Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: AMD, Caterpillar, Chipotle, eBay, Facebook, Microsoft, Sirius XM, Starbucks and More

Investing

Published: February 1, 2018 9:20 am

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 3:52 am

Investors have found out this week that the market can sell off if it needs to, but this bull market is now almost nine years old and the trend that keeps winning is to buy the pullbacks. In January alone, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 rose roughly 5.6% each, and the Nasdaq 100 rose 8.7%. Still, stocks were indicated to open lower on Thursday for the first trading day of February. Investors are still looking at how they should position their portfolios for this year and beyond into rising interest rates, tax reform, accelerated earnings and stronger GDP growth.

24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports each day of the week. The goal is to find new for investors and traders alike. Some of these analyst reports and research reports cover stocks to buy. Others analyst reports cover stocks to sell or stocks to avoid.

Additional color and commentary has been added on most of the daily analyst reports. The consensus analyst price targets mentioned and other valuation metrics are from the Thomson Reuters sell-side research service.

These were the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and other research calls from Thursday, February 1, 2018.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) closed up 6.7% at $13.74 on Wednesday after its earnings report. AMD was raised to Buy from Hold at Argus, and the firm assigned an $18 price target. Argus thinks AMD has returned to sustainable and consistent profitability and growth and sees its profit margins increasing ahead toward the industry norm.

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) was reiterated as Buy and the price target was raised to $185 from $155 at Argus. Caterpillar closed at $162.78 on Wednesday, and it has a 52-week range of $90.34 to $173.24 and a consensus analyst price target of $180.57.

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform with a $117 price target (versus a $103.41 prior close) at Wells Fargo. Check Point was indicated down almost 1% on Thursday.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE: CMG) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral with a $290 price target (versus a $324.76 close) at UBS. Oppenheimer maintained its Perform rating. Chipotle has a 52-week range of $263.00 to $499.00, and it had a consensus price target of $328.04.

eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) was last seen up 10% at $44.65 after earnings. eBay was maintained as Neutral with a $46 price target at Wedbush Securities. eBay was maintained as Hold at Stifel but the firm raised its target to $41 from $37. RBC Capital Markets raised its rating to Outperform from Sector Perform, and it assigned a $51 price target.

Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at JMP Securities. Emerson has a 52-week range of $56.77 to $74.45 and a consensus price target of $71.89.

Express Scripts Holding Co. (NASDAQ: ESRX) was downgraded to Underperform from Market Perform at Bernstein. Express Scripts was indicated down 2.1% at $77.50 on Thursday, and it has a 52-week range of $55.80 to $83.49 and a consensus price target of $81.88.

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Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) was last indicated up 1.5% at $189.62 despite having a dip in user metrics with its earnings beat. KeyBanc Capital Markets reiterated its Outperform rating and raised its target to $225 from $200. Pivotal Research maintained its Sell rating but raised its target to $152 from $147. Barclays reiterated its Overweight rating and raised its target to $225 from $215, and Credit Suisse reiterated its Outperform rating and raised its target price to $240 from $232. Facebook has a 52-week trading range of $130.30 to $190.66.

Flexion Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: FLXN) was started as Buy and assigned a $42 price target (versus a $22.59 close) at Berenberg. Flexion was also just recently featured among six biotechs that could rise 50% to 250%. Flexion shares were indicated up 2% at $23.05, and the 52-week range is $16.51 to $32.25.

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) was reiterated as Outperform and the price target was raised to $107 from $100 at BMO Capital Markets, and RBC Capital Markets reiterated its Outperform rating and raised its target to $105 from $100. Jefferies still has its Underperform rating but raised its target to $62 from $57. Oppenheimer reiterated its Outperform rating and $115 target. Microsoft has a 52-week range of $62.75 to $95.45 and had a consensus price target of $98.55.

Perrigo Co. (NASDAQ: PRGO) was started as Buy and assigned a $117 price target (versus a $90.62 close) at Berenberg. Perrigo has a 52-week range of $ 63.68 to $95.93, and it has a consensus price target of $88.47.

Qorvo Inc. (NASDAQ: QRVO) was up 1.5% at $71.77 ahead of earnings and was last seen up 12% at $80.50 or so after earnings. Qorvo was raised to Outperform from Market Perform with an $85 price target, and Merrill Lynch raised its rating to Neutral from Underperform. Mizuho maintained its Neutral rating but raised its target to $74 from $70.

Simply Good Foods Co. (NASDAQ: SMPL) was started with a Buy rating and assigned a $17 price target (versus a $13.60 close) at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey.

ALSO READ: Jefferies 5 Stocks to Buy for 2018 With Cash Flow and Earnings Growth

Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) was maintained as Equal Weight at Barclays, but the price target was lifted to $5.00 from $4.50. Sirius XM closed at $6.11 on Wednesday and was indicated down almost 1% at $$6.06 on Thursday morning. The 52-week range is $4.67 to $6.28 and the consensus price target of $6.00.

Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy with a $60 price target (versus a $56.81 close) at Miizuho. Starbucks has a 52-week range of $52.58 to $64.87 and a consensus target price of $64.64.

Supernus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: SUPN) was started as Buy and assigned a $66 price target (versus a $39.05 close) at Berenberg. Supernus has a 52-week range of $24.05 to $50.05 and a consensus price target of $50.63.

Take-Two Interactive Corp. (NASDAQ: TTWO) was started with an Overweight rating and assigned a $150 price target (versus a $126.67 close) at Morgan Stanley.

Union Pacific Corp. (NYSE: UNP) was reiterated as Buy and the price target was raised to $155 from $130 (versus a $133.50 close) at Argus.

Zynerba Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ZYNE) was started as Buy with a $23 price target (versus a $12.09 close) at H.C. Wainwright. Zynerba was recently given another call to virtually double in another research call.

On Wednesday there were 10 key stocks that received three or more analyst upgrades and price target hikes after earnings or after key news.

Wednesday’s top analyst calls were in AK Steel, Apple, Electronic Arts, FitBit, Foot Locker, McDonald’s, Pfizer and about two dozen more.

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