Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Apple, Infoblox, OmniVision, PNC, Splunk and More

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By Jon C. Ogg Published
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Stocks closed at new highs on Thursday, but investors are being told that it is a stock picker’s market rather than a raging bull market. Each morning of the week, 24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports for new ideas. Some of these analyst reports cover stocks to buy, and some cover stocks to sell or to avoid. These are this Friday’s top Wall Street analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations.

Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Stifel, despite being named last weekend as a buyout candidate by Barron’s.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) was maintained as Buy and the price target was raised to $720 at Goldman Sachs. Argus also maintained its Buy rating but raised its price target to $700.

Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ: FITB) was started as Buy and given a $25 price target at Sterne Agee.

Infoblox Inc. (NYSE: BLOX) missed earnings and its CEO is leaving, sending shares down 30%. The stock has been downgraded to Hold at Deutsche Bank, downgraded to Market Perform at William Blair, downgraded to Sector Perform by Pacific Crest and downgraded to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.

OmniVision Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: OVTI) was up almost 20% after earnings, but now shares are indicated up 8% at $21.83 after the stock was downgraded to Underperform from Market Perform by Raymond James. Northland Securities raised its rating to Outperform.

ALSO READ: Should McDonald’s Be Even More Aggressive on Dividends and Buybacks?

PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC) was started with a Buy rating and $100 price target at Sterne Agee.

ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE: SOL) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Roth Capital.

Splunk Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLK) was maintained as Buy but the price target was slashed to $70 from $115 at Canaccord Genuity.

SunTrust Banks Inc. (NYSE: STI) was started with a Buy rating and $48 price target at Sterne Agee.

ALSO READ: Why Tesla Won’t Build a Driverless Car

Photo of Jon C. Ogg
About the Author Jon C. Ogg →

Jon Ogg has been a financial news analyst since 1997. Mr. Ogg set up one of the first audio squawk box services for traders called TTN, which he sold in 2003. He has previously worked as a licensed broker to some of the top U.S. and E.U. financial institutions, managed capital, and has raised private capital at the seed and venture stage. He has lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as New York and Chicago, and he now lives in Houston, Texas. Jon received a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance at University of Houston in 1992. a673b.bigscoots-temp.com.

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