The futures are trading solidly higher across the board this Thursday morning as the financial world and investors continue to digest yesterday’s commentary from the Federal Reserve. As expected, the Federal Funds rate was increased by 25 basis points or ¼% to 2%, the highest level since 2008, during the financial crisis.
While the funds rate is still at generation-low levels, there has been large debate over how many increases we could expect to see for 2018. Given the commentary, it now looks like a total of four.
Some investors are reconsidering what the nine-year bull market may bring for the rest of 2018 and beyond. It has become very clear that the multiyear trend of buying pullbacks is now more vulnerable to sellers, volatility, and each major news headline. Many investors are finding it harder to decide how they want their assets positioned for the longer term.
24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports each day to find new investing and trading ideas for our readers. Some of the top analyst reports cover stocks to buy. Other analyst calls cover equities to sell or stocks to avoid.
Additional color and commentary has also been added on some of these daily analyst calls. The consensus analyst price target data are from the Thomson Reuters sell-side research service.
These were the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and other research calls from Thursday, June 14, 2018.
Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE: COPF) is raised to Overweight from Neutral at Piper Jaffray. The 52-week trading range for the bank is $76.98 to $106.50. The consensus price target is set at $111.95. The stock closed Wednesday at $96.01.
Hewlett Packard Enterprises Company (NYSE: HPE) saw its price target lowered to $18 from $20 at Pivotal Research. That compares with the consensus target on Wall Street of $19.57. The shares have traded in a 52-week range of $12.70 to $19.48, and closed Wednesday at $15.79.
KBR Inc. (NYSE: KBR) is raised to Neutral from Sell at Goldman Sachs. The 52-week trading range for the construction giant is $14.40 to $21.70. The consensus price target is posted at $19.38. The stock ended trading on Wednesday at $18.29.
Kohl’s Corporation (NYSE: KSS) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Citigroup. The 52-week trading range for the discount retailer is $35.33 to $79.92. The consensus price target for the company is set at $70.88. The shares ended Wednesday trading at $75.72, and have been on a huge roll this year, so this could be a valuation and profit-taking call.
NuSkin Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: NUS) was started with a Buy rating at Jefferies with a $98 price target. That competes with a consensus target of $77.57. The stock closed above that level on Wednesday at $81.98.
Roku Inc. (NASDAQ; ROKU) was started with an Outperform rating at Macquarie with a $49 price target for the company. The Wall Street consensus target is set at $39. The shares closed Wednesday at $43.43.
Spotify Technology S.A. (NASDAQ: SPOT) was started with a Hold rating at Deutsche Bank with a $155 price target. The Wall Street consensus target for the music-streaming leader is posted at $153.34. The shares closed Wednesday at $170.82.
Steel Dynamics Inc. (NASDAQ: STLD) was downgraded to Sector Weight from Overweight at Keybanc Capital Markets. The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $32.20 to $52.10. The consensus price objective across Wall Street is posted at $53.93. The shares closed trading on Wednesday at $49.18, so this could be a valuation call.
Uniti Group Inc. (NASDAQ: UNIT) was downgraded to Equal Weight from Overweight at Morgan Stanley. The 52-week trading range for the company is $13.81 to $27.78, and the consensus price target is posted at $21.41. The stock ended trading Wednesday at $23.10, so this also could also be a straight valuation call.
Wyndham Destinations Inc. (NASDAQ: WYND) was started with a Buy rating at SunTrust with a $49 price objective, That compares with the consensus price target on Wall Street of $74.04. The shares closed trading on Wednesday at $47.90.
Other key analysts upgrades and downgrades were seen in the following.
The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (NASDAQ: CAKE) saw it price target raised to $60 from $57 at Maxim and that firm maintains its Buy rating on the company. Maxim expects management to announce the acquisition of its minority-owned North Italia concept within the next couple of quarters, which the firm believes will be a catalyst for the shares. The consensus price target across Wall Street is posted at $52.10. The shares ended trading Wednesday at $54.42.
Greensky Inc. (NASDAQ: GSKY) was started with a Neutral rating at Compass Point with a $27 price target. The stock was a recent IPO and has traded in a range of $22.05 to $27.01 since the deal priced. The shares ended trading on Wednesday at $24.13.
HMS Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: HMSY) was started with an Outperform rating at Leerink Partners with a $25 price objective. That compares with the consensus target of $21. The shares closed trading on Wednesday at $22.42.
TTM Technology Inc (NASDAQ: TTMI) was started with a Hold rating at Deutsche Bank with a $19 price objective. That compares with the consensus figure of $20.20. The stock ended trading on Wednesday at $19.30.
Terex Corporation (NYSE: TEX) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral at Goldman Sachs. The 52-week trading range for the company is $34.21 to $50.17. The consensus price target is set at $45.29. The stock ended trading on Wednesday at $41.74, and reacting to the downgrade, the shares are trading off almost 4% in pre-market action.
W.R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: WRB was downgraded to Underperform from Neutral at Merrill Lynch. The 52-week trading range for the shares is $62 to $79.74, and the consensus price target is set at $73.29. The stock closed trading on Wednesday at $76.55.
W&T Offshore Inc. (NYSE: WTI) is raised to Buy from Neutral st Seaport Global Securities. The 52 week trading range is $1.81 to $8.92, and the consensus price target is posted at $6.42. The shares closed Wednesday trading at $6.44
XPO Logistics Inc. (NYSE: XPO) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Merrill Lynch. The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $54.34 to $115.49. The consensus price target for the company is $116.80. The stock closed Wednesday at $113.30, so this looks like another valuation call.
In case you missed it, here are Wednesday’s Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades.
The included Applied Materials, Comcast, HUYA, Sprint, Time Warner, Yelp and more.
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