Petco shares jump as Jefferies cites turnaround complete and growth ahead in upgrade

Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. (NASDAQ: WOOF) surged roughly 30% Thursday after Jefferies upgraded the pet retailer to “Buy” from “Hold,” saying the company has completed its turnaround and is poised for growth. Jefferies said Petco enters fiscal 2026 with liquidity and profitability concerns largely behind it, and that the breadth of planned initiatives plays to the retailer's strengths rather than relying on an improving macro environment.