Zacks upgraded shares of Sears Holdings Corp (NASDAQ: SHLD) from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a research report released on Friday morning. Zacks currently has $54.00 price target on the stock.

Zacks’ analyst wrote, “Based on the company’s strong fourth-quarter fiscal 2012 results, we upgraded our long-term recommendation on Sears to Outperform. Sears’ fourth-quarter adjusted earnings jumped over two fold to $1.12 per share. The favorable bottom-line comparisons from last year resulted from Sears’ ongoing cost reduction initiatives, which lowered selling and administrative expenses during the quarter. Sears is trying hard to optimize its financial performance through a string of measures for enhancing its growth prospects. Currently, the company is focusing on improving its organizational structure by slashing investment in sections that no longer contribute significantly to its growth. Apart from this, Sears is also focusing on cost containment, inventory management and merchandise initiatives to improvise margins. We believe that the company’s strategy of capitalizing on opportunities, while increasing profitability through its revamped organizational structure and new operating model, will boost its top and bottom lines.”

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Analysts at Credit Suisse reiterated an underperform rating on shares of Sears Holdings Corp in a research note to investors on Monday, March 4th. They now have a $20.00 price target on the stock. Separately, analysts at Desjardins cut their price target on shares of Sears Holdings Corp from $9.00 to $8.50 in a research note to investors on Thursday, February 28th. They now have a hold rating on the stock.

Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, and two have assigned a sell rating to the stock. The stock currently has an average rating of underweight and an average price target of $20.00.

Sears Holdings Corp opened at 51.11 on Friday. Sears Holdings Corp has a 1-year low of $38.40 and a 1-year high of $85.90. The stock’s 50-day moving average is currently $47.01. The company’s market cap is $5.438 billion.

Sears Holdings Corporation (Holdings) is the parent company of Kmart Holding Corporation (Kmart) and Sears, Roebuck and Co (Sears).

To view Zacks’ full report, visit www.zacks.com

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