Top Analyst Upgrades and Stocks to Buy: AEP, American Waterworks, Applied Materials, More

Investors and traders are always on the hunt for new research ideas that will lead to higher income or more profits. 24/7 Wall St. reviews many fresh research calls each morning to find great ideas from value stocks to growth stocks to dividend stocks. We have broken out the positive analyst calls as far as stocks to buy and positive research calls and these are some of this Wednesday’s top analyst upgrades, initiations and positive analyst research calls seen from Wall Street.

Albany Molecular Research Inc. (NASDAQ: AMRI) was reinstated as Buy with a $15 price target at Sterne Agee.

AllScripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: MDRX) was reinstated as Buy with a $17 price target at Sterne Agee.

American Electric Power Co. (NYSE: AEP) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral with a $50 price target at SunTrust Robinson Humphreys.

American Water Works Co. (NYSE: AWK) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral with a $46 price target at HSBC.

Apollo Global Management LLC (NYSE: APO) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral with a $30 price target at Goldman Sachs.

Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Citi.

Boston Beer Co. Inc. (NYSE: SAM) upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Goldman Sachs.

Charles River Laboratories International Inc. (NYSE: CRL) was reinstated as Buy with a $56 price target at Sterne Agee.

Health Management Associates Inc. (NYSE: HMA) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank and was upgraded to Fair Value from Sell at CRT Capital.

Lennar Corp. (NYSE: LEN) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Keefe Bruyette & Woods.

MedAssets Inc. (NASDAQ: MDAS) was reinstated as Buy with a $24 price target at Sterne Agee.

Spectra Energy Corp. (NYSE: SE) was upgraded to Buy from Hold with $36 price target at Deutsche Bank. It was also upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight by Morgan Stanley.

Texas Roadhouse Inc. (NASDAQ: TXRH) was started as Buy with a $28 price target at BofA/Merrill Lynch.

Credit Suisse has said that the MLP sell-off has provided an attractive entry point as investors have worried too much about rising interest rates.

See also: Top Analyst Downgrades and Cautious Calls