If you're looking for a way to play the coming surge in dealmaking, BofA Securities has an answer: Evercore Inc. (EVR).
Analyst Ebrahim Poonawala just launched coverage of the investment bank, handing out a Buy rating and setting a $435 price target. His thesis? Evercore is the "best pure-play among boutique investment banks" positioned to cash in as M&A activity accelerates.
What makes Evercore stand out is its business mix. Advisory revenues account for about 80% of total revenue, split roughly evenly between M&A work and other advisory services. That's a pretty concentrated bet on dealmaking, which is exactly what you want when the deal market is heating up.
The firm ranks eighth on M&A league tables and boasts a strong private capital franchise. It's also been expanding beyond U.S. borders, recently acquiring UK advisory boutique Robey Warshaw. Poonawala sees this international push as a growth driver, especially as M&A activity spreads globally.
The real kicker? M&A volumes are expected to hit record levels in 2026, which means there's room for earnings estimates to move higher from here.
EVR Price Action: Shares of Evercore had risen 1.01% to $365.98 at the time of publication on Monday.
