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Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Caterpillar, Coca-Cola, Intel, 3M, Nike, Box and Many More

Stocks were trading significantly higher on Friday, on the heels of a Janet Yellen speech that signaled interest rate hikes are still likely later this year. The markets continue to seek an appropriate market multiple for slower growth, but investors keep proving that they will buy weakness as they hunt for value and bargains.

24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports each morning to find new trading and investing ideas. Some of the daily analyst calls cover stocks to buy, while other calls cover stocks to sell or avoid. These are this Friday’s top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations.

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) was maintained as Sector Perform at RBC Capital Markets, but the target price was lowered to $70 from $84. Stifel maintained a Buy rating on Caterpillar, but its price target was cut to $86 from $92. Shares fell 6% to $65.80 after Thursday’s warning, and the new 52-week trading range is $64.65 to $107.12.

Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) was started as Buy with a $45 price target at Deutsche Bank. Coca-Cola rose 1% to $39.15 the prior day, it has a consensus analyst price target of $44.89 and a 52-week range of $36.56 to $45.00.

Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) was raised to Market Perform from Underperform at JMP Securities, just a day after Bernstein upgraded its prior Underperform rating to Market Perform. Intel is trading close to $28.50, and it has a consensus analyst price target of $33.48 and a 52-week trading range of $24.87 to $37.90.

3M Co. (NYSE: MMM) was raised to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse after weakness, but the firm maintained its $155 price target in this call. 3M closed at $137.58. It has a consensus analyst price target of $159.57 and a 52-week trading range of $130.60 to $170.50.

Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) was viewed very positively after earnings, and shares were indicated up over 8% on the news. Price target hikes were seen at Canaccord Genuity, Stifel, FBR Capital Markets, Cowen and Jefferies. That gain put shares up around $124.00 in early Friday trading, above its old consensus price target of $122.84 and above its 52-week high of $117.72.

ALSO READ: 8 Solid Value Stocks Under 10 Times Earnings

Other key analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations on Friday were seen in the following:

ACE Ltd. (NYSE: ACE) was raised to Buy from Neutral with a $116 price target (versus a $101.55 prior close) at Goldman Sachs.

Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) was raised to Buy at CLSA, with a $20 price target. Shares closed most recently at $14.69, and they have a 52-week range of $14.25 to $25.71.

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY) was raised to Market Perform from Underperform at Telsey Advisory.

Box Inc. (NYSE: BOX) was raised to Buy from Hold with a price target of $18 (versus a $12.94 close) at Canaccord Genuity.

CyberArk Software Ltd. (NASDAQ: CYBR) was raised to Buy from Neutral with a $62 price target (versus a $52.70 close) at Nomura Securities.

Emerge Energy Services L.P. (NYSE: EMES) was downgraded to Sell from Hold with an $8 price target (versus a $11.77 close) at Piper Jaffray. Shares were indicated far lower after it withdrew its prior distribution guidance, as this was one of the mega-high distribution yield-equivalent master limited partnerships.

F5 Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Raymond James.

PayPal Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL) was started as Buy and with a $43 price target (versus a $33.91 close) at Canaccord Genuity.

Spirit Airlines Inc. (NASDAQ: SAVE) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform at Cowen, but the firm lowered its price target to $60 from $65 in the call — after it closed at $48.29, and versus a 52-week range of $46.27 to $85.35.

ALSO READ: The 6 Most Shorted NYSE Stocks in September

United Rentals Inc. (NYSE: URI) was raised to Neutral from Underperform at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Virgin America Inc. (NASDAQ: VA) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Cowen.

In case you missed Thursday’s top analyst upgrades and downgrades, they were in shares of Aegon, DigitalGlobe, Entergy, Interxion, Marriott, Monster Beverage, Ralph Lauren and over a dozen more companies.

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