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Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: AK Steel, Allergan, ArcelorMittal, Symantec, Teck Resources, US Steel, Emerson, Hormel and More
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Stocks may be at all-time highs, but a lack of catalysts has shares soft on Friday. Low interest rates and a lack of other asset classes offering a return keep pushing investors toward stocks. The bull market is now seven and a half years old. Regardless of the issues, investors keep proving that they will buy any market sell-off. It is also the case that investors are looking for new ideas to generate income or gains.
24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports each morning of the week. The goal is to find new investing and trading ideas. Some of these analyst reports cover stocks to buy. Others feature stocks to sell or avoid.
These are the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations seen on Friday morning:
AK Steel Holding Corp. (NYSE: AKS) was downgraded to Underweight from Sector Weight with a $4 price target by KeyBanc Capital Markets. Shares closed most recently at $5.15, in 52-week trading range of $1.64 to $7.09. The consensus analyst price target is $5.75.
Allergan PLC (NYSE: AGN) was raised to Buy from Hold and the price target was raised to $318 from $246 (versus a $252.93 prior close) at Mizuho. It has a 52-week range of $195.50 to $322.68 and a consensus price target of $295.38.
ArcelorMittal (NYSE: MT) was raised to Neutral from Underweight at JPMorgan. The stock closed at $6.55, has a 52-week range of $2.93 to $8.44 and has a consensus price target of $7.86.
Symantec Corp. (NASDAQ: SYMC) was raised to Buy from Neutral with a $26.50 price target (versus a $23.11 close) at Citigroup. Jefferies reiterated a Hold rating and $20 target. Symantec has a 52-week range of $16.14 to $23.17 and a consensus price target of $23.60.
Teck Resources Ltd. (NYSE: TCK) was started with a Sell rating and given a lower price target of $10 (versus a $16.50 close) at Berenberg. The consensus price target is $14.69, and the 52-week range is $2.56 to $16.94.
United States Steel Corp. (NYSE: X) was downgraded to Underweight from Sector Weight with a $18 price target at KeyBanc Capital Markets. Shares closed at $21.81. The stock has a consensus target price of $21.73 and a 52-week range of $6.15 to $27.64.
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Other key analyst upgrades and downgrades were seen as follows:
Angie’s List Inc. (NASDAQ: ANGI) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform with a $12 price target (versus an $8.99 close) at Raymond James.
Aratana Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: PETX) was started as Buy with a $13 price target (versus an $8.96 close) at Jefferies.
Cardtronics PLC (NASDAQ: CATM) was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at JPMorgan.
Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform with a $57 price target (versus a $54.67 close) at Credit Suisse.
Hormel Foods Corp. (NYSE: HRL) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform with a $44 price target (versus a $37.04 close) at BMO Capital Markets.
Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc. (NYSE: MAA) was raised to Buy from Neutral at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey.
NetEase Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform at Credit Suisse.
NiSource (NYSE: NI) was downgraded to Underperform from Neutral with a $25 price target (versus a $24.99 close) at Credit Suisse.
Olympic Steel Inc. (NASDAQ: ZEUS) was downgraded to Underweight from Sector Weight at KeyBanc Capital Markets.
Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc. (NYSE: RH) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
Steel Dynamics Inc. (NASDAQ: STLD) was downgraded to Sector Weight from Overweight at KeyBanc Capital Markets.
Thor Industries Inc. (NYSE: THO) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Wunderlich.
The latest data from S&P shows the following data for second-quarter earnings season: The S&P 500 is trading at 18.0 times the forward 12 month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. Excluding the energy sector drag, S&P 500 earning per share (EPS) growth would be a gain of 2.9%. The earnings beat rate is currently 65%, with 93% of the S&P having reported earnings so far. Aggregate S&P 500 earnings are estimated at $29.16 and down 2.1% year over year, which would much better than the 5.2% decline expected at the start of earnings season.
Here is an analyst montage view and news analysis of how much Medivation Inc. (NASDAQ: MDVN) might actually fetch in its buyout quest.
Thursday’s top analyst upgrades and downgrades included Cisco, Enterprise Products, J.C. Penney, Kinder Morgan, NetApp, Priceline, Digital Ally and over a dozen more.
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