Observed Signal · Apr 25, 2026 · Earnings Report · Source: CNBC Investing · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Morgan Stanley names stocks with earnings upside
Morgan Stanley analysts identified several stocks they believe have further upside ahead of upcoming earnings, highlighting Spotify, Datadog, Warner Music Group, S & P Global and Starbucks as buy ideas. The bank trimmed its S & P Global price target to $556 from $580 but remains bullish on the company’s diversification, margin execution and capital-return profile. Morgan Stanley raised its Warner Music Group price target to $38 from $37 and cited concentrated music IP ownership and potential revenue and earnings acceleration. Analysts cited product innovation and an investor day as catalysts for Spotify, which is slated to report on April 28 and is on track to exceed 300 million paid users according to Morgan Stanley. Datadog was noted for core business momentum and visibility to ~30% Q1 growth.
Analyst views and price-target changes from a major investment bank ahead of earnings for large media and tech-related companies can move markets, influence investor expectations, and affect companies that operate ad-supported or media businesses (e.g., Spotify, Warner Music).
Track Morgan Stanley Signals & Market Shifts in Real-Time
Polaris7 autonomous intelligence agents track regulatory filings, primary sources, executive changes, and deal flow 24/7. Create your free Explorer workspace to monitor these entities.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Morgan Stanley listed Spotify, Datadog, Warner Music Group, S & P Global and Starbucks among stocks with upside ahead of earnings.
- Morgan Stanley trimmed S & P Global's price target to $556 per share from $580 but maintained a bullish stance.
- Morgan Stanley raised Warner Music Group's price target to $38 per share from $37 ahead of early May earnings.
- Morgan Stanley expects Spotify to report earnings on April 28 and projects it can exceed 300 million paid users.
- Morgan Stanley said Datadog has core business momentum with line of sight to roughly 30% growth in Q1 and upward estimate revisions for Q2/FY26.
Connected Companies & Entities
5 Entities mappedRelated Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Bank of America Names Q3 Stock Picks Including Spotify
Bank of America published a list of third-quarter stock picks across sectors, highlighting Spotify as a streaming pick with roughly 40% upside. The note cites catalysts for Spotify including new products, pricing tiers and expansion into podcasts, audiobooks and fitness; analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich rates Spotify a buy with a $685 target. Bank of America analysts also flagged Visa and Walmart as top ideas — Matthew O’Neill rates Visa a buy with a $410 target (about 13% upside) and Christopher Nardone rates Walmart a buy with a $144 target (about 29% upside). Other names on the firm's list include IBM, JPMorgan Chase and Snowflake. The piece was published July 5, 2026 by CNBC.
Bank of America Names Stocks to Buy Before Earnings
Bank of America analysts say several stocks have upside ahead of upcoming quarterly reports and highlighted names investors should consider buying. The bank and CNBC Pro screened buy-rated companies including Spotify, Cisco, RB Global, Ralph Lauren and DoorDash. Bank of America analysts noted Spotify’s stable key performance indicators and accelerating revenue growth (citing moderating FX headwinds) and said the company’s AI product roadmap and pricing power are encouraging ahead of its August 4 earnings. RB Global (formerly Ritchie Brothers) and Ralph Lauren were also highlighted as attractive ahead of earnings on August 4, with analysts citing improving fundamentals and margin opportunities. The article reflects analyst recommendations and company-specific expectations rather than company financial releases themselves.
Morgan Stanley Upgrades CDW, Sees 38% Upside
Morgan Stanley upgraded CDW to an overweight rating from equal weight and raised its price target to $170 from $142, implying roughly 38% upside from the prior close. Analyst Erik Woodring highlighted CDW’s attractive valuation (about 11× forward earnings per FactSet) versus broader indexes, and said recent strength in servers, storage and networking (accounting for over 20% of revenue) plus expected second-half operating leverage could reverse underperformance. CDW has faced headwinds from inflation concerns and weaker software revenue, and shares are down about 10% year-to-date. Morgan Stanley noted a late-May incremental $1 billion share buyback, and LSEG data shows seven of 12 covering analysts have buy or strong-buy ratings. The call aligns Morgan Stanley with Street consensus while flagging recovery catalysts tied to demand and margin improvement.
Track Real-Time Market Signals & Shifts
Set up custom watchlists to receive automated, evidence-grounded executive digests whenever material signals or shifts occur across your tracked landscape.