Inditex

Inditex shares rose up to 3.4% to €56.29 after Barclays’ upgrade, which lifted the price target from €56 to €62.50. Barclays cites pricing power, efficient inventory control and higher medium-term sales and margin forecasts as drivers; the firm expects EPS growth of around 11% and a dividend yield of 4%. For the next 12 months Barclays forecasts a total return in the mid-double-digit percentage range; Q2 results on 9 September are seen as the first test of the forecasts. Risks include heatwaves in Europe, waning US tax-refund support and higher fuel costs that could weigh on margins. » More on de.investing.com

European equity markets continued their recovery, with the Swiss SMI hitting a record high, driven by sharply lower oil prices and easing geopolitical tensions. Auto, travel, technology and retail stocks were particularly in demand; Inditex stood out after Barclays upgraded the shares to "Overweight" and raised the price target to €62.50. Vodafone and AstraZeneca also posted gains following strong quarterly results and positive operational developments, respectively. » More on finanzen.net

Inditex beat analysts' expectations at the start of the year: revenue rose by nearly six percent to around €8.7 billion (currency‑adjusted +8.8%), EBIT increased by seven percent to about €1.8 billion, and net profit climbed to €1.4 billion. The gross margin remains above 61% and growth accelerated to 11.5% in May. At the same time, a wide‑cut Zara pant went viral amid reports of injuries, but so far this has not affected the business; analysts emphasize the company's robust market position. » More on deraktionaer.de