Buy eBay and Sell Etsy, Morgan Stanley Says
Morgan Stanley is bullish on eBay and bearish on Etsy. Here’s what you need to know.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Today
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more delivered daily. Smart money moves start here.
Sent five days a week
Kiplinger A Step Ahead
Get practical help to make better financial decisions in your everyday life, from spending to savings on top deals.
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Closing Bell
Get today's biggest financial and investing headlines delivered to your inbox every day the U.S. stock market is open.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Adviser Intel
Financial pros across the country share best practices and fresh tactics to preserve and grow your wealth.
Delivered weekly
Kiplinger Tax Tips
Trim your federal and state tax bills with practical tax-planning and tax-cutting strategies.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Retirement Tips
Your twice-a-week guide to planning and enjoying a financially secure and richly rewarding retirement
Sent bimonthly.
Kiplinger Adviser Angle
Insights for advisers, wealth managers and other financial professionals.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Investing Weekly
Your twice-a-week roundup of promising stocks, funds, companies and industries you should consider, ones you should avoid, and why.
Sent weekly for six weeks
Kiplinger Invest for Retirement
Your step-by-step six-part series on how to invest for retirement, from devising a successful strategy to exactly which investments to choose.
Shares in eBay (EBAY) are moving higher today while Etsy (ETSY) stock is moving lower after investment bank Morgan Stanley (MS) issued calls on both e-commerce stocks early this morning.
"We believe eBay is best-positioned to capture upside from generative AI in 2024," Morgan Stanley analyst Nathan Feather said, according to Bloomberg.
Feather upgraded eBay’s stock to Buy from Sell and boosted his price target to $62 to $35, making him the most bullish analyst following the stock, according to Bloomberg. The new price target gives the stock implied upside of more than 22% from current levels.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Feather also recommended a pair trade with Etsy, downgrading the stock to Sell from Hold and lowering his price target to $55 from $64, according to Barron's. The new price target on Etsy represents downside of about 18% from current levels.
"We expect the growth profiles to converge and model both grow earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) at a 5% '23-'26 compound annual growth rate," Feather said, adding that eBay trades at a 35% discount to Etsy on 2025 EBITDA, according to Barron's.
Argus agrees with the eBay call
Agreeing with the bullish stance on eBay, Argus Research has a Buy rating on the stock and a $58 price target.
"Following the 2015 PayPal spinoff, and the sale of StubHub, the Classifieds business, and other assets, eBay has become a more focused e-commerce retailer," Argus said in a March 8 report. "CEO Jamie Iannone is working to strengthen the eBay Marketplace platform through a blizzard of new features and enhancements centered on improving the user/seller experience, including new seller tools underpinned by generative AI models."
Analysts' average target price on eBay is $50.98, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence, giving the stock essentially no implied upside in the next 12 months or so. The Street's consensus recommendation is Hold.
Truist disagrees with the Etsy call
Truist analyst Youssef Squali strongly disagrees with Morgan Stanley’s stance on Etsy, reiterating his Buy rating and $85 price target in a March 18 report.
"We believe ETSY is an attractive business model with a differentiated offering and a number of product and marketing levers to drive growth and profitability over the next several years," Squali said. "The opportunity ahead, coupled with management's execution track record, fuel our confidence that Etsy can execute against these initiatives and create value for shareholders over the next 12 months."
Analysts' average target price on Etsy is $81.73. Although that gives ETSY implied upside of more than 20% over the next year or so, the Street's consensus recommendation stands at Hold.
Related Content
- Super Micro Computer: Why This Hot Stock Could Hit $1,500
- Analysts' Top S&P 500 Stocks to Buy Now
- What Does Tesla Stock's Latest Slide Mean for Investors?
-
Dow Adds 1,206 Points to Top 50,000: Stock Market TodayThe S&P 500 and Nasdaq also had strong finishes to a volatile week, with beaten-down tech stocks outperforming.
-
Ask the Tax Editor: Federal Income Tax DeductionsAsk the Editor In this week's Ask the Editor Q&A, Joy Taylor answers questions on federal income tax deductions
-
States With No-Fault Car Insurance Laws (and How No-Fault Car Insurance Works)A breakdown of the confusing rules around no-fault car insurance in every state where it exists.
-
Dow Adds 1,206 Points to Top 50,000: Stock Market Today
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq also had strong finishes to a volatile week, with beaten-down tech stocks outperforming.
-
The Best Precious Metals ETFs to Buy in 2026Precious metals ETFs provide a hedge against monetary debasement and exposure to industrial-related tailwinds from emerging markets.
-
For the 2% Club, the Guardrails Approach and the 4% Rule Do Not Work: Here's What Works InsteadFor retirees with a pension, traditional withdrawal rules could be too restrictive. You need a tailored income plan that is much more flexible and realistic.
-
Retiring Next Year? Now Is the Time to Start Designing What Your Retirement Will Look LikeThis is when you should be shifting your focus from growing your portfolio to designing an income and tax strategy that aligns your resources with your purpose.
-
I'm a Financial Planner: This Layered Approach for Your Retirement Money Can Help Lower Your StressTo be confident about retirement, consider building a safety net by dividing assets into distinct layers and establishing a regular review process. Here's how.
-
Stocks Sink With Alphabet, Bitcoin: Stock Market TodayA dismal round of jobs data did little to lift sentiment on Thursday.
-
The 4 Estate Planning Documents Every High-Net-Worth Family Needs (Not Just a Will)The key to successful estate planning for HNW families isn't just drafting these four documents, but ensuring they're current and immediately accessible.
-
Love and Legacy: What Couples Rarely Talk About (But Should)Couples who talk openly about finances, including estate planning, are more likely to head into retirement joyfully. How can you get the conversation going?
