Top Analysts Upgrades and Downgrades: Biogen, FedEx, Lions Gate, Rexnord, Ionis Pharmaceutical and More

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Top Analysts Upgrades and Downgrades: Biogen, FedEx, Lions Gate, Rexnord, Ionis Pharmaceutical and More

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[cnxvideo id=”625456″ placement=”ros”]With just one trading week left for 2016, and a shortened one at that due to the market holiday yesterday, investors will be making some final changes, perhaps doing some tax-loss selling, and generally getting their portfolios ready for 2017. The futures were trading flat this morning, but stocks have opened slightly higher. The focus will remain on the Dow Jones Industrial Average march to 20,000

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 Tuesday’s top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations. Since this is the week between holidays, many of the firms we cover will not resume full research coverage until after the new year, so the published volume is reasonably light.

Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) was reiterated at Outperform at Leerink, which raised its price target on the shares to $368 from $355. That compares with a Wall Street consensus price target of $339.07. The stock was also reiterated with a Buy rating at Merrill Lynch with a $374 price target. The firm now forecasts that Spinraza, which was approved by the FDA for spinal muscular atrophy, will reach peak sales of over $2 billion based on wider label FDA approval. The 52-week trading range for the shares is $223.02 to $333.65. The stock closed last Friday at $287.53 but traded higher on Tuesday.

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FedEx Inc. (NYSE: FDX) was reiterated with a rating of Hold at Stifel, but the firm raised its price target to $189 from $186. The Wall Street consensus price objective is $208.95. The 52-week trading range is $119.71 to $201.57. The stock closed last Friday at $191.86.

Ionis Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ: IONS) was reiterated at Market Perform at Leerink, but the price target was raised to $47 from $40. Janney increased its price target to $53 from $50. Ionis partners with Biogen on Spriraza. The consensus price target on its shares is $44.90. The 52-week range is $19.59 to $62.68. The ended last week at $53.41 but was up big in early trading.

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. (NYSE: LGF) was started with a Buy rating and a $34 price target at Argus. The consensus price objective is $27.94, and the 52-week range is $16.21 to $35.65. The stock closed trading last Friday at $26.09.

Ritchie Brothers Auctioneers Inc. (NYSE: RBA) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Raymond James. The 52-week range is $21.02 to $39.96, and the consensus price objective is $39.25. Shares closed last Friday at $36.03.

Rexnord Corp. (NYSE: RXN) was reiterated at Outperform and called a solid idea for 2017 at Baird. The firm has a $23 price target, which compares with a consensus target of $21.25. The 52-week range is $14.04 to $22.97. The stock closed last Friday at $19.53.

Roadrunner Transportation Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: RRTS) was reiterated with a Buy rating at Stifel, which raise its price target to $12 from $11. The consensus price target is $10.50. The stock ended the day last Friday at $10.49, in a 52-week range of $6.39 to $13.67.

In case you missed it, last Friday’s top analyst upgrades and downgrades included FedEx, GameStop, Navistar, Time Warner, UPS and more.

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About the Author Lee Jackson →

Lee Jackson has covered Wall Street analysts' equity and debt research and equity strategy daily for 24/7 Wall St. since 2012. His broad and diverse career, which included a stint as the creative services director at the NBC affiliate in Austin, Texas, gives him unique insight into the financial industry and world.

Lee Jackson's journey in the financial industry spans over 30 years, with nearly two decades as an institutional equity salesperson at Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and Morgan Stanley. His career was marked by his presence on the sell side during pivotal Wall Street events, from the dot.com rise and bubble to the Long Term Capital Management debacle, 9/11, and the Great Recession of 2008. This is a testament to his resilience and adaptability in the face of market volatility.

Lee Jackson’s practical financial industry experience, acquired from a career at some of the biggest banks and brokerage firms, is complemented by a lifetime of writing on various platforms. This unique combination allows him to shed light on the intricacies and workings of Wall Street in a way that only someone with deep insider experience and knowledge can. Moreover, his extensive network across Wall Street continues to provide direct access for him and 24/7 Wall St., a privilege few firms enjoy.

Since 2012, Jackson’s work for 24/7 Wall St. has been featured in Barron’s, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, Business Insider, TradingView, Real Money, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Benzinga, and other media outlets. He attended the prestigious Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and has a degree in broadcasting from the Specs Howard School of Media Arts.

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