Brokerages don't all use the same words for the same call — but nearly every firm is really just saying Buy, Hold, or Sell underneath. Here's what the common variants mean.
Buy (Bullish)
- Overweight
- Expected to outperform its sector or benchmark.
- Outperform
- Expected to beat the market's average return.
- Buy
- Straightforward — the analyst sees it as undervalued.
- Accumulate / Moderate Buy
- A softer buy — build a position gradually.
Hold (Neutral)
- Equal-weight
- Expected to track the sector average — no need to change exposure.
- Market Perform
- Expected to move roughly in line with the broader market.
- Hold
- Keep what you have — not a buy, not a sell yet.
Sell (Bearish)
- Underweight
- Expected to lag its sector — consider holding less.
- Underperform
- Expected to deliver below-average returns.
- Sell
- A direct call to reduce or avoid the position.