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Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Ally Financial, CenturyLink, Fiserv, LivePerson, Kimberly Clark, Palo Alto Networks, Procter & Gamble and More

Lee Jackson

Published: January 24, 2019 9:10 am

Last Updated: January 31, 2020 1:40 am

The futures traded slightly lower Thursday morning as investors digest Wednesday’s snapback rally, which helped to take the sting out of some of the biggest selling we had seen since the start of the new year. After so much volatility, investors should be rethinking and considering how they want their investments and assets positioned for 2019.

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

Additional commentary and trading data have been added on some of the daily analyst reports. The consensus analyst price targets and other valuation metrics are from the Thomson Reuters sell-side research service.

These are the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations seen on Thursday, January 24, 2019.

Adidas A.G. (NASDAQ: ADDYY) was downgraded to Underweight from Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley. The consensus price target is $139.79, and the most recent closing price is $118.02.

Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) was resumed in coverage at BTIG Research with a $32 price target. The consensus target across Wall Street is $31.24. The stock was last seen on Wednesday at $25.48.

CVR Energy Inc. (NYSE: CVI) was started with an Underweight rating and a $47 price objective at Barclays. The consensus target is much lower at $41. The shares closed Wednesday at $38.31.

CenturyLink Inc. (NYSE: CTL) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral at Guggenheim. The shares have traded between $13.97 and $24.20 over the past year, and the consensus price target is $20.39. The stock was last seen on Wednesday at $15.21, but it was down over 3% in Thursday’s premarket.

Fiserv Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform at Cowen. The 52-week trading range is $62.76 to $86.79, and the consensus piece objective is $84.29. The shares ended Wednesday at $80.59.

Kimberly Clark Corp. (NYSE: KMB) was raised to Equal Weight from Underweight at Morgan Stanley. The 52-week trading range for the consumer products giant is $97.10 to $123.50, and the consensus price objective is $106.88. Shares closed above that level on Wednesday at $112.15.

Liveperson Inc. (NASDAQ: LPSN) is raised to Outperform from Neutral at Oppenheimer. Shares have traded between $10.80 and $27.40 in the past year, and the consensus price target is $29.43. The stock ended Wednesday at $21.37.

Mondelez International Inc. (NASDAQ: MDLZ) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Berenberg. The 52-week trading range is $37.42 to $46.54. The consensus price target is $48.76, and the stock closed at $43.51.

Palo Alto Networks Inc. (NYSE: PANW) was raised to Outperform from Neutral at Wedbush. The 52-week trading range for the cybersecurity giant is $148.41 to $239.50. The consensus price target is $243.40, and shares ended trading on Wednesday at $205.72.

Procter & Gamble Inc. (NYSE: PG) was raised to Hold from Sell at Berenberg after posting solid quarterly results. The 52-week trading range is $70.73 to $96.90, and the consensus target price is $93.33. The shares closed Wednesday at $94.84, up almost 5% on the day.

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

Apergy Corp. (NYSE: APY) was started with a Buy rating and a $44 price target at Gabelli. That compares with the consensus target price of $39.63. The stock closed Wednesday at $33.18.

BT Group PLC (NYSE: BT) is raised to Buy from Neutral at JPMorgan. The 52-week trading range is $13.53 to $18.88. The consensus target price is $20.75. The shares closed Wednesday at $15.49.

Duluth Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTH) was raised to Buy for Neutral at D.A. Davidson. The 52-week trading range is $15.85 to $35.67, and the consensus price target is $29, versus a close Wednesday at $20.39.

GreenBrick Inc. (NASDAQ: GRBK) was started with a Buy rating at Deutsche Bank with a $10 price target. That compares to a consensus target of $8.63. The shares closed Wednesdays trading at $8.13.

Nestle S.A. (NASDAQ: NSRGY) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Berenberg. Shares of the chocolate and confection giant have traded between $73.59 and $87.85 over the past year. The consensus price target is $101.48. Shares were last seen at $84.65.

Northern Trust Corp. (NASDAQ: NTRS) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Raymond James. The 52-week trading range for the white glove bank is $75.96 to $115.61, and the consensus price objective is $102.53. The stock closed Wednesday at $89.93.

Vale S.A. (NYSE: VALE) was downgraded to Underperform from Neutral at BNP Paribas. The consensus price target is $17.08, and the shares closed trading on Wednesday a $14.75.

Zendesk Inc. (NYSE: ZEN) was started with a Perform rating at Oppenheimer. The consensus price target is $71.70, and the stock closed trading on Wednesday at $64.40.

Wednesdays top analysts calls included Alphabet, Amazon.com, Dell Technologies, IBM, International Paper, Merck, Pfizer, Tesla, Teva Pharmaceutical, Walmart and many more.