Analyst Ratings February 19, 2026

Stifel Lifts Cardinal Infrastructure Target to $31 After ALGC Acquisition; Buy Rating Stays

Analysts point to geographic reach and margin accretion from ALGC as drivers behind higher target amid mixed analyst valuations

By Hana Yamamoto CDNL
Stifel Lifts Cardinal Infrastructure Target to $31 After ALGC Acquisition; Buy Rating Stays
CDNL

Stifel raised its price target on Cardinal Infrastructure Group (CDNL) to $31 from $28 while keeping a Buy rating, citing the company's acquisition of ALGC and preliminary fourth-quarter 2025 results that implied revenue and EBITDA above consensus. The deal and preliminary results underpin recent analyst optimism, though valuation metrics and differing analyst targets highlight ongoing uncertainty.

Key Points

  • Stifel raised its price target on Cardinal Infrastructure to $31 from $28 and retained a Buy rating; analyst targets for CDNL range from $28 to $35.
  • The acquisition of ALGC - a site developer concentrated in Atlanta - is viewed as adding geographic reach and margin accretion; ALGC was valued at approximately 5.8x LTM EBITDA versus Cardinal’s ~10x NTM multiple.
  • Cardinal reported preliminary Q4 2025 implied revenue of $142M to $149M and implied EBITDA of $25M to $27M, both above consensus; the company priced its IPO at $21 per share, raising about $241.5M.

Stifel on Wednesday increased its price target for Cardinal Infrastructure Group (NASDAQ:CDNL) to $31 from $28 and left its Buy rating unchanged. The firm noted the acquisition of ALGC and the preliminary fourth-quarter 2025 results as key factors supporting the higher target.

The upgraded target sits against a current market price of $31.19 and falls within a broader analyst target range between $28 and $35. InvestingPro data referenced by market observers shows that Cardinal is trading at a high Price-to-Book multiple of 21.6x.


Drivers cited by Stifel

Stifel highlighted Cardinal Infrastructure’s purchase of ALGC, a site development contractor with operations in Georgia and South Carolina. According to the firm, ALGC derives more than 85% of its revenue from the Atlanta metro area, with roughly 75% to 80% of its revenue tied to housing work. The acquired business reportedly has a wet utility mix of about 50%.

Stifel describes the transaction as attractive on several fronts: it broadens Cardinal’s geographic footprint, is expected to accrete margins and was priced at a reported 5.8x last twelve months (LTM) EBITDA multiple. That multiple is materially lower than Cardinal Infrastructure’s own near-term multiple, which Stifel pegs at approximately 10x NTM EBITDA.


Preliminary fourth-quarter results

Cardinal Infrastructure released preliminary fourth-quarter 2025 results that implied revenue between $142 million and $149 million. That compares with consensus estimates of $124 million. The company also reported implied EBITDA of $25 million to $27 million versus consensus of $22 million. InvestingPro data cited alongside these figures places Cardinal’s market capitalization at $899 million and notes the company has been profitable over the last twelve months, with an enterprise value to EBITDA ratio of 5.9x.

Cardinal also posted initial guidance for 2026 that the company said was in line with expectations after incorporating the contribution from ALGC. InvestingPro-sourced analyst models referenced in market commentary anticipate sales growth for the company in the current year, including a forecasted revenue increase of 38% for fiscal 2025.


Other analyst activity and capital markets moves

Market participants have also pointed to Cardinal’s recent pricing of its initial public offering at $21 per share, which raised roughly $241.5 million in gross proceeds. The IPO comprised 11.5 million shares of Class A common stock, and underwriters have an option to purchase an additional 1.725 million shares.

Following the ALGC acquisition announcement and the preliminary financial disclosures, DA Davidson raised its price target on Cardinal to $35 while maintaining a Buy rating. William Blair initiated coverage with an Outperform rating, calling out the company’s three-year organic revenue growth rate of 28%. Separately, Stifel had also initiated coverage earlier with a Buy rating and a $28 price target, citing vertical integration and market share gains in site development services.


Market takeaway

Analyst commentary and recent disclosures collectively point to a favorable near-term view among several investment banks, driven by the ALGC acquisition, preliminary quarterly results that outstrip consensus, and a sizable IPO that provided fresh capital. At the same time, valuation measures and a spread of analyst targets show there is not a single consensus valuation among market participants.

Readers should note the figures presented above are drawn from company-released preliminary results, analyst notes, and InvestingPro data as reported in market commentary.

Risks

  • Valuation dispersion among analysts - price targets span $28 to $35 - indicates differing views on CDNL’s near-term valuation and outlook, affecting investor clarity in the infrastructure and site development sector.
  • The company’s high Price/Book multiple of 21.6x, as reported by InvestingPro, represents a valuation risk for equity investors in Cardinal Infrastructure.
  • The financials discussed were presented as preliminary fourth-quarter 2025 results; preliminary figures could be revised, creating uncertainty for investors and impacting market reactions.

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