Investing

Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: AON, Broadcom, Expedia, Exxon, Match, Mylan, Ocean Rig UDW, Signet, Transocean and More

Jon C. Ogg

Published: March 15, 2018 8:55 am

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 2:24 am

Stocks were down on Wednesday and have been volatile for the past couple of weeks. All three major equity indices were indicated higher on Thursday, but by only about 0.1% or 0.2%. The bull market is now over nine years old, and investors are trying to weigh the recent volatility to decide how they want to be positioned for the year ahead and beyond. One trend that has kept working is for investors to buy all the big pullbacks.

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

Additional color and commentary has been added on most of the daily analyst reports. The consensus analyst price targets 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, March 14, 2018.

Advanced Disposal Services Inc. (NYSE: ADSW) was started as Outperform and the price target was set at $26 at Credit Suisse.

AON PLC (NYSE: AON) was raised to Buy from Neutral with a $162 price target (versus a $144.22 prior close) at Goldman Sachs. The 52-week trading range is $116.05 to $152.78, and the consensus analyst price target is $152.33.

Apptio Inc. (NASDAQ: APTI) was reiterated as Outperform and the price target was raised to $38 from $31 at Oppenheimer.

Broadcom Ltd. (NASDAQ: AVGO) was started as Buy with a $340 price objective (versus a $260.59 close) at Merrill Lynch. Argus maintained its Buy rating and $300 price target, saying the U.S. government did Broadcom a favor by blocking its acquisition effort of Qualcomm. Shares were down 0.25% at $260.59 on Wednesday and indicated up 1.7% at $265.00 on Thursday. The 52-week range is $208.44 to $285.68.

Core Laboratories N.V. (NYSE: CLB) was started as Outperform with a $130 price target (versus a $107.94 close) at Credit Suisse.

e.l.f. Beauty Inc. (NYSE: ELF) was downgraded to Underweight from Equal Weight with a $15 price target (versus a $19.97 close) at Morgan Stanley.

Expedia Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE) closed up 3.7% at $113.28 on Wednesday but was indicated down 1.3% at $111.85 on Thursday. Macquarie downgraded it to Neutral from Outperform. The stock has a 52-week trading range of $98.52 to $161.00 and a consensus price target of $134.41.

Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) closed down 1.25% on Wednesday and was indicated higher by 0.8% at $74.21 on Thursday. HSBC raised its rating to Buy from Reduce, with an $82.50 price target (versus a $73.60 close). The oil and gas giant has a 52-week range of $73.53 to $89.30 and a consensus price target of $85.76.

HD Supply Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HDS) was raised to Buy from Hold with a $48 price target (versus a $38.01 close) at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey.

Match Group Inc. (NASDAQ: MTCH) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy with a $48 price target (versus a $46.79 close) at UBS.

Maxar Technologies Ltd. (NYSE: MAXR) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform and the price target was slashed to $52 from $97 at Credit Suisse.

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MercadoLibre Inc. (NASDAQ: MELI) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Stifel. Shares closed down 0.3% at $404.97 on Wednesday and were indicated down almost 4% at $389.00 on Thursday. The 52-week range is $203.36 to $417.91, and the consensus price target is $372.07.

Mylan N.V. (NASDAQ: MYL) was reiterated as Buy and the price target was raised to $51 from $45 at Mizuho. The 52-week range is $29.39 to $47.82. The consensus analyst target is $49.62.

Noble Corp. PLC (NYSE: NE) was started with an Outperform rating and assigned a $6 price target (versus a $4.17 close) at Credit Suisse. Noble has a 52-week range of $3.14 to $6.46 and a consensus price target of $4.57.

Ocean Rig UDW Inc. (NASDAQ: ORIG) was started as Outperform with a $32 price target (versus a $25.15 close) at Credit Suisse.

Rowan Companies PLC (NYSE: RDC) was started as Neutral with a $13 price target (versus a $12.11 close) at Credit Suisse. Rowan has a 52-week range of $9.02 to $17.33 and a consensus analyst price target of $14.76.

Signet Jewelers Ltd. (NYSE: SIG) was down 20% at $38.22 on Wednesday after earnings, guidance and more restructuring all disappointed. Signet was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Needham.

Stryker Corp. (NYSE: SYK) was started as Outperform with a $183 price target (versus a $166.38 close) at Raymond James.

Tapestry Inc. (NYSE: TPR), the former Coach, was reiterated as Outperform and the price target was raised to $60 from $55 at Oppenheimer.

Teladoc Inc. (NYSE: TDOC) was downgraded to Hold from Buy with a $45 price target (versus a $42.95 close) at Deutsche Bank. Shares have changed hands between $21.75 and $44.65 apiece in the past year. The consensus price target is $42.73.

TerraForm Power Inc. (NASDAQ: TERP) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral with an $11 price target (versus an $11.53 close) at Goldman Sachs. The 52-week range is $10.02 to $14.20, and the consensus price target of $13.25.

Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) was started with an Outperform rating and assigned a $16 price target (versus a $9.78 close) at Credit Suisse. It has a 52-week range of $7.20 to $13.18 and a consensus price target of $12.31.

Willis Towers Watson PLC (NYSE: WLTW) was raised to Neutral from Sell with a $170 price target (versus a $161.53 close) at Goldman Sachs.

Wednesday’s top analyst upgrades and downgrades included Abercrombie & Fitch, Altria, Century Aluminum, DSW, Ford, Quest Diagnostics, Sunoco and many more.