The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has been struggling in these early days of 2025, but the benchmark Aussie index could get some added support from three ASX 200 shares that were just upgraded by leading brokers.
Two of the companies operate in the property sector, while the third earns its revenue from the domestic and international travel sector.
Which stocks are we talking about?
I'm glad you asked!
(Broker price data courtesy of The Australian.)
Three ASX 200 shares with boosted outlooks for 2025
The first ASX 200 share earning a broker upgrade today is Scentre Group (ASX: SCG).
Shares in the ASX 200 retail stock, which owns and operates a portfolio of Westfield shopping malls, are down 0.7% amid today's broader market sell-down, trading for $3.54 apiece.
That leaves the Scentre share price up 19% since this time last year. Scentre shares also trade on a partly franked trailing dividend yield of 4.8%.
And two leading brokers see more gains ahead for Scentre shareholders in the year ahead.
Citi raised the stock to a buy rating with a price target of $3.91 a share. And Jarden Securities has an even more bullish outlook for Scentre shares in 2025, raising the stock to an overweight rating with a price target of $4.00 a share. That's more than 13% above current levels.
Moving on to the second ASX 200 share receiving a broker upgrade, we have GPT Group (ASX: GPT).
Shares in the property investment company are down 0.23% at the time of writing, trading for $4.40 apiece. That puts the GPT share price down 4.7% in 12 months. GPT Group shares also trade on an unfranked trailing dividend yield of 5.5%. (The final 2024 dividend of 12 cents a share will be paid out on 28 February.)
Jarden Securities also has a bullish outlook for GPT. The broker raised the stock to a neutral rating with a $4.95 price target. That represents a potential upside of almost 13% from current prices.
Which brings us to the third ASX 200 share earning a broker upgrade today, Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT).
Shares in the ASX 200 travel stock are up 0.6% in early afternoon trade on Monday at $16.14 a share. That leaves Flight Centre shares down around 21% since this time last year. Flight Centre also trade on a fully franked 2.5% trailing dividend yield.
If Morgan Stanley is correct, 2025 could be a big year for the travel company and its stockholders.
The broker reinstated its overweight rating on the stock with a $22.00 price target. Or more than 36% above current levels.
Commenting on the positive outlook for the ASX 200 share, Morgan Stanley said (quoted by The Australian Financial Review):
We see scale, brand (especially in leisure), and switching costs (especially in corporate) as key sources of competitive advantage. We also feel FLT's revenue and costs are going to scale in a very different way to consensus, especially around the impact of AI on consultant productivity.
