Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Celgene, J.C. Penney, Whole Foods and More

Investing

Published: October 8, 2013 8:30 am

Stocks have traded down from recent highs in light of a federal government shutdown and ahead of a debt ceiling expiration. Now investors and traders have to wonder which stocks to buy and which to sell or avoid. 24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of Wall Street analyst research reports each morning to find fresh ideas for investors and traders. It turns out that there are some stocks to buy and some to sell, according to these reports. Here are this Tuesday’s top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations seen from Wall Street research firms.

Barclays PLC (NYSE: BCS) was reinstated as Neutral at Credit Suisse.

Celgene Corp. (NASDAQ: CELG) was reiterated as Buy and the price target was raised from $164 to $179 (versus a $153.87 close) based on a rosier Revlimid outlook, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Energizer Holdings Inc. (NYSE: ENR) was started as Outperform at Wells Fargo.

HCA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HCA) was started as Buy with a $50 price target (versus a $46.26 close) at Goldman Sachs.

J.C. Penney Co. Inc. (NYSE: JCP) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy, and the price target was lowered to $9 from all the way up at $18, at Sterne Agee.

Kimberly-Clark Corp. (NYSE: KMB) was started as Market Perform at Wells Fargo.

PHH Corp. (NYSE: PHH) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy based on recent price action, and the price target is $26 at Sterne Agee.

Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform by Wells Fargo.

RBC Bearings Inc. (NASDAQ: ROLL) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy, but the price target was left unchanged at $66 (versus a $63.21 close), at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Tenet Healthcare Corp. (NYSE: THC) was raised to Buy from Neutral and the price target was raised to $55 from $47 at Goldman Sachs.

Union First Market Bankshares Corp. (NASDAQ: UBSH) was started as Buy with a $28 price target (versus a $23.20 close) at Sterne Agee.

Universal Health Services Inc. (NYSE: UHS) was started as Buy with a $87 price target (versus a $76.90 close) at Goldman Sachs.

Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform at Macquarie.

West Pharmaceutical Services Inc. (NYSE: WST) was started as Buy with a $50 price target (versus a $39.88 close), based on a new product cycle likely augmenting growth, at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Whole Foods Market Inc. (NASDAQ: WFM) was started as Buy and given a $70 price target (versus a $59.15 close) when most grocery chains were given Hold ratings this morning at Jefferies.

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