Analyst Ratings February 19, 2026

DA Davidson Lifts CNH Industrial Target as Margin Work Shows Early Progress

Analyst raises price target but keeps Neutral rating while company posts earnings beat and outlines a cautious 2026 outlook

By Derek Hwang CNH
DA Davidson Lifts CNH Industrial Target as Margin Work Shows Early Progress
CNH

DA Davidson increased its 12-month price target on CNH Industrial to $12.00 from $10.00 while retaining a Neutral rating. The revised target remains below the stock's current market price of $12.94. The move follows CNH's fourth-quarter 2025 results and management commentary that left the 2026 outlook under consensus, even as early signs of margin improvement and product initiatives were noted.

Key Points

  • DA Davidson raised its price target on CNH Industrial to $12.00 from $10.00 and retained a Neutral rating; the new target is below the current share price of $12.94.
  • CNH beat fourth-quarter 2025 EPS expectations with $0.19 versus $0.11 forecast and reported revenue of $5.16 billion versus a $4.97 billion forecast.
  • The company issued a 2026 outlook that fell short of expectations, particularly for the first half, with analysts projecting a 2% sales decline for the year.

Analyst update and valuation context

DA Davidson raised its price objective for CNH Industrial to $12.00 from $10.00 but kept a Neutral rating on the stock. The new target sits below the prevailing market quote of $12.94. InvestingPro data referenced by market observers shows the shares trading above what that service lists as Fair Value, with a reported price-to-earnings ratio of 30.76.

Drivers behind the revision

The firm adjusted its target after CNH Industrial released its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings report. While the quarter produced an earnings beat, DA Davidson highlighted that the company’s outlook for 2026 came in below expectations, with particular weakness expected in the first half of the year due to ongoing headwinds in the North American agricultural sector. Consistent with that view, InvestingPro data indicates analysts are forecasting a roughly 2% decline in sales for the current year.

Company execution and margin trajectory

DA Davidson noted CNH Industrial is implementing previously announced initiatives that include new product rollouts and efforts to improve profit margins. The analyst house said it is seeing early results from those measures. Management reported approximately 3% EBIT margins in 2026, against a stated longer-term objective of reaching 16% to 17% EBIT margins by 2030. DA Davidson characterized progress as steady and left open the possibility of adopting a more constructive view as the company’s turnaround story unfolds further.

Quarterly results and market reaction

For the fourth quarter of 2025 CNH Industrial reported diluted earnings per share of $0.19, ahead of the consensus forecast of $0.11, a positive surprise calculated at 72.73%. Quarterly revenue was $5.16 billion, versus a forecast of $4.97 billion. Despite the earnings beat and slightly stronger sales, the stock showed weakness in pre-market trading, reflecting investor concern about the outlook and near-term sector pressures.

Implications for investors

The analyst action underscores a cautious stance: DA Davidson recognizes tangible execution on cost and product initiatives but appears to balance that against softer near-term demand in agriculture and a revenue trajectory that analysts expect to contract this year. The firm signaled it could become more favorable on CNH Industrial if the company demonstrates continued progress toward its margin targets and other elements of its turnaround plan.


Key points

  • DA Davidson raised its CNH Industrial price target to $12.00 from $10.00 and maintained a Neutral rating; the target is below the current share price of $12.94.
  • CNH beat fourth-quarter 2025 EPS estimates with $0.19 versus $0.11 forecast and reported $5.16 billion in revenue versus $4.97 billion forecast.
  • Analysts and the company flagged a weaker 2026 outlook, with particular pressure expected in the first half driven by the North American agricultural sector; consensus forecasts imply a 2% sales decline for the year.

Risks and uncertainties

  • Near-term demand risk in North American agriculture could further pressure revenues and margins, affecting industrial equipment makers and agricultural machinery suppliers.
  • CNH’s reported roughly 3% EBIT margins in 2026 remain far below its 16% to 17% margin target for 2030, creating execution risk around meeting long-term profitability goals.
  • If the early margin and product initiatives do not scale as expected, investor sentiment and the stock’s market performance could face downside, impacting industrial and capital goods market segments.

These developments form the latest public signals on CNH Industrial’s operational progress, financial results, and near-term outlook.

Risks

  • Ongoing headwinds in the North American agricultural sector pose near-term demand risk to CNH and the broader farm equipment and industrials sectors.
  • CNH’s approximately 3% EBIT margins in 2026 are well below its 16%–17% target for 2030, creating execution risk around margin improvement plans.
  • If early signs of margin improvement and new product initiatives do not continue to deliver, investor confidence and the stock’s market performance could deteriorate.

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