Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Advanced Micro Devices, Delphi, Domino’s Pizza, Southwest Airlines, Square, United Technologies and More

Photo of Lee Jackson
By Lee Jackson Updated Published
This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.
Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Advanced Micro Devices, Delphi, Domino’s Pizza, Southwest Airlines, Square, United Technologies and More

© Thinkstock

The futures are trading down big this Friday morning as investors continue to digest a litany of Fed speak following the Federal Reserve meeting this week, and the increase in the Fed funds rate to 2%. Investors received more good news on Thursday as new applications for U.S. unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, and the number of Americans on jobless rolls declined to a near 45-year low, pointing to a rapidly tightening labor market. This Friday though, trade issues are weighing heavily on the market.

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 of the week to find new investing ideas and trading ideas for our readers. Some of the top analyst reports cover stocks to buy. Other analyst calls cover stocks 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.

[nativounit]

These were the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and other research calls from Friday, June 15, 2018.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) saw its price target raised to $21 from $18 at Cowen. The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $9.04 to $16.79. The consensus price objective on Wall Street is set at $14.31. Shares closed way above that level Thursday at $16.25 and are trading higher in premarket action.

Charles River Laboratories International Inc. (NYSE: CRL) is raised to Overweight from Equal Weight at KeyBanc Capital Markets, and they have set a $130 price target. The Wall Street consensus price objective is posted at $115.85. The stock closed Thursday at $114.47.

Delphi Technologies plc (NYSE: DLPH) was started with a new Market Perform rating at Oppenheimer. The 52-week trading range for the company is a whopping $39 to $104.09. The consensus price target for the auto parts giant is $60.43. The shares ended trading on Thursday at $51.76.

Domino’s Pizza Inc. (NYSE: DPZ) saw its target price raised to $300 from $275 at Stifel. The analysts cite sustainable drivers including the company’s strong, consistent price-value relationship; improving franchise unit economics, due, in part, to the proven strategy of “fortressing” markets; and growing scale and digital sophistication. The Wall Street consensus price target is posted at $267.56. The stock closed Thursday at $273.65.

First Data Corporation (NYSE: FDC) was resumed in coverage at Raymond James with an Outperform rating and a $23 price target. That compares with the current consensus target of $22. The stock ended trading on Thursday at $21.61.

Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN) was resumed with a Market Perform rating at Raymond James. The 52-week trading range for the company is $87.86 to $119.69. The consensus price target is set at $124.57. The stock ended trading on Thursday at $117.75.

Glu Mobile Inc,. (NASDAQ: GLUU) was started with a new Overweight rating at Piper Jaffray and they have a $7.50 price target for the mobile gaming company. The Wall Street consensus target is posted at $6.20. The shares closed Thursday at $6.23.

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Argus. The 52-week trading range for the low-cost carrier is $49.76 to $66.99. The consensus price target is set at $65.89. The shares closed Thursday at $51.94.

Square Inc. (NYSE: SQ) was resumed in coverage with a Market Perform rating at Raymond James. The 52-week trading range for the company is $22.66 to $64.85. The consensus price target across Wall Street is $52.58. The stock closed well above that level Thursday at $63.88.

United Technologies Corporation (NYSE: UTX) was resumed in coverage at Morgan Stanley with an Overweight rating and a $160 price target. That competes with the Wall Street consensus target of $145.44. The stock closed Thursday at $126.94

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

Allegheny Technologies Incorporated. (NYSE: ATI) was downgraded to Underweight from Neutral at JPMorgan, with a $25 price target. That compares with the current Wall Street consensus price target of $33.10. The shares closed Thursday at $28.17.

Badger Meter Inc (NYSE: BMI) is raised to Hold from Sell at Canaccord Genuity. The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $39.10 to $52.10. The consensus price target is set at $47.25.

Cadence Bancorporation (NYSE: CADE) is raised to Strong Buy from Buy at Raymond James and the analyst has a $36 price objective. That compares with the consensus target which is set at $ 34.13. The shares ended trading on Thursday at $29.87.

Delek US Holdings Inc. (NYSE: DK) was resumed in coverage with an Overweight rating at Barclays, and they have a $65 price target. That compares with the consensus figure of $62. The shares closed Thursday at $51.92.

Kimco Realty Corporation (NYSE: KIM) is raised to Overweight from Neutral at JPMorgan. The 52-week trading range is $13.16 to $21.24. The consensus price target is $16.53. The stock closed Thursday at $16.53.

PetMed Express Inc. (NASDAQ: PETS) was started with a Neutral rating at CL King. The 52-week trading range is $31.87 to $57.80. The consensus price objective across Wall Street is posted at $46.75. The shares closed Thursday at $42.87.

Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: SRPT) was started with a Buy rating at BTIG Research with a $120 price target. The Wall Street consensus target is posted at $99.65. The shares ended trading on Thursday at $98.78.

Spire inc. (NYSE: SR) is raised to Outperform from Market Perform at Wells Fargo. The 52-week trading range is $60.09 to $82.85 and the consensus price objective is $71.88. The stock ended trading on Thursday at $65.45.

In case you missed it, here are Thursday’s Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades. They included Capital One, Hewlett Packard Enterprises, Kohls, Roku, Spotify, Steel Dynamics and more.

[recirclink id=469109]

[wallst_email_signup]

Photo of Lee Jackson
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.

Continue Reading

Top Gaining Stocks

CBOE Vol: 1,568,143
PSKY Vol: 12,285,993
STX Vol: 7,378,346
ORCL Vol: 26,317,675
DDOG Vol: 6,247,779

Top Losing Stocks

LKQ
LKQ Vol: 4,367,433
CLX Vol: 13,260,523
SYK Vol: 4,519,455
MHK Vol: 1,859,865
AMGN Vol: 3,818,618