Credit Suisse Reiterates Neutral Rating, Raises Price Target On AGCO On Lean Mean EAME Machine

In a report published Wednesday, Credit Suisse analyst Jamie Cook reiterated a Neutral rating on

, and raised the price target from $44.00 to $46.00. In the report, Credit Suisse noted, "AGCO blew out the Q4'14 consensus EPS by 76% and reiterated its 2015 outlook. The beat was profit driven, in particular profitability in EAME helped by early restructuring and in SA on stronger than expected export sales. FX is now forecast as more of a headwind on the top line and EPS (8% and $0.40, respectively). Still, op margins are expected to be 50 bps better at the high end. AGCO is focusing on what it can control by restructuring aggressively, reducing internal inventories another $100M (after $80M in 2014) and dealer inventories (hurts AGCO sales 1-2% focused on NA - inventories better in SA and Europe). After completing the prior repo early, AGCO's new $500M share repo was authorized through 2016. We tweak our FY'15-17 EPS to $3.00, $3.40 and $3.70, respectively. Our new TP to $46 assumes 15x our FY'16 EPS, discounted back. We reiterate our Neutral rating." AGCO closed on Tuesday at $48.96.