The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday, May 30, edition that Desjardins Securities analyst Doug Young continues to rate Bank of Montreal "hold." The Globe's David Leeder writes that Mr. Young gave his share target a $2 boost to $152. Analysts on average target the shares at $149.93. Mr. Young views BMO's second quarter financial report as "slightly positive," noting that its earnings beat was mainly due to corporate gains, while personal and commercial results in the U.S. and Canada fell short of his expectations. Mr. Young says in a note: "Positives. (1) Total PCLs were below our estimate. ... There was nothing to note in new gross impaired loan formations or net charge-offs. The impaired PCL rate guidance of high 40 basis points for FY25 was maintained. (2) Adjusted expense ratio was below our forecast, and it recorded positive operating leverage (a focus). (3) All-bank NIMs, along with NIMs in Canadian and US banking, were above our estimates. It now expects NIMs to stabilize for the rest of this year. (4) Wealth management results were solid. (5) It expects capital markets adjusted PTPP earnings to be more than $625-million per quarter in 2H FY25. (6) Management is laser-focused on driving ROE improvements."