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Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Boeing, Facebook, Markit, Qualcomm, Verizon, Unisys and More

Stocks were again indicated slightly higher Thursday morning. Earnings season is well underway, and we are seeing many big winners — and many big losers. Investors still want upside and they are looking for stocks and sectors where they feel safe. 24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst reports each morning to find new investment and trading ideas. Some of these analyst reports cover stocks to buy, while others feature stocks to sell or to avoid.

These are this Thursday’s top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations from Wall Street firms.

Angie’s List Inc. (NASDAQ: ANGI) blew it on earnings and the stock is sliding south. We have seen downgrades from Oppenheimer, Janney, MKM Partners and RBC. Other firms, such as Canaccord Genuity and a host of others, have slashed their earnings estimates. Again, we just wonder why a company like Angie’s List ever needed to be public. The stock was down more than 21% at $8.00 on Thursday’s early trading.

Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and the price target was cut to $140 from $154. Sterne Agee maintained its Buy rating and its very high $164 price target.

CECO Environmental Corp. (NASDAQ: CECE) was started as Buy with a $20 price target (versus a $14.51 close) at Canaccord Genuity.

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Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) is surging after another solid earnings report confirmed that the social media giant is still growing and that it is capitalizing on mobile. Jefferies has now set a whopping $100 price target. RBC raised its target to $92, and Piper Jaffray raised its target to $90. Sterne Agee reiterated its Buy rating, with an $85 price target. Canaccord Genuity raised its target price to $84 from $75.

Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE: FCX) was downgraded to Neutral from buy at Merrill Lynch, and the firm cut its price objective to $40 from $43 in the call. Credit Suisse raised its price target to $45 from $42.

F5 Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV) has seen its price target raised to $122 from $188 at Canaccord Genuity, as well as raised to $108 from $101 at Jefferies — although it closed at $110.81.

Markit Ltd. (NASDAQ: MRKT) was started as Hold at Jefferies, a week or so after the rest of the analysts started coverage.

Pacific Coast Oil Trust (NYSE: ROYT) may screen with a yield of over 11%, but Wells Fargo downgraded it to Market Perform from Outperform and cut the price target to $9 from $19.

Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) beat on earnings, but guidance looked a bit soft. Evercore downgraded Qualcomm to Equal Weight from overweight with a $83 price target. Susquehanna cut its rating to Neutral from positive. Its price target was also cut to $90 from $95 at Canaccord Genuity.

Tripadvisor Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Cantor Fitzgerald. Credit Suisse cut its target to $120 from 4125.

Unisys Corp. (NYSE: UIS) may have fallen 20% on Wednesday after a weak earnings and guidance report, but Susquehanna has now decided to raise its rating to Positive from Neutral.

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Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform at FBR Capital Markets with a $57 price target (versus a $55 prior target and a $50.91 closing price).

Xilinx Inc. (NASDAQ: XLNX) was slashed around the street this week and shares fell 14% to $41.26 after disappointing earnings. Argus has decided to play the other side — it raised its rating to a near-term Buy from Hold based on its value proposition now. The price target was set at $46.

In case you missed Wednesday’s top analyst upgrades and downgrades, they included DuPont, GE, King, Microsoft, Xilinx, McDonald’s and more.

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