Dow Chemical Co. (NYSE: DOW) was just put in as an activist stake by Dan Loeb’s Third Point. On the heels of the news, and after a 6% gain in the stock, Dow’s rating was raised to Neutral from Reduce at SunTrust Robinson Humphreys.
Juniper Networks Inc. (NYSE: JNPR) was raised to Market Perform from Underperform and the price target was raised to $25 from $16 at FBR Capital Markets. The price on the stock is now $26.03, and the stock just hit a 52-week high of $26.52 on Tuesday.
Mosaic Co. (NYSE: MOS) was downgraded to Sell from an already cautious Neutral rating at Goldman Sachs. What is interesting is that the price target was raised to $41 from $35 in the call, against a $48.32 closing price.
Travelers Companies Inc. (NYSE: TRV) was downgraded to Outperform from previously being a Top Pick at RBC Capital Markets. Argus had a different take: Relative weakness offers a buying opportunity, so the firm reiterated a Buy rating and $96 price target (versus a $85.00 close). Travelers is often considered the “forgotten DJIA stock.”
Other Key Analyst Calls
Bank of Ireland (NYSE: IRE) was started as Neutral at Credit Suisse, a day after Moody’s upgraded the ratings of Irish bank’s government-guaranteed debt to Baa3 from Ba1.
CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) was started as Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
Dollar Tree Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy with a $56 price target at Sterne Agee.
Oracle Corp. (NYSE: ORCL) was downgraded to Perform from Outperform at Oppenheimer.
Power Integrations Inc. (NASDAQ: POWI) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform and the price target was put at $66 at Raymond James.
Red Hat Inc. (NYSE: RHT) was raised to Outperform from Perform at Oppenheimer.
Southwest Energy Co. (NYSE: SWN) was raised to Buy from Neutral and given a $48 price target (versus a $40.33 close) at Sterne Agee.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) was downgraded to Sector Perform from Outperform at Pacific Crest.
Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL) was started as Outperform at Oppenheimer.
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