Goldman Sachs lifts S&P 500 index target for year-end, next 12 months

Goldman Sachs (GS) has raised its target for the benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC) index for the year-end and the next 12 months on expectations of higher margin growth for corporate companies and a steady macroeconomic outlook through 2025.

The Wall Street brokerage on Friday lifted the index target for the next twelve months to 6,300 from 6,000 and raised the current year-end target to 6,000 from 5,600.

Goldman’s year-end target implies an upside of 4.32% from the index’s last close of 5,751.07 on Friday.

Goldman is also bullish on the earnings per share(EPS) growth of corporate America, raising its 2025 EPS estimate to $268 from $256, reflecting an 11% increase on an annual basis. The brokerage maintained its 2024 EPS forecast at $241.

“Our forward EPS estimates reflect a steady macro outlook…(and) the primary driver of the upward revision to our 2025 EPS estimate is greater margin expansion,” Goldman analysts led by David Kostin said in a note dated Friday.

Data in August showed that the US economy grew faster than initially expected in the second quarter, amid strong consumer spending, and corporate profits rebounded, which should help to sustain the expansion.

“Macro backdrop remains conducive to modest margin expansion,” Kostin said.

A boost from mega-cap technology stocks and recovery in the semiconductor industry cycle will further support companies’ EPS growth, the brokerage added.

(Reporting by Gokul Pisharody in Bengaluru; Editing by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan)