Block (NYSE:XYZ – Get Free Report) had its price objective lifted by stock analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from $90.00 to $100.00 in a report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “outperform” rating on the technology company’s stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods’ target price suggests a potential upside of 24.32% from the stock’s current price.
XYZ has been the topic of a number of other reports. The Goldman Sachs Group raised Block from a “buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $95.00 price objective on shares of Block in a report on Thursday. Barclays began coverage on shares of Block in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $100.00 price objective on the stock. Rosenblatt Securities set a $100.00 target price on shares of Block in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. Finally, KeyCorp set a $108.00 price target on shares of Block in a research note on Thursday. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-six have given a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Block has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $90.88.
Block Stock Down 4.5%
Block (NYSE:XYZ – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The technology company reported $1.02 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.48 by $0.54. Block had a net margin of 3.30% and a return on equity of 7.02%. The company had revenue of $6.62 billion during the quarter. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.62 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. Block has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.020-4.020 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 1.020-1.020 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Block will post 2.48 EPS for the current year.
Insider Activity at Block
In related news, insider Brian Grassadonia sold 25,908 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $81.64, for a total transaction of $2,115,129.12. Following the sale, the insider owned 531,746 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $43,411,743.44. This represents a 4.65% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Anthony Mathew Eisen sold 6,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $81.52, for a total value of $489,120.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 1,613,672 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $131,546,541.44. This trade represents a 0.37% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 385,208 shares of company stock valued at $29,755,405. 11.37% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Block
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Baird Financial Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of Block in the second quarter worth about $1,866,000. Brown Advisory Inc. bought a new position in Block in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $516,000. Jump Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Block during the second quarter worth $385,000. Federated Hermes Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Block during the second quarter worth $53,000. Finally, Cerity Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Block in the 2nd quarter valued at $1,861,000. Institutional investors own 70.44% of the company’s stock.
Block News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Block this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Quarterly earnings and revenue beat expectations. Block reported adjusted EPS of $1.02, up from $0.62 a year earlier and above estimates of $0.48–$0.86. Revenue rose 9.3% year over year to $6.62 billion. Block Q2 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
- Positive Sentiment: Management raised earnings guidance above Wall Street expectations. Block forecast third-quarter EPS of $1.02 versus consensus of $0.93 and full-year 2026 EPS of $4.02 versus consensus of $3.62. The outlook suggests improving cost control and operating leverage. Block Announces Second Quarter 2026 Results
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts became more bullish. Needham raised its price target from $95 to $100 and maintained a “buy” rating. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed its “overweight” rating with a $95 target, implying additional upside from recent levels.
- Positive Sentiment: AI and restructuring efforts are beginning to support profitability. Block’s plan to reduce its workforce by approximately 40% and emphasize artificial intelligence appears to be contributing to lower costs and better earnings, though the strategy remains in its early stages. Block’s AI Overhaul Starts Showing Up in Results
- Neutral Sentiment: Valuation and technical positioning warrant caution. Block has a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and an average analyst target of $89.40, but its P/E ratio is approximately 65.8 and the stock is near its 52-week high, leaving limited room for execution mistakes.
- Negative Sentiment: Insider selling could weigh on sentiment. Director Brian Grassadonia sold 25,908 shares worth about $2.1 million under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan. The scheduled nature of the sale reduces its significance, but it follows other recent sales by the insider. Brian Grassadonia Insider Transaction
About Block
Block (NYSE:XYZ) is a financial technology company that builds products and services to facilitate electronic payments, commerce, and consumer finance. Its principal business lines include a seller-focused ecosystem that provides point-of-sale hardware and software, payment processing, invoicing, payroll and lending services, and a consumer-facing platform that offers peer-to-peer payments, banking-like features, and investing. Block’s portfolio also encompasses music streaming and buy-now-pay-later capabilities through businesses acquired to broaden its reach beyond core payments.
The company was founded as Square in 2009 by Jack Dorsey and Jim McKelvey and later rebranded to Block to reflect a diversified set of businesses across payments, consumer finance, and emerging technologies.
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