Wayfair’s Shares Surge on Analyst Upgrades as Trading Volume Slips to 328th

On August 6, 2025, Wayfair (W) saw a trading volume of $0.36 billion, down 31.53% from the prior day, ranking it 328th in market activity. The stock closed up 4.07% at $76.75.

Recent analyst activity drove the upward momentum. Citigroup upgraded the stock to "buy" from "neutral," while JPMorgan raised its price target to $82. These moves followed Wayfair’s Q2 earnings report, which showed a $0.87 EPS, far exceeding the $0.33 consensus, and $3.3 billion in revenue, a 5% year-over-year increase. Zelman & Associates further boosted its price target to $96, reflecting optimism about the home goods sector’s recovery.

Despite the gains, Wayfair’s shares remain highly volatile, with over 50 intraday swings of 5% or more in the past year. Institutional investors, including LPL Financial and Northern Trust, have increased stakes in recent quarters, while insiders sold a combined $40 million in shares over 90 days. The stock now trades at a 52-week high, up 65.4% year-to-date.

A backtested strategy of purchasing the top 500 high-volume stocks and holding for one day generated a 166.71% return from 2022 to 2025, outperforming the benchmark by 137.53%. This highlights liquidity-driven momentum in volatile markets, though high-volume stocks may carry risks amid shifting market trends.