Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Activision Blizzard, Anheuser-Busch, Amphenol, Biogen, Goldman Sachs BDC, Pure Storage and More

Investing

Published: March 2, 2017 9:00 am

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 2:20 pm

Once again, stocks across all the major indexes closed at record highs yesterday, on the back of what many perceived as a very strong speech from President Trump to a joint session of Congress. The futures are slightly higher this morning, though exuberant investors may be catching their collective breath to determine which way we go next. With the largest initial public offering since the Alibaba deal back in 2014 on tap today, it could prove to be a volatile session.

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 Thursday’s top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations.

Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) was started with an Outperform rating at William Blair. Its 52-week trading range is $30.37 to $47.64. The Wall Street consensus price target for the gaming company is posted at $50.62, and the shares closed trading yesterday at $47.14.

Ameriprise Financial Inc. (NYSE: AMP) was started with an Outperform rating at William Blair. The 52-week range for the stock is $84.92 to $135.20. The consensus price target is $138.80, and shares closed Wednesday at $134.28.

Amphenol Inc. (NYSE: APH) saw its target raised to $74 from $71 at RBC Capital Markets. The current consensus price objective is $70.09, and the 52-week range is $54.87 to $71. The stock closed Wednesday at $70.88.

Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A/N.V (NYSE: BUD) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Merrill Lynch. The 52-week range for brewing giant is $86.28 to $138.06, and the consensus price target is $114.35. The stock closed Wednesday’s trading at $109.94.

Belden Inc. (NYSE: BDC) was started with a Buy rating at Seaport Global Securities. The 52-week range for the shares is $54.37 to $81.33. The consensus price target is posted at $82.71. The stock closed yesterday at $72.94.

Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) was started with a Buy rating at Instinet. The 52-week range for the biotech giant is $223.03 to $333.65, and the consensus price objective is $322.07.

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) was started with an Outperform rating at William Blair. The 52-week trading range for the company, famous for its Madden Football franchise, is $61.10 to $88.28. The consensus price target is $94.38, and shares closed yesterday at $87.82.

Goldman Sachs BDC Inc. (NYSE: GSBD) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Raymond James. The 52-week range is $18.40 to $25.31. The consensus price target is $22.90. The shares closed yesterday at $24.57.

Imperial Brands PLC (NASDAQ: IMBBY) is raised to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse. The 52-week range is $41.90 to $55.84, and the consensus price target is $66. The stock closed yesterday at $47.96.

Pacira Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: PCRX) saw the price target on the shares raised to $59 from $48 at H.C. Wainwright. That compares with a consensus price target of $53.54. The 52-week range is $29.95 to $65.64. The shares closed yesterday at $49.55, up a whopping 13.4% on the day.

Pure Storage Inc. (NASDAQ: PSTG) saw its price target lowered to $15 from $18 at Needham. That compares with a current consensus estimate of $16.93. The shares closed Wednesday at $11.33, in a 52-week range of $9.62 to $16.40.

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

Achaogen Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAO) saw its target price raised to $29 from $19 at Wedbush and it was reiterated with a Buy rating. The 52-week range is $2.59 to $24.28, and the consensus price target is $24. The stock closed Wednesday at $23.78.

Celadon Group Inc. (NYSE: CGI) was started with a Buy rating at Aegis Capital with a $15 price target. That compares with a consensus target of $10.80. The 52-week range is $4.85 to $12.03. The shares closed Wednesday at $8.50

Glaukos Corp. (NASDAQ: GKOS) saw its price target raised to $54 from $45 at Cantor Fitzgerald. That’s versus a current consensus price objective of $47.57. The 52-week range for the shares is $15 to $47.50. The stock closed Wednesday at $45.79.

Selective Insurance Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SIGI) was started with a Neutral rating at Boenning & Scattergood. The 52-week trading range is $33.65 to $45.65. The consensus price target is $44. The stock closed yesterday at $45.60.

SunOpta Inc. (NASDAQ: STKL) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Wunderlich. The 52-week range is $3.16 to $7.70. The consensus price target is posted at $9.30. The shares closed yesterday at $6.75.

In case you missed it, Wednesday’s top analyst upgrades and downgrades included Abbott Laboratories, General Dynamics, NexStar Media, Owens Corning, Palo Alto Networks, Salesforce.com and many more.

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