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Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: AEP, BigCommerce, Chewy, Datto, Disney, DraftKings, Exxon, McAfee, Nvidia, Square, Tilray and More
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Stocks ended last week on a strong note, as the focus remained on the vaccine news beyond the political uncertainty and skyrocketing COVID-19 cases. Now new that Moderna’s vaccine is about 94% effective is putting even more confidence into the stock market. Investors are trying to factor in a post-election and post-coronavirus 2021 and are still trying to plan how they should be invested for the coming year.
24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports each day of the week with a goal of finding new ideas for investors and traders alike. Some of these daily analyst calls cover stocks to buy. Other calls cover stocks to sell or avoid. Remember that no single analyst call should ever be used as a basis to buy or sell a stock. Consensus analyst target data is from Refinitiv.
These are the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations seen on Monday, November 16, 2020.
Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ACAD) was raised to Strong Buy from Outperform with a $65 price target (versus a $51.57 prior close) at Raymond James.
Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) was started with an Outperform rating at Evercore ISI.
American Electric Power Co. Inc. (NYSE: AEP) was downgraded to Peer Perform from Outperform at Wolfe Research. The stock closed at $89.87 per share, and it had a $96.24 consensus price target ahead of this call.
BigCommerce Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BIGC) was raised to Buy from Hold but its $95 price target was maintained at Truist Securities. The firm noted that the risk-reward is now more appealing since its shares have pulled back. Also, Stifel started it with a Buy rating and an $80 price target.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE: BMY) was raised to Buy from Hold with a $76 price target at Societe Generale. The stock closed up 1.4% at $63.62, and it had a $73.18 consensus target price.
Chewy Inc. (NYSE: CHWY) was started as Buy and its price target set at $75 (versus a $62.99 prior close) at Needham.
Datto Holding Corp. (NYSE: MSP) was started with an Outperform rating at Evercore ISI. Barclays started it as Equal Weight with a $35 target, and Credit Suisse started it with a Neutral rating and a $35 price target. RBC Capital Markets started it as Outperform with a $39 price target.
DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ: DKNG) was reiterated as Hold at Truist Securities after its guidance update was raised with earnings. The firm noted that it has ongoing risks. Morgan Stanley reiterated its Equal Weight rating but raised its target to $39 from $37.
Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) was started with an In-Line rating at Evercore ISI.
Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) was reiterated as Hold at Truist Securities, with some caution about how the company should take a slight cut in its super-high dividend payout to better manage its outspending of cash flow. The firm sees Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) and ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) as more attractive.
Foot Locker Inc. (NYSE: FL) was reiterated as Outperform and its price target was raised to $50 from $35 (versus a $37.24 prior close) at Raymond James.
McAfee Corp. (NASDAQ: MCAF) closed up almost 5% at $17.16 on Friday ahead of its quiet period expiration. Morgan Stanley started it as Overweight with a $25 target. Mizuho started it with a Buy rating and a $25 price target. RBC Capital Markets started it as Sector Perform with a $19 target price, while Goldman Sachs started it as Buy with a $26 price target and Piper Sandler started it as Outperform with a $22 price target.
Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA) was reiterated as Positive and its price target was raised to $610 from $560 at Susquehanna. Wedbush Securities reiterated its Outperform rating with a $600 price target. These calls are ahead of Wednesday’s earnings report, and the stock closed down 1.2% at $531.88 a share before these calls.
Signature Bank (NASDAQ: SBNY) was reiterated as Outperform and added to the Best Ideas List at Wedbush Securities. The firm sees the company as having consistently strong deposit and loan growth, as well as positive net interest income despite compression in net interest margin.
Square Inc. (NYSE: SQ) was reiterated as Overweight and its price target was raised to $250 from $215 at KeyBanc Capital Markets. The stock closed down 0.7% at $177.19 a share on Friday, and it has a $179.98 consensus target price.
Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO) was started with an Outperform rating at Evercore ISI.
Tapestry Inc. (NYSE: TPR) was raised to Overweight from Neutral at JPMorgan, which noted that it sees healthy earnings growth and a stock that is still undervalued.
Targa Resources Corp. (NYSE: TRGP) was raised to Outperform from Neutral with a $25 price target at Credit Suisse.
Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) was downgraded to Underperform from Hold at Jefferies.
Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) was named as the Zacks Bear of the Day stock. The firm said that analysts took down earnings estimates after the September quarter but remain bullish on innovation and creativity of the brand. The shares last closed at $138.36 apiece, and they have a consensus price target of $149.54.
Yamana Gold Inc. (NYSE: AUY) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform with a $9 price target (versus a $5.49 prior close) at BMO Capital Markets.
Friday’s top analyst upgrades and downgrades included BigCommerce, Chewy, Cisco Systems, Costco Wholesale, Darden Restaurants, Delta Air Lines, Dow, Lyft, Palantir Technologies, Southwest Airlines and Walt Disney.
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