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Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Citrix, Danaher, Host Hotels, Keurig, Micron and More
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Stocks were lower on Friday as hope of a Greek deal diminishes. Investors have found numerous reasons to buy every stock market pullback for nearly four years now. 24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of research reports each morning of the week. The goal is to find value and upside via new trading and investing ideas for our readers. Some analyst calls cover stocks to buy, and others are about stocks to sell or avoid.
These are this Friday’s top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations.
Citrix Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CTXS) was raised to Buy from Underperform with a price objective move to $82.00 (versus a $70.39 close) at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Piper Jaffray also raised its rating to Neutral from Underweight and raised its target to $75 from $60. Here is how the Elliott activist group thinks Citrix shares can rise to $90 or $100.
Danaher Corp. (NYSE: DHR) was reiterated as Buy with a fair value estimate of $114.00 (versus a $85.93 close) at Janney Capital Markets. The firm sees big earnings upside and said that Danaher has a long runway ahead with 50% of its assets still in the early innings of operational improvements. Danaher’s consensus analyst target is $98.59, and we would point out that Janney’s target is the street’s highest.
Keurig Green Mountain Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at UBS. While UBS often does not issue formal target prices, the consensus price target is $118.85 and shares closed at $84.30. Keurig was indicated down 1.5% at $83.00 in early trading on Friday, and the 52-week low comes into play at $82.42.
Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. (NYSE: HST) was started as Buy with a $25.00 price target (versus a $19.71 close) at Stifel. The firm said the value here is too cheap to ignore at a 35% discount to its replacement cost. Host’s consensus analyst price target is $22.63, and the highest analyst price target is $26.00.
Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU) was maintained as Buy at Pacific Crest, but the firm lowered its target price to $32 from $39 despite saying that near-term softness should be baked into the stock at this point. The firm Drexel Hamilton reportedly downgraded Micron to a Sell rating on Thursday. Wedbush reiterated its Buy rating and $31 price target on Thursday as well.
AECOM (NYSE: ACM) was started as Overweight and was assigned a $40 price target (versus a $33.67 close) at JPMorgan. The consensus analyst price target is actually closer to $35.00, and the highest target is at $41.00.
ALSO READ: 10 Stocks to Own for the Next Decade
Other key analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations were in shares of the following companies:
Actuant Corp. (NYSE: ATU) was raised to Outperform from Sector Perform with a price target of $29.00 (versus a $23.90 close) at RBC Capital Markets.
ARC Group Worldwide Inc. (NASDAQ: ARCW) was raised to Buy from Hold with a price target of $8.00 (versus a $5.83 close) at Canaccord Genuity. This maker of precision components, flanges, fittings and wireless equipment has a consensus price target of $10.80.
Benefitfocus Inc. (NASDAQ: BNFT) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform at William Blair.
Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: DRI) was raised to Outperform from Neutral with a price target raised to $77 from $69 (versus a $67.05 close) at Credit Suisse.
Digital Realty Trust Inc. (NYSE: DLR) was raised to Buy from Hold with a price target of $77.00 (versus a $65.20 close) at Canaccord Genuity.
Jacobs Engineering Group (NYSE: JEC) was started at Neutral by JPMorgan.
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Masimo Corp. (NASDAQ: MASI) was raised to Strong Buy from Market Perform with a price target of $46.00 (versus a $36.71 close) at Raymond James.
Monster Beverage Corp. (NASDAQ: MNST) was raised to Buy from Neutral at UBS. Shares closed at $127.17, and the stock has a consensus price target of $149.07.
Quanta Services Inc. (NYSE: PWR) was started as Overweight with a price target of $35.00 (versus a $29.45 close) at JPMorgan.
Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: TNXP) was started as Outperform with a price target of $18.00 (versus a $8.15 close) at Oppenheimer.
UDR Inc. (NYSE: UDR) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform with a price target of $35.50 (versus a $32.40 close) at Cowen.
Vical Inc. (NASDAQ: VICL) was started as Buy with a price target of $2.50 (versus a $1.47 close). This is after Roth Capital started it with a Buy rating and $4.65 price target just last week. Be advised that Vical has a checkered past.
Williams-Sonoma Inc. (NYSE: WSM) was raised to Outperform from Perform with a price target of $90.00 (versus a $79.23 close) at Oppenheimer.
ALSO READ: 9 Analyst Stocks Under $10 With Huge Upside
Credit Suisse now sees a 60% to 70% chance that the stock market will enter a bubble, but we are not there yet. Here is a condensed view on 11 ways to protect your portfolio against a summer stock market crash.
In case you missed Thursday’s top analyst upgrades and downgrades, they were in Chesapeake Energy, Rite Aid, Harley-Davidson, Toll Brothers, Transocean and over a dozen more companies.
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