The Market Is Plummeting: A Surprising Moment for Defensive Stocks.
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Nov 18 2025
0mins
Should l Buy PIPR?
Source: Barron's
- Market Turmoil: Recent market instability has been driven by a selloff in artificial intelligence stocks.
- Opportunity for Less Risky Investments: This situation presents a chance for more stable, lower-risk sectors to perform well, although not all are succeeding.
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Analyst Views on PIPR
Wall Street analysts forecast PIPR stock price to rise
1 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 88.580
Low
386.00
Averages
386.00
High
386.00
Current: 88.580
Low
386.00
Averages
386.00
High
386.00
About PIPR
Piper Sandler Companies is an investment bank and institutional securities firm, serving corporations, private equity groups, public entities, non-profit entities, and institutional investors in the United States and internationally. The Company provides products and services, including financial advisory services; equity and debt capital markets products; public finance services; institutional brokerage services; fundamental equity and macro research services; fixed income services; and alternative asset management strategies. It offers equity and fixed income advisory and trade execution services for institutional investors, corporations, and government and non-profit entities. Its segment provides investment banking services, institutional sales and trading services for various equity and fixed income products, and research services. It operates alternative asset management funds in merchant banking and healthcare to invest firm capital and manage capital from outside investors.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Footwear Market Leadership: Among footwear brands, 46% of teens chose Nike as their favorite, leading Adidas at 14% and New Balance at 8%, suggesting that Nike's brand loyalty among teenagers remains robust, potentially laying the groundwork for future sales recovery.
- Challenges in China: Despite its popularity with American teens, Nike faces significant challenges in the Chinese market, with its latest earnings report revealing a 7% year-over-year revenue decline in Greater China and forecasts predicting a further 2% to 4% drop in the current quarter, putting pressure on the company's overall performance.
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- Teen Brand Preference: According to a Piper Sandler survey, 26% of U.S. teens named Nike their favorite clothing brand, while 46% chose Nike as their favorite footwear brand, indicating strong appeal among young consumers despite declining sales in China.
- Challenges in China: Nike reported a 7% year-over-year decline in sales from the Greater China market in its latest quarterly report, with a forecasted 20% drop in the current quarter, highlighting weakening competitiveness in one of its most crucial markets, which could impact overall performance.
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- Analyst Support: Goldman Sachs' Peter Oppenheimer's analysis published on Friday highlighted that many tech companies, after significant declines, still maintain robust growth rates, leading to a mismatch between valuations and growth, further boosting market confidence.
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- Teen Brand Recognition: According to the Piper Sandler survey, 26% of U.S. teenagers named Nike as their favorite clothing brand, significantly outpacing second-place Hollister at 12%, indicating Nike's strong appeal among young consumers despite its overall market struggles.
- Footwear Market Leadership: Among footwear brands, 46% of teens chose Nike as their favorite, leading Adidas at 14% and New Balance at 8%, suggesting that Nike's brand loyalty among teenagers remains robust, potentially laying the groundwork for future sales recovery.
- Challenges in China: Despite its popularity with American teens, Nike faces significant challenges in the Chinese market, with its latest earnings report revealing a 7% year-over-year revenue decline in Greater China and forecasts predicting a further 2% to 4% drop in the current quarter, putting pressure on the company's overall performance.
- Bleak Investor Outlook: Given the sales decline in China, the outlook for Nike's stock recovery appears uncertain, with analysts advising investors to be cautious regarding Nike shares until positive news emerges, as further price declines may be on the horizon.
See More
Nike Ranks First Among U.S. Teens for Footwear and Apparel
- Teen Brand Preference: According to a Piper Sandler survey, 26% of U.S. teens named Nike their favorite clothing brand, while 46% chose Nike as their favorite footwear brand, indicating strong appeal among young consumers despite declining sales in China.
- Challenges in China: Nike reported a 7% year-over-year decline in sales from the Greater China market in its latest quarterly report, with a forecasted 20% drop in the current quarter, highlighting weakening competitiveness in one of its most crucial markets, which could impact overall performance.
- Poor Stock Performance: Nike's stock has plummeted 68% over the past five years and has fallen about 75% from its all-time high in November 2021, reflecting market concerns about its future growth, especially amid fierce competition in the
See More
Palo Alto Networks Stock Rallies on Analyst Upgrades
- Market Sentiment Recovery: Following a top-down analysis from Goldman Sachs, which highlighted that many tech stocks were oversold, Palo Alto Networks saw a 4.37% increase in stock price to $162.53, with a market cap of $127 billion, indicating a positive shift in investor sentiment.
- Analyst Recommendation: Piper Sandler's Rob Owens reiterated his overweight rating on Palo Alto, setting a price target of $265, reflecting strong confidence in the company's future performance, particularly after engaging with investors during recent meetings.
- AI Integration Advantage: After discussions with company executives, Owens believes Palo Alto is not only resilient to AI disruption but also well-positioned to benefit from AI integration, providing additional confidence to investors and further driving stock price appreciation.
- Industry Recovery Signal: The revival of tech stocks signals increased investor confidence in Palo Alto, reflecting recognition of the company's adaptability in a rapidly changing technological landscape, suggesting potential for future growth.
See More
Analysts Bullish on Palo Alto Networks' Recovery
- Industry Recovery Signal: Analysts generally believe that the tech sector and Palo Alto Networks' stock are oversold, and Monday's market rally indicates that investors are beginning to accept this view, which could drive a price rebound.
- Analyst Support: Goldman Sachs' Peter Oppenheimer's analysis published on Friday highlighted that many tech companies, after significant declines, still maintain robust growth rates, leading to a mismatch between valuations and growth, further boosting market confidence.
- Price Target Increase: Piper Sandler's Rob Owens reiterated his 'overweight' rating on Palo Alto on Monday, setting a price target of $265, believing the company has a competitive edge in AI integration and can withstand potential industry disruptions.
- Improved Market Sentiment: As analysts shift to a more optimistic view on Palo Alto, market sentiment is also improving, which may attract more investors to the stock, potentially driving its price higher.
See More
U.S. Stocks Remain Resilient Amid Geopolitical Uncertainty
- Market Resilience: U.S. equities demonstrated resilience on Monday despite President Trump's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and failed peace talks with Iran, indicating a growing investor tolerance for short-term risks and a fear of missing out on potential rebounds.
- Investor Sentiment: Piper Sandler strategists noted that last week's rally reflects investors' unwillingness to miss upside opportunities post-conflict, although analysts warned that the current standoff lacks an obvious 'face-saving offramp,' raising the likelihood of prolonged hostilities.
- Oil and Gas Market Impact: Melius Research adopted a cautious outlook, citing decades of failed diplomacy between the U.S. and Iran as a reason to doubt a swift breakthrough, predicting that the current ceasefire is unlikely to hold, which could further reduce global oil and LNG inventories and lead to higher 'new normal' prices.
- Corporate Earnings Outlook: Clark Bellin, president and CIO of Bellwether Wealth, stated that the big question for stocks moving forward is whether the upcoming earnings season can sufficiently disrupt the close link between stocks and oil, as corporate earnings traditionally drive stock prices.
See More
e.l.f. Beauty Shares Plunge 34.2% Amid Market Turmoil
- Market Turmoil Impact: e.l.f. Beauty's stock plummeted 34.2% in March due to bearish sentiment driven by the Iran war, significantly outpacing the S&P 500's 5.1% decline, highlighting the company's vulnerability in a volatile market.
- Rising Input Costs: The surge in global crude oil prices, triggered by the conflict, is expected to increase production costs for e.l.f. Beauty, particularly as its products contain petrochemical ingredients, thereby intensifying financial pressures on the company.
- Analyst Downgrades: Negative analyses from Piper Sandler and Canaccord on March 9 and 26, respectively, led to a price target reduction from $136 to $121, while Deutsche Bank lowered its target from $95 to $68, despite maintaining a hold rating, reflecting market concerns about the company's outlook.
- April Recovery Signs: Following March's significant sell-off, e.l.f. Beauty's stock has rebounded by 5.3% in April, compared to the S&P 500's 3.7% and Nasdaq's 4.8%, indicating optimism due to de-escalation in the Iran situation, though risks remain significant.
See More
