** Farming equipment retailer Tractor Supply TSCO.O beats Q3 profit and comparable sales estimates on Thursday, helped by rise in demand for seasonal products

** Shares flat in afternoon trading

DEMAND FUELS GROWTH; TARIFFS, WEATHER CLOUD Q4 TARGET

** J.P. Morgan ("neutral," PT: $66) expects increased private label penetration and retail media growth to provide margin tailwinds in Q4

** Telsey Advisory Group ("outperform," PT: $56.35) says co benefits from its position as a rural retailer, initiatives to improve merchandising, an enhanced store experience and elevated customer service

** Adds that co's forecast for the Q4 comparable, with wide range reflecting uncertainty around consumer spending, tariffs and winter weather

** Jefferies ("hold," PT: $58) says co has advantages over its direct store sales vs pureplay online pet pharmacies, though Amazon's growing scale in this vertical could intensify price competition

** Mizuho ("outperform," PT: $65) says seasonal categories showed strength paired with continued core category product momentum, while fall items struggled in absence of a pivot to colder temperatures

** Truist Securities ("buy," PT: $54.83) expects Q4 trends to be soft, driven by lingering warm weather

(Reporting by Sanskriti Shekhar in Bengaluru)

((Sanskriti.Shekhar@thomsonreuters.com))