3 New Strong Buy Ratings from Top-Rated Analysts: 07/08/2025

Here are the latest Strong Buy ratings from Wall Street’s top analysts:

• Why CVS Health (CVS) stands out in an uptrending industry 
• Crown Holdings (CCK) just got a prominent price target increase 
• Will Pegasystems (PEGA) double (or more) in the coming year? Here’s what analysts have to say. 

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1. CVS Health (NYSE: CVS)

With over 9,000 retail locations, a major pharmacy benefits manager (Caremark), and a growing insurance arm through Aetna, CVS sits at the center of how millions of Americans access care. The company is cutting costs, streamlining operations, and expanding into primary care, all while generating strong cash flow. To boot, some of Wall Street’s best and brightest have deemed management’s recent guidance quite conservative.

Zen Rating: B (Buy) — see full analysis >  

Recent Price: $67.55 — get current quote > 

Max 1-year forecast: $84.00 

Why we’re watching:

• CVS shares are covered by a total of 12 analysts, and currently have 6 Strong Buy ratings, 4 Buy ratings, and 2 Hold ratings. See the ratings
• The average price target for CVS, currently pegged at $76.75, implies a 15.24% upside.
• Jefferies researcher Brian Tanquilut (a top 17% rated analyst) maintained a Strong Buy rating on the stock on June 30, and hiked his price target from $74 to $80.
• In a preview note on one of Jefferies' large-cap picks, Tanquilut contextualized their price target hike by saying that "management has been prudently conservative with its guidance, leaving room for EPS upside in the face of well-digested secular headwinds in Medicare Advantage."
• CVS Health is currently the 2nd highest-rated stock in the Healthcare Plan industry, which has an Industry Rating of A.
• CVS shares currently rank in the top 7% of the equities we track based on an analysis of 115 proprietary factors, giving them a Zen Rating of B, equivalent to an average annualized return of 19.88%.
• The stock ranks in the top 12% of equities in terms of its Growth Component Grade rating.
• However, CVS’s strongest suit is Sentiment — in this category, the stock ranks in the top 10%. Beyond positive analyst coverage, it enjoys a significant degree of institutional support and insider buying. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

2. Crown Holdings (NYSE: CCK)

Crown Holdings makes the packaging that keeps everyday products moving — from beverage cans and food containers to aerosol and specialty packaging. Headquartered in Pennsylvania, the company is a global leader in metal packaging with operations across 40+ countries. With demand rising for recyclable materials and global brands prioritizing sustainable supply chains, Crown is well-positioned for steady growth. 

Zen Rating: A (Strong Buy) — see full analysis >  

Recent Price: $107.90 — get current quote > 

Max 1-year forecast: $129.00 

Why we’re watching:

• Crown Holdings shares currently have 5 Strong Buy ratings, 2 Buy ratings, and 2 Hold ratings. Notably, there are no Sell or Strong Sell ratings. See the ratings
• Citigroup researcher Anthony Pettinari (a top 2% rated analyst) doubled down on a Strong Buy rating on CCK on July 3, and increased his price target from $119 to a Street-high $129.  
• Along with raising their price target, Pettinari said they initiated a "30-day positive catalyst watch" on Crown Holdings, their top Packaging stock selection. 
• Citing strong performance by Beverage Packager names in North America and "modest help" from Forex impacts, the analyst increased their Q2 2025 EBITDA expectations within the group by an average of 2% to 3%.
• CCK is currently the top-rated stock in the Packaging & Container industry, which has an Industry Rating of B.
• Our proprietary quant rating system has placed Crown Holdings shares in the top 4% of equities, giving them a Zen Rating of A.
• The stock ranks in the 77th percentile in terms of Financials, as well as the 81st percentile when it comes to Safety.
• With that being said, it ranks even more highly when it comes to Growth and Sentiment — in the top 16% and 11% of the stocks that we track, respectively.
• financials 77, safety 81, sentiment 89, growth 84 (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

3. Pegasystems (NASDAQ: PEGA) 

Pegasystems is in the business of enterprise software — helping other businesses automate workflows, improve customer engagement, and streamline their operations. The company recently delivered an exceptional double beat — and with solid growth prospects and an even stronger balance sheet, we think it’s worth a closer look.

Zen Rating: A (Strong Buy) — see full analysis >  

Recent Price: $54.16 — get current quote > 

Max 1-year forecast: $131.00 

Why we’re watching:

• At present, 11 analysts issue ratings for Pegasystems — 5 have deemed it a Strong Buy, 3 issue Buy ratings, and 3 have given the stock a Hold rating. Notably, there are currently no Sell or Strong Sell ratings. See the ratings
• The average 12-month price forecast for PEGA currently stands at $102.73, which implies a very impressive 95.08% upside from current prices.
• Loop Capital researcher Yun Kim (a top 13% rated analyst) maintained a Strong Buy rating on PEGA on June 30 and upped the price target on the stock from $52 to $60.
• Kim told readers that Loop Capital updated its Pegasystems model to account for the recent (2025/06/23) two-for-one stock split.
• Further, the analyst said their confidence in their investment thesis has increased following recent discussions with company management.
• The stock price will move closer to their price target as investors come to share their added confidence in Pegasystems' strategy and vision, Kim predicted.
• In the first week of June, after Pegasystems’ Investor Day, Citigroup’s Steven Enders (a top 12% rated analyst) issued the Street-high price target of $131, in conjunction with a reiterated Strong Buy rating.
• Factors supporting their view that Pegasystems is an "underappreciated" Gen AI story, according to Enders, include the increasing acceptance of Blueprint, the emergence of new use cases to revolutionize old workflows, and the company's renewed emphasis on attracting net new customers through streamlined mid-market packaging.
• The App industry consists of 203 stocks, and has an Industry Rating of A. PEGA is the 2nd highest-rated stock in the industry.
• Our proprietary quant rating system, Zen Ratings, tracks a little more than 4,600 stocks. PEGA currently ranks at number 37 — and its placement in the top 1% of stocks gives it a Zen Rating of A, which has historically corresponded to average annual returns of 32.52%.
• On account of positive analyst coverage and a significant degree of insider buying, Pegasystems shares rank in the top 16% of equities when it comes to Sentiment.
• In addition, PEGA ranks in the 86th percentile in terms of its Momentum Component Grade rating.
• However, the stock’s biggest strengths are its Growth and Financials Component Grade ratings — in these categories, it ranks in the top 2% and top 1% of stocks, respectively. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here >)

What to Do Next?

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