20 Stocks with the Potential to Drop
It's the basic question when investing in a stock: is it on the way up or down?
The street has developed numerous ways of attempting to predict what will happen, estimating various attributes tied to stock performance in order to determine what the future holds for a company's valuation.
After dissecting the data, analysts following a particular stock produce a price target of where they believe the stock is headed. With data from Thomson Reuters, CNBC.com grouped stocks in the S&P 500 with average consensus estimates farthest below their stock prices.
At the current levels, only 25 stocks have surpassed their respective target estimates by 4 percent or more. The prices and analysts’ estimates presented here are as of the market close on January 10, 2012.
So, which stocks are analysts expecting to have the biggest drops? Click ahead to find out!
By Giovanny Moreano & Paul Toscano
Posted 10 Jan 2012
20. The Dun & Bradstreet Corp (DNB)
Potential to Drop: 5.25%
Mean Price Target: $73.50
Closing Price (1/10): $77.57
Number of Analysts: 6
High Estimate: $82
Low Estimate: $55
Get DNB Real-Time Quote
19. Vulcan Materials (VMC)
Potential to Drop: 5.38%
Mean Price Target: $37.56
Closing Price (1/10): $39.70
Number of Analysts: 8
High Estimate: $50
Low Estimate: $27
Get VMC Real-Time Quote
18. Netflix (NFLX)
Potential to Drop: 5.45%
Mean Price Target: $90.61
Closing Price (1/10): $95.83
Number of Analysts: 23
High Estimate: $245
Low Estimate: $45
Get NFLX Real-Time Quote
17. Consolidated Edison (ED)
Potential to Drop: 5.81%
Mean Price Target: $55.89
Closing Price (1/10): $59.34
Number of Analysts: 14
High Estimate: $63
Low Estimate: $50
Get ED Real-Time Quote
16. HCP Inc (HCP)
Potential to Drop: 6.23%
Mean Price Target: $38.54
Closing Price (1/10): $41.10
Number of Analysts: 13
High Estimate: $44
Low Estimate: $34
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15. Autonation (AN)
Potential to Drop: 6.27%
Mean Price Target: $32.19
Closing Price (1/10): $34.34
Number of Analysts: 8
High Estimate: $37
Low Estimate: $24
Get AN Real-Time Quote
14. Molex (MOLX)
Potential to Drop: 6.43%
Mean Price Target: $23.92
Closing Price (1/10): $25.56
Number of Analysts: 12
High Estimate: $29
Low Estimate: $13
Get MOLX Real-Time Quote
13. Public Storage (PSA)
Potential to Drop: 6.50%
Mean Price Target: $124.94
Closing Price (1/10): $133.63
Number of Analysts: 17
High Estimate: $140
Low Estimate: $103
Get PSA Real-Time Quote
11. Safeway (SWY)
Potential to Drop: 6.54%
Mean Price Target: $20
Closing Price (1/10): $21.40
Number of Analysts: 13
High Estimate: $28
Low Estimate: $16
Get SWY Real-Time Quote
10. Eli Lilly (LLY)
Potential to Drop: 6.57%
Mean Price Target: $37.68
Closing Price (1/10): $40.33
Number of Analysts: 14
High Estimate: $43
Low Estimate: $34
Get LLY Real-Time Quote
9. Progress Energy (PGN)
Potential to Drop: 7.33%
Mean Price Target: $50.54
Closing Price (1/10): $54.54
Number of Analysts: 13
High Estimate: $57
Low Estimate: $43.5
Get PGN Real-Time Quote
8. Oneok (OKE)
Potential to Drop: 7.37%
Mean Price Target: $81.67
Closing Price (1/10): $88.16
Number of Analysts: 6
High Estimate: $93
Low Estimate: $75
Get OKE Real-Time Quote
7. Lexmark International (LXK)
Potential to Drop: 7.84%
Mean Price Target: $31.44
Closing Price (1/10): $34.12
Number of Analysts: 9
High Estimate: $46
Low Estimate: $25
Get LXK Real-Time Quote
6. PulteGroup (PHM)
Potential to Drop: 8.04%
Mean Price Target: $6.75
Closing Price (1/10): $7.34
Number of Analysts: 16
High Estimate: $8
Low Estimate: $4
Get PHM Real-Time Quote
5. Genuine Parts (GPC)
Potential to Drop: 9.25%
Mean Price Target: $57
Closing Price (1/10): $62.81
Number of Analysts: 4
High Estimate: $62
Low Estimate: $53
Get GPC Real-Time Quote
4. Fastenal (FAST)
Potential to Drop: 9.28%
Mean Price Target: $40.83
Closing Price (1/10): $45.01
Number of Analysts: 6
High Estimate: $44
Low Estimate: $33
Get FAST Real-Time Quote
3. Ameren Corp (AEE)
Potential to Drop: 9.75%
Mean Price Target: $29.14
Closing Price (1/10): $32.29
Number of Analysts: 7
High Estimate: $32
Low Estimate: $23
Get AEE Real-Time Quote
2. Cincinnati Financial (CINF)
Potential to Drop: 10.60%
Mean Price Target: $28
Closing Price (1/10): $31.32
Number of Analysts: 5
High Estimate: $31
Low Estimate: $25
Get CINF Real-Time Quote
1. Masco Corp (MAS)
Potential to Drop: 12.47%
Mean Price Target: $10.03
Closing Price (1/10): $11.46
Number of Analysts: 8
High Estimate: $14
Low Estimate: $7
Get MAS Real-Time Quote