Investing

Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Alliance Data, Autodesk, Biogen, Broadcom, Delta Air Lines, Finisar and More

Lee Jackson

Published: December 9, 2016 8:55 am

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 4:57 pm

After another record day for the markets yesterday, the futures are pointing once again to a higher open, and this week looks poised to go down as yet another winner for stock investors. The Santa Claus/Trump rally came early this year, and many of the top analysts and pundits on Wall Street feel that it could hold its ground until the end of the month. All eyes next week will be on the Federal Reserve meeting, and the possibility of the first interest rate increase in a year.

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

These are this Friday’s top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations.

Alliance Data Inc. (NYSE: ADS) was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at JPMorgan. The 52-week trading range for the stock is $176.63 to $280.95. Its consensus price target is $247.96. The shares closed Thursday at $239.87, up almost 3%, so this could be a valuation call.

Broadcom Ltd. (NASDAQ: AVGO) shares are up big after reporting blow-out numbers and raising the dividend yesterday. Cowen raised its price target to $210 from $205, and Mizhou raise its target to $210 from $200. The stock is rated Buy at both firms. The consensus price target is $212.70, and the 52 week range is $114.25 to $179.42. The shares closed yesterday at $170.71, but traded near $180 range in the premarket.

Autodesk Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) was raised to Buy from Hold at Canaccord Genuity. The 52-week range is $41.60 to $82.77, and the consensus price target is $73.18. Shares closed way above that level yesterday at $81.74.

Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) was reiterated at Hold at Stifel, but the firm lifted its price target on the biotech giant to $298 from $291. The consensus price objective is $339.98. The 52-week range is $223.02 to $332.65, and the stock closed yesterday at $289.54.

CDW Corp. (NYSE: CDW) was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at JPMorgan. The 52-week trading range is $30.40 to $55.47. The consensus price objective is $51.13. The shares closed above that level yesterday at $55.40, so this looks like a potential valuation call.

Delta Airlines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) is reiterated at Outperform at Cowen, and the firm raised its price target to $56 from $52. The 52-week range is $32.60 to $52.77, and the consensus price objective is $55.94. The stock ended trading on Thursday at $51.35.

Eaton Corp. PLC (NYSE: ETN) was raised to Overweight from Neutral at JPMorgan. The 52-week trading range is $46.19 to $69.38. The consensus price target is $67.64. The stock closed Thursday at $68.98.

Finisar Inc. (NASDAQ: FNSR) is another hot tech company that blew out earnings yesterday. Stifel reiterated its Buy rating and increased the price target to $42. Needham also reiterated a Strong Buy rating. The 52-week range for the stock is $11.94 to $34.99. The consensus price objective is $40.75. The shares closed trading on Thursday at $34.13 but traded near $37 in the premarket.

Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (NYSE: HIG) was raised to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital Markets. The firm also raised its price target to $54 from $46. The 52-week trading range is $36.54 to $48.52, and the consensus price target is set at $48.31. The shares closed at $47.99.

Other key analysts upgrades and downgrades were seen in the following:

AFLAC Inc. (NYSE: AFL) was downgraded to Underperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital Markets. The price target was lowered to $65 from $74. The consensus target is $70.62, and the 52-week range is $54.57 to $74.50. The stock closed yesterday at $69.62.

American Midstream Partners L.P. (NYSE: AMID) was started at Buy at Janney. The 52-week range is $3.80 to $17.50. The consensus price target is $17.50, and the shares closed at $17.00.

Duluth Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTH) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Stifel, which also lowered the price target to $33 from $35 following a mixed quarterly earnings report yesterday. The 52-week range is $13.52 to $38.19, and the consensus price target is $36. Shares closed up big yesterday at $37.04, but they traded near $33 in Friday’s premarket.

Flour Inc. (NYSE: FLR) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Citigroup. The 52-week range is $39.48 to $56.64. The consensus price objective is $49.69. The stock closed at $56.

Lincoln National Corp. (NYSE: LNC) was also raised to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital Markets. The price target was lifted to $73 from $62, while the consensus price objective is $63. The 52-week range is $30.39 to $69.30. The stock closed Thursday at $68.48.

Performance Food Group Co. (NYSE: PFGC) was started at Buy at Goldman Sachs. The 52-week range is $19.95 to $28.13. The consensus price target is $27. The stock closed yesterday at $23.

Plains GP Holdings L.P. (NYSE: PAGP) is raised to Overweight from Neutral at Morgan Stanley. The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $6.29 to $36.09. The consensus price target is $33.80. The shares closed on Thursday at $33.60.

Spirit Aerosystems Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SPR) was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at JPMorgan. The 52-week range is $40.03 to $61.05. The consensus price target is set at $59.25, and the shares closed above that level yesterday at $61.26. Possibly another straight valuation call.

Sysco Corp. (NYSE: SYY) was raised to Neutral from Sell at Goldman Sachs. The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $47.15 to $54.73. The consensus price objective is $53.38, and the shares ended Thursday at $54.33.

If you missed Thursday’s analyst upgrades and downgrades, they included Advanced Micro Devices, Cree, FitBit, Juniper Networks, Lululemon Athletica, Priceline and many more.