Monster Beverage price target raised to $105 from $97 at BMO Capital

BMO Capital analyst Andrew Strelzik raised the firm’s price target on Monster Beverage to $105 from $97 and keeps a Market Perform rating on the shares. The company’s Q4 earnings missed expectations on softer sales growth and lower operating margins, but January sales growth reaccelerated and the management expressed more comfort in the margin environment and outlook than in prior quarters, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Monster is a "steady long-term grower" at a trajectory superior to its peers while generating strong cash flow to return to shareholders, the firm added.