supported by record assets under management, strategic acquisitions, strong investment demand, and its diversified product lineup. However, analysts caution that the stock’s elevated valuation could limit additional upside. BLK Shares Rally 6.8% in Six Months: Is There Further Upside Left?
• Positive Sentiment: BlackRock is reportedly in exclusive discussions to acquire Stack Infrastructure’s Asia-Pacific data-center assets in a potential $20 billion-to-$25 billion transaction. The deal would increase exposure to AI and cloud infrastructure, though its size also raises execution and financing considerations. BlackRock in Exclusive Talks on $20 Billion Data Center Deal
• Positive Sentiment: BlackRock continues to promote growth in digital assets and tokenization, including tokenized money-market funds, stablecoins, Bitcoin, and AI-driven crypto payments. Its crypto portfolio reportedly increased by more than $291 million over four days, highlighting potential long-term fee and product opportunities. BlackRock’s Nikhil Sharma Pitches Tokenized Money Market Funds
• Neutral Sentiment: Fixed-income chief Rick Rieder said short-term bonds remain attractive and indicated a hawkish Federal Reserve positioning. Higher rates can support fixed-income demand but may pressure equity valuations and risk assets. BlackRock’s Rieder on Yield Curve and Federal Reserve Rate Hikes
• Negative Sentiment: U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded approximately $484.9 million in net outflows, with BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust accounting for $207.7 million. The withdrawals reduce near-term sentiment around crypto-related asset growth and fee revenue. US Bitcoin ETFs See $485 Million Outflow
• Negative Sentiment: BlackRock is scheduled to report quarterly results next week. While Wall Street expects earnings growth, a Zacks analysis says the company may lack the typical indicators for a significant earnings beat, increasing event risk for the stock. BlackRock Reports Next Week
• Negative Sentiment: The Rosen Law Firm is investigating potential securities claims involving BlackRock mutual funds, citing allegations of materially misleading business information. The announcement creates reputational and potential legal overhang, although it does not establish wrongdoing. BlackRock Investor News

About BlackRock

BlackRock, Inc is a global investment management and financial technology company serving individual investors, institutions, governments and financial professionals. The company provides investment management, risk management and advisory services across a broad range of asset classes, including equities, fixed income, multi-asset strategies, alternatives and cash management.

BlackRock offers investment products through mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and other vehicles. Its iShares brand is one of the company’s principal platforms for exchange-traded funds, providing access to domestic and international markets, industry sectors, bonds, commodities and specialized investment strategies.

The company also provides technology and analytical solutions through its Aladdin platform, which is used by asset managers, institutional investors and other financial organizations for portfolio management, risk analysis, trading and operational support.