Analyst Picks: P&G, Palantir, and Shopify Stand Out Amidst Earnings Season

The S&P500 closed in the red on Friday, marking the end of a week that saw big banks and companies such as Netflix and Johnson & Johnson kick off the new earnings season. Despite this, the Nasdaq rose over 1% for the week, while the Dow had a more subdued performance. Analysts are bullish on Procter & Gamble, Palantir, and Shopify, among others.

The S&P500 closed in the red on Friday, marking the end of a week that saw big banks and companies such as Netflix and Johnson & Johnson kick off the new earnings season. Despite this, the Nasdaq rose over 1% for the week, while the Dow had a more subdued performance. Analysts are bullish on Procter & Gamble, Palantir, and Shopify, among others.

Evercore downgraded Procter & Gamble (PG) to In Line from Outperform ahead of the consumer product giant's Q4 earnings report, expecting 1% to 3% organic sales growth for F2026. The firm expects a broad range of scenarios to be discussed on July 29, with macro pressures being transient and Procter’s portfolio extending into mid-tier flanker brands [1].

Mizuho upgraded Palantir (PLTR) to Neutral from Underperform, noting that the company's sustained revenue growth has proven stronger than expected. The brokerage increased its price target to $135 from $116, citing long-term trends in AI, government digital transformation, and industrial modernization [1].

Needham initiated coverage on Shopify (SHOP) with a Buy rating, believing the company remains in the mid-cycle of a durable growth opportunity. The firm's price target of $135 is based on a 26.6X EV/FY26 gross profit multiple, with recent investments in international and B2B strategies seen as the most exciting growth drivers [1].

Procter & Gamble is expected to report its fiscal Q4 2025 results on July 29, with analysts expecting a profit of $1.43 per share. The company has met or surpassed Wall Street's earnings estimates in the last four quarters, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Despite this, shares of Procter & Gamble have declined 5.2% over the past 52 weeks [2].

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) reported robust sales growth in the second quarter of 2025, with a 4.6% operational sales growth across its business. The company raised its full-year EPS guidance by $0.25 to a range of $10.80 to $10.90, despite facing headwinds from the loss of exclusivity for STELARA. The Innovative Medicine segment achieved over $15 billion in quarterly sales, with 13 brands growing double digits [3].

References:
[1] https://seekingalpha.com/news/4468902-notable-analyst-calls-this-week-procter-gamble-palantir-and-shopify-among-top-picks
[2] https://www.inkl.com/news/earnings-preview-what-to-expect-from-procter-gamble-s-report
[3] https://www.gurufocus.com/news/2983128/johnson-johnson-jnj-q2-2025-earnings-call-highlights-strong-sales-growth-amid-challenges