Petco Health and Wellness (NASDAQ:WOOF) Sees Strong Trading Volume Following Analyst Upgrade

Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:WOOF) shares saw an uptick in trading volume on Friday after Jefferies Financial Group upgraded the stock from a hold rating to a buy rating. Jefferies Financial Group now has a $5.00 price target on the stock, up from their previous price target of $4.05. 2,405,963 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 0% from the previous session’s volume of 2,400,361 shares.The stock last traded at $3.4250 and had previously closed at $3.23.

Several other research analysts have also weighed in on WOOF. Evercore decreased their price objective on shares of Petco Health and Wellness from $4.00 to $3.00 and set an “in-line” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Petco Health and Wellness in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $3.94.

Key Petco Health and Wellness News

Here are the key news stories impacting Petco Health and Wellness this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Management set FY2026 targets including EBITDA of $415–$430M and guidance calling for flat to +1.5% sales, signaling a return to growth under the “Reach for the Sky” plan. Petco skyrockets after guidance surprises to the upside
• Positive Sentiment: Jefferies upgraded WOOF to Buy and raised its price target to $5, saying the turnaround is complete and growth is ahead — a catalyst for further upside from analysts. Petco shares jump as Jefferies cites turnaround complete and growth ahead in upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Goldman Sachs reiterated a bullish stance with a $3.95 price target, reinforcing analyst support after the quarter. Goldman Sachs Remains Bullish on Petco (WOOF) With $3.95 Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results showed a slight revenue beat and improved margins/EBITDA, which investors view as evidence the company’s operational changes are working. Petco Stock Surges On Better-than-Expected Q4 Sales
• Neutral Sentiment: Management is closing underperforming stores and leaning into services (grooming, training) and fresh food to improve free cash flow and long-term growth; tactical now, payoff over time. Why Petco Stock Popped Today
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and presentations highlight the “Reach for the Sky” strategy and product/service expansion as the company shifts focus from cost cuts to growth initiatives. Petco Bets on Highly Engaged Pet Parents to Ignite Growth
• Negative Sentiment: EPS missed expectations (reported a loss vs. a small positive estimate), which remains a risk if top-line momentum softens. Petco Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue was down ~2.4% year-over-year in the quarter, so the company must sustain execution to turn that trend into consistent growth. Petco’s Q4 Earnings Beat Estimates, Sales Decrease 2.4% Y/Y

Institutional Trading of Petco Health and Wellness

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Petco Health and Wellness by 9.1% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 1,274,588 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,887,000 after acquiring an additional 106,295 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its holdings in Petco Health and Wellness by 60.2% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 3,637,695 shares of the company’s stock worth $11,095,000 after purchasing an additional 1,367,299 shares in the last quarter. Savant Capital LLC raised its holdings in Petco Health and Wellness by 13.3% during the second quarter. Savant Capital LLC now owns 76,820 shares of the company’s stock worth $217,000 after purchasing an additional 9,023 shares in the last quarter. Prospera Financial Services Inc acquired a new stake in Petco Health and Wellness in the second quarter worth approximately $50,000. Finally, Los Angeles Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Petco Health and Wellness in the second quarter worth approximately $55,000.

Petco Health and Wellness Trading Up 12.1%

The stock has a market capitalization of $1.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 120.67 and a beta of 1.75. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $2.72 and a 200-day simple moving average of $3.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a current ratio of 0.91.

Petco Health and Wellness (NASDAQ:WOOF) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The company reported ($0.01) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.02 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $1.52 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.51 billion. Petco Health and Wellness had a return on equity of 0.89% and a net margin of 0.15%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted ($0.05) EPS. On average, analysts predict that Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. will post -0.22 EPS for the current year.

About Petco Health and Wellness

Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc (NASDAQ: WOOF) is a leading U.S. pet specialty retailer focused on delivering products, services and solutions that improve the health and well-being of pets. The company operates a network of retail locations that provide high-quality pet food, supplies and accessories, along with a growing digital platform that supports online ordering, subscription delivery and telehealth consultations for pets.

In addition to its retail offerings, Petco has built a full suite of in-store and virtual services, including grooming, training, dog daycare and veterinary care.