Investing

Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Coca-Cola, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, LinkedIn, Linn Energy, Tableau, Weatherford and Many More

courtesy of Jon Ogg

Stocks were indicated lower on Friday after a mixed jobs number in unemployment and payrolls. The market volatility continues, with investors being very mixed as they buy into dips and sell into rallies.

24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst reports each morning. The goal is to find new investing and trading ideas for its readers. Some of these analyst reports are on stocks to buy, while others cover stocks to sell or to avoid.

These are the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations seen on Friday, February 5, 2016.

Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) was raised to Neutral from Negative at Susquehanna, with the firm noting limited downside now. Shares closed at $42.53. The consensus analyst price target is $45.65 and the 52-week trading range is $36.56 to $43.91.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) was raised to Buy from Neutral at UBS. Shares closed at $156.49, and they have a consensus target price of $195.42 and a 52-week range of $147.01 to $218.77.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) was raised to Buy from Neutral at UBS. It closed at $58.40, and it has a consensus target price of $72.22 and a 52-week range of $50.07 to $70.61.


LinkedIn Corp. (NYSE: LNKD) cut to Sector Perform from Outperform by RBC Capital Markets and to Neutral from Buy at Monness Crespi Hardt. JPMorgan downgraded it to Neutral from Overweight. The stock rose 0.5% to $192.28 ahead of earnings, but shares were last seen down over 32% around $130. The prior 52-week low was $165.57.

Linn Energy LLC (NASDAQ: LINE) was downgraded to Sell from Hold at Stifel. It was also downgraded to Underperform from Market Perform at Raymond James. This was last seen down 40% or so and under $1.00 on word that it is exploring options after exhausting its credit facility.

LinnCo LLC (NASDAQ: LNCO) was downgraded to Sell from Hold at Stifel and to Underperform from Market Perform at Raymond James. LinnCo was last seen down almost 60% at $0.40 after announcing it will explore alternatives related to its capital structure.

Tableau Software Inc. (NYSE: DATA) was down a massive 37% at $51.50 after earnings, by 40% or so. Jefferies already had a Hold rating, but the firm lowered its price target to $65 from $92. The prior 52-week range was $71.61 to $131.34.

Weatherford International PLC (NYSE: WFC) was raised to Strong Buy from Market Perform with a $12 price target (after rising almost 18% to $7.39 on Thursday) at Raymond James. Weatherford has a consensus price target of $10.30 and a 52-week range of $4.95 to $14.91.

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Other key analyst upgrades and downgrades were seen in the following on Friday:
Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: CCE) was raised to Neutral from Negative at Susquehanna.

Cree Inc. (NASDAQ: CREE) was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight with a $30 price target (versus a $29.55 prior close) at JPMorgan.

Fluidigm Corp. (NASDAQ: FLDM) was raised to Buy with an $8 price target (versus a $6.33 close) at Mizuho Securities.

GrubHub Inc. (NYSE: GRUB) was downgraded to Perform from Outperform at Oppenheimer. RBC kept its Sector Perform rating but cut its target to $26 from $27.

Glu Mobile Inc. (NASDAQ: GLUU) was raised to Buy from Hold at Benchmark.

KeyCorp. (NYSE: KEY) was raised to Buy from Neutral at UBS.

Marathon Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: MPC) was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at JPMorgan.

Outerwall Inc. (NASDAQ: OUTR) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral with a $23.50 target price (versus a $32.69 close) at Roth Capital.


Presitge Brands Holdings Inc. (NYSE: PBH) was started as Overweight with a $58 price target (versus a $49.25 close) at Piper Jaffray. Jefferies maintained an Underperform rating but raised its target to $42 from $41.

Suburban Propane Partners L.P. (NYSE: SPH) was raised to Buy from Neutral with a $29 price target (versus a $22.76 close) at Citigroup.

United Natural Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: UNFI) was raised to Sector Perform from Underperform at RBC Capital Markets.

If you missed Thursday’s key analyst upgrades and downgrades, they included GoPro, Illumina, Mattel, Match, Peabody Energy, Petrobras, Wayfair, Yahoo and over a dozen more companies.

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