Key Research Updates on Microsoft, Novartis, and RTX
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 15 2025
0mins
Should l Buy JCI?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
Zacks Research Daily Highlights: The report features research on 16 major stocks, including Microsoft, Novartis, and RTX, along with a unique focus on micro-cap stock Air T, Inc., showcasing the best insights from Zacks analysts.
Microsoft's Performance and Challenges: Microsoft has shown strong growth with a 6.8% increase in shares over the past year, driven by Azure and AI integration, but faces competition from AWS and Google Cloud, along with concerns over rising debt and regulatory scrutiny.
Novartis' Growth Amid Competition: Novartis has outperformed its industry with a 38.8% increase in shares, supported by a diverse drug portfolio and strong sales from new drugs, despite facing generic competition for its key product, Entresto.
RTX's Strong Orders and Risks: RTX has seen a 54.1% increase in shares, benefiting from defense orders and improving commercial air traffic, but faces risks from U.S. import tariffs and ongoing supply chain challenges in the aerospace sector.
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Analyst Views on JCI
Wall Street analysts forecast JCI stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for JCI is 128.78 USD with a low forecast of 119.00 USD and a high forecast of 142.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
11 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
6 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 132.520
Low
119.00
Averages
128.78
High
142.00
Current: 132.520
Low
119.00
Averages
128.78
High
142.00
About JCI
Johnson Controls International plc specializes in smart buildings. The Company's segments include Americas, EMEA and APAC. The Company is engaged in engineering, manufacturing, commissioning and retrofitting building products and systems, including commercial heating, ventilating, air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment, industrial refrigeration systems, controls, security systems, fire-detection systems and fire-suppression solutions. The Company also serves customers by providing technical services, including maintenance, management, repair, retrofit and replacement of equipment (in the HVAC, industrial refrigeration, controls, security and fire-protection space) and energy-management consulting. The Company serves various industries, including healthcare, schools, data centers, airports, stadiums and manufacturing. The Company's OpenBlue digital software platform enables enterprises to better manage their physical spaces by combining its building products and services.
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.
Johnson Controls (JCI.US) Officer Plans to Sell $9.32 Million in Common Stock via Form 144
Stock Sale Announcement: Anuruddha Walawwe, an officer at Johnson Controls, intends to sell 68,803 shares of the company's common stock.
Market Value: The total market value of the shares being sold is approximately $9.32 million.
Date of Sale: The sale is scheduled to take place on February 6.
Company Background: Johnson Controls is a global leader in building technologies and solutions, focusing on sustainability and efficiency.
See More
Johnson Controls CFO to Present at Key Investor Conferences
- Executive Conference Schedule: Johnson Controls' CFO Marc Vandiepenbeeck will present at Citi's 2026 Global Industrial Tech and Mobility Conference on February 19, 2026, highlighting the company's leadership in energy efficiency and decarbonization, which is expected to attract investor interest and boost market confidence.
- Conference Timing: On the same day, Vandiepenbeeck will also speak at Barclays' 43rd Annual Industrial Select Conference at 11:00 a.m. EST, aiming to strengthen communication with investors and showcase the company's performance in critical sectors.
- Live Webcast Availability: The presentations will be available via live webcast on the company's website, ensuring that investors unable to attend in person can access real-time information, enhancing transparency and improving the company's image.
- Company Background: With over 140 years of experience, Johnson Controls is a leader in energy efficiency, decarbonization, and thermal management, dedicated to helping customers use energy more productively, reduce carbon emissions, and drive societal progress, underscoring its significance in rapidly evolving industries.
See More
Johnson Controls Announces Upcoming Investor Conferences
- Executive Presentation Schedule: Johnson Controls' CFO Marc Vandiepenbeeck will present at upcoming investor conferences, showcasing the company's leadership in energy efficiency and decarbonization, which is expected to attract investor interest and enhance market confidence.
- Live Webcast Availability: The company will provide a live webcast of the presentations on its official website, ensuring that global investors can access key information in real-time, thereby enhancing transparency and fostering investor engagement.
- Company Background Overview: With over 140 years of history, Johnson Controls focuses on energy efficiency, decarbonization, and thermal management, helping customers improve energy productivity and reduce carbon emissions, highlighting its significance in rapidly growing sectors like data centers and healthcare.
- Technological and Service Advantages: Leveraging advanced technology and lifecycle services, the company enhances customer performance and translates goals into real-world results, further solidifying its market position in higher education and advanced manufacturing sectors.
See More
Goldman Sachs Raises Johnson Controls Price Target to $154
- Earnings Beat: Johnson Controls reported Q1 segment EBITA exceeding consensus estimates, driven by robust organic growth across all regions and a notable acceleration in orders and backlog, thereby boosting investor confidence in the company's future performance.
- Price Target Increase: Goldman Sachs raised the price target for Johnson Controls from $137 to $154 while maintaining a Buy rating, reflecting strong confidence in the company's ongoing growth potential.
- Upgraded Earnings Guidance: The company raised its FY26 EPS guidance to $4.70 and Q2 EPS to $1.11, providing strong visibility for growth over the next 9-12 months, which is crucial for investor sentiment.
- Strong Market Demand: Analysts highlighted Johnson Controls' impressive order growth and backlog, indicating sustained strong market demand that could drive the company's performance in the future.
See More
Analysis of JCI Options Contracts and Investment Opportunities
- Put Option Appeal: The current bid for the $90.00 put option is 5 cents, and if an investor sells this contract, they commit to buying shares at $90.00, effectively lowering their cost basis to $89.95, which represents a 31% discount from the current price of $130.75, making it an attractive option for potential investors.
- Put Option Expiry Risk: Current analytics indicate a 94% chance that the put option will expire worthless, which would yield a 0.06% return on cash commitment, or an annualized return of 0.20%, highlighting the low-risk nature of this investment strategy.
- Call Option Profit Potential: The $135.00 call option has a current bid of $5.10, and if an investor buys shares at $130.75 and sells this call, they could achieve a total return of 7.15% if the stock is called away at expiration, showcasing the profit potential of this strategy.
- Call Option Expiry Risk: Current data shows a 52% chance that the call option will expire worthless, allowing the investor to retain both the shares and the premium collected, potentially leading to an annualized return of 14.39%, indicating significant additional profit potential from this strategy.
See More
Texas Instruments Acquires Silicon Labs in $7.5B Deal
- Acquisition Agreement: Texas Instruments is set to acquire Silicon Labs for $231 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at $7.5 billion, which not only boosts Silicon Labs' market valuation but also enhances Texas Instruments' competitive edge in the semiconductor sector.
- Positive Market Reaction: Following the acquisition announcement, Silicon Labs' stock surged by 49%, indicating strong investor confidence in the deal and reflecting optimistic expectations for consolidation within the semiconductor industry.
- Strong Earnings Performance: Silicon Labs reported an adjusted EPS of 56 cents for Q4, slightly above the consensus estimate of 55 cents, demonstrating stable financial performance that enhances the attractiveness of the acquisition.
- Industry Consolidation Trend: This acquisition represents a strategic move for Texas Instruments to expand its product line and signifies an acceleration in semiconductor industry consolidation, potentially triggering more similar deals that could reshape the market landscape.
See More
Johnson Controls (JCI.US) Officer Plans to Sell $9.32 Million in Common Stock via Form 144
Stock Sale Announcement: Anuruddha Walawwe, an officer at Johnson Controls, intends to sell 68,803 shares of the company's common stock.
Market Value: The total market value of the shares being sold is approximately $9.32 million.
Date of Sale: The sale is scheduled to take place on February 6.
Company Background: Johnson Controls is a global leader in building technologies and solutions, focusing on sustainability and efficiency.
See More
Johnson Controls CFO to Present at Key Investor Conferences
- Executive Conference Schedule: Johnson Controls' CFO Marc Vandiepenbeeck will present at Citi's 2026 Global Industrial Tech and Mobility Conference on February 19, 2026, highlighting the company's leadership in energy efficiency and decarbonization, which is expected to attract investor interest and boost market confidence.
- Conference Timing: On the same day, Vandiepenbeeck will also speak at Barclays' 43rd Annual Industrial Select Conference at 11:00 a.m. EST, aiming to strengthen communication with investors and showcase the company's performance in critical sectors.
- Live Webcast Availability: The presentations will be available via live webcast on the company's website, ensuring that investors unable to attend in person can access real-time information, enhancing transparency and improving the company's image.
- Company Background: With over 140 years of experience, Johnson Controls is a leader in energy efficiency, decarbonization, and thermal management, dedicated to helping customers use energy more productively, reduce carbon emissions, and drive societal progress, underscoring its significance in rapidly evolving industries.
See More
Johnson Controls Announces Upcoming Investor Conferences
- Executive Presentation Schedule: Johnson Controls' CFO Marc Vandiepenbeeck will present at upcoming investor conferences, showcasing the company's leadership in energy efficiency and decarbonization, which is expected to attract investor interest and enhance market confidence.
- Live Webcast Availability: The company will provide a live webcast of the presentations on its official website, ensuring that global investors can access key information in real-time, thereby enhancing transparency and fostering investor engagement.
- Company Background Overview: With over 140 years of history, Johnson Controls focuses on energy efficiency, decarbonization, and thermal management, helping customers improve energy productivity and reduce carbon emissions, highlighting its significance in rapidly growing sectors like data centers and healthcare.
- Technological and Service Advantages: Leveraging advanced technology and lifecycle services, the company enhances customer performance and translates goals into real-world results, further solidifying its market position in higher education and advanced manufacturing sectors.
See More
Goldman Sachs Raises Johnson Controls Price Target to $154
- Earnings Beat: Johnson Controls reported Q1 segment EBITA exceeding consensus estimates, driven by robust organic growth across all regions and a notable acceleration in orders and backlog, thereby boosting investor confidence in the company's future performance.
- Price Target Increase: Goldman Sachs raised the price target for Johnson Controls from $137 to $154 while maintaining a Buy rating, reflecting strong confidence in the company's ongoing growth potential.
- Upgraded Earnings Guidance: The company raised its FY26 EPS guidance to $4.70 and Q2 EPS to $1.11, providing strong visibility for growth over the next 9-12 months, which is crucial for investor sentiment.
- Strong Market Demand: Analysts highlighted Johnson Controls' impressive order growth and backlog, indicating sustained strong market demand that could drive the company's performance in the future.
See More
Analysis of JCI Options Contracts and Investment Opportunities
- Put Option Appeal: The current bid for the $90.00 put option is 5 cents, and if an investor sells this contract, they commit to buying shares at $90.00, effectively lowering their cost basis to $89.95, which represents a 31% discount from the current price of $130.75, making it an attractive option for potential investors.
- Put Option Expiry Risk: Current analytics indicate a 94% chance that the put option will expire worthless, which would yield a 0.06% return on cash commitment, or an annualized return of 0.20%, highlighting the low-risk nature of this investment strategy.
- Call Option Profit Potential: The $135.00 call option has a current bid of $5.10, and if an investor buys shares at $130.75 and sells this call, they could achieve a total return of 7.15% if the stock is called away at expiration, showcasing the profit potential of this strategy.
- Call Option Expiry Risk: Current data shows a 52% chance that the call option will expire worthless, allowing the investor to retain both the shares and the premium collected, potentially leading to an annualized return of 14.39%, indicating significant additional profit potential from this strategy.
See More
Texas Instruments Acquires Silicon Labs in $7.5B Deal
- Acquisition Agreement: Texas Instruments is set to acquire Silicon Labs for $231 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at $7.5 billion, which not only boosts Silicon Labs' market valuation but also enhances Texas Instruments' competitive edge in the semiconductor sector.
- Positive Market Reaction: Following the acquisition announcement, Silicon Labs' stock surged by 49%, indicating strong investor confidence in the deal and reflecting optimistic expectations for consolidation within the semiconductor industry.
- Strong Earnings Performance: Silicon Labs reported an adjusted EPS of 56 cents for Q4, slightly above the consensus estimate of 55 cents, demonstrating stable financial performance that enhances the attractiveness of the acquisition.
- Industry Consolidation Trend: This acquisition represents a strategic move for Texas Instruments to expand its product line and signifies an acceleration in semiconductor industry consolidation, potentially triggering more similar deals that could reshape the market landscape.
See More
