Gap shares jump 6% on JPMorgan upgrade

Investing.com -- Gap Inc's (NYSE:GAP) shares jump more than 6% at $26 on Monday after JP Morgan upgrades apparel retailer to 'overweight' from 'neutral' on margin expansion and strong revenue growth.

Brokerage also ups target price on the stock by $2 to $30, implying a roughly 24% upside to stock's close on Friday.

After hosting meetings with Gap's management, JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) said the foundation laid under CEO Richard Dickson is set to support consistent improvements in merchandising and marketing across all four of the company’s brands.

“After roughly 1.5 years at the helm, CEO Dickson characterized the company at an inflection point moving to continuous improvement from fixing fundamentals following 4 straight quarters of revenue growth and 7 consecutive quarters of market share expansion,” JP Morgan analyst Matthew Boss wrote in the note.

Brokerage noted that GAP was at an inflection point to generate low-to-mid-single-digit sales growth, annual operating margin expansion targeting historical levels of profitability.

Management highlighted a "strong start" to the holiday shopping season, with comparable sales improving in early November due to cooler weather, the note added.

With shoppers focusing on trendy styles, Gap's strategy of reducing discounts and offering fresh, popular items that resonate with its roots as a "pop culture brand" has broadened its appeal.

In November, Gap reported a 2% rise in third-quarter net sales, totaling $3.8 billion, while earnings per share came in at 72 cents.