Stocks closed handily higher on Friday, despite a weak jobs number. Monday’s indexes were indicated lower by almost 0.4% on the Dow Jones industrial average and S&P 500, as coronavirus cases and economic worries continue to rise and as Brexit is looking messy again. The major indexes are basically at all-time highs, but many investors have missed out on the massive recovery in stocks this year. The financial markets are trying to look beyond the rising COVID-19 cases, with a vaccine becoming more available in early 2021. Investors need to decide how they want to be positioned heading into the new 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, December 7, 2020.

Accenture PLC (NYSE: ACN) was downgraded to Neutral from Positive at Susquehanna. The stock closed up 1.4% at $253.44 a share, and it had a $246.75 consensus target price.

Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) was raised to Buy from Neutral and its target price was raised to $300 from $150 at UBS. The stock closed down almost 2% at $232.71 per share and had a $200.04 consensus target price.

Concentrix Corp. (NASDAQ: CNXC) was started with a Buy rating and a $130 price objective (versus a $101.21 prior close) at BofA Securities.

CRISPR Therapeutics A.G. (NASDAQ: CRSP) was downgraded to Equal Weight from Overweight at Wells Fargo. The shares closed up 5% at $147.54 on Friday, and the consensus target price is $102.63.

DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ: DKNG) was started with a Neutral rating and a $48 target price at JPMorgan. The stock closed down 1.6% at $49.25 a share on Friday. It has a $60.27 consensus target price.

Helmerich & Payne Inc. (NYSE: HP) was downgraded to Underperform from Neutral at BofA Securities.

Illumina Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) was reiterated as Outperform and its price target was raised to $360 from $325 (versus a $350.66 prior close) at SVB Leerink. The stock had a $296.47 consensus target price.

Lyft Inc. (NASDAQ: LYFT) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral and its target price was raised to $61 from $39 at Piper Sandler.

McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) was downgraded to Equal Weight from Overweight at Stephens.

Nuance Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) was reiterated as Outperform and its target price was raised to $47 from $42 at SVB Leerink. The shares closed up seven cents at $42.06 apiece on Friday, and they have a $42.63 consensus target price.

PulteGroup Inc. (NYSE: PHM) was named as the Bull of the Day at Zacks, which said that this company has posted three-straight quarters of solid top-line growth in 2020, and it stands to benefit from the stellar housing market that could be poised to keep growing. Shares most recently closed at $42.06 and have a consensus price target of $53.86.

Post Holdings Inc. (NYSE: POST) was named as the Zacks Bear of the Day stock. The firm said that the company has seen its revenue fall in six out of the past eight quarters and its outlook only seems to be getting worse. Shares last closed at $94.28 and have a consensus price target of $107.17.

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform with a $59 price target at Bernstein. That target is just above its 52-week high of $58.83. The stock closed down about 0.5% at $47.59 per share on Friday and has a $49.65 consensus target.

Steven Madden Ltd. (NASDAQ: SHOO) was reiterated as Overweight and its price target was raised to $39 from $36 at KeyBanc Capital Markets. The stock closed up over 3% at $33.88 a share on Friday, and it has a $27.91 consensus target price.

Spirit Aerosystems Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SPR) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral and the price target was raised to $50 from $19 at UBS. On Friday, the stock closed down 3.1% at $39.09 per share. It has a $30.11 consensus analyst target.

Teladoc Health Inc. (NYSE: TDOC) was downgraded to Equal Weight from Overweight at Stephens, which noted that the company still will have many growth opportunities but also will face more intense competition.

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ: RARE) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform, but its price target was raised to $110 from $105 (versus a $128.53 prior close), at Wedbush Securities. The firm noted that the Angelman syndrome study has been a roller-coaster ride.

With the major indexes all posting record highs last week, the market is becoming increasingly overbought. Jefferies has five consumer staples giants rated Buy that offer a degree of safety and dependable dividends.

Friday’s top analyst upgrades and downgrades included Ally Financial, Boeing, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Dish Network, FedEx, Marvell Technology, Prudential, Stitch Fix and Teladoc Health.

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