The futures were trading higher after big tech earnings hit the tape after Tuesday’s close. All the major indexes finished the day sharply lower before the earnings were released for Alphabet and Microsoft, which both came in above expectations. While S&P 500 earnings have largely come in mixed and have not been the huge issue some feared, the real concern is turning to the debt ceiling issues, and the potential for the U.S. to run out of money sooner than expected. With the president and Speaker McCarthy at a stalemate on negotiations so far, every passing day ramps up investor concerns.

Treasury yields surged across the curve Tuesday, and some cited the Dallas Fed manufacturing index on Monday that came in at a nine-month low. In addition, with a 25-basis-point increase almost assured in early May, and the Federal Reserve still touting a “higher for longer” theme, investors are rushing to safe-haven investments. The two-year paper closed at 3.95%, a stunning 20% yield drop, while the 10-year benchmark note finished at 3.40%, with the inversion between the two remaining in place, but tightening.

Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude finished the day lower, and some in the energy complex pointed to the Supreme Court ruling in favor of anti-oil groups that want to sue big oil corporations at the state level. Natural gas finished the day flat after a solid run over the last week at $2.25.

Gold finished the day higher after a big opening run and is closing back in on the $2,000 level, while Bitcoin closed the day at $27,946, up 1.6%. After a huge run off the January lows, it is clear that profit-taking is the likely reason for the recent weakness for the cryptocurrency giant, but some buyers have returned, especially after the positive tech earnings after the bell.

24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports each day of the week with a goal of finding fresh 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 Wednesday, April 26, 2023.

Aflac Inc. (NYSE: AFL): Wells Fargo started coverage with an Equal Weight rating and a $73 target price. The consensus target is $70.67, and Tuesday’s closing print was $65.76.

APi Group Corp. (NYSE: APG): Citing its valuation and price performance, Zacks named this industrial services provider as its Bull of the Day stock. Shares last closed at $21.96, and the $28.11 consensus price target would be a 52-week high.

Argenx S.E. (NASDAQ: ARGX): Citigroup initiated coverage with a Buy rating and a $450 target price. The consensus target is $452.95. The final trade Tuesday was reported at $390.51.
Asure Software Inc. (NASDAQ: ASUR): Northland Capital started coverage with an Outperform rating and a $19 target price. The consensus target is $17.83. The stock closed down over 5% on Tuesday at $13.53 on the weak tape.

Cal-Maine Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: CALM): Stephens downgraded the stock to Equal Weight from Overweight and cut its $67 target price to $60. The consensus target is $61 for now. Tuesday’s close at $49.75 was down over 4% for the day on the weak tape and the downgrade.

Capri Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: CPRI): Jefferies downgraded the stock to Hold from Buy. It also lowered the target to $45 from $58, while the consensus target is $60.03. Tuesday’s $42.43 close was down over 5% on the day.

Coterra Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: CTRA): Stephens initiated coverage with an Overweight rating and set a $32 target price. The consensus target is $30.46. The stock closed on Tuesday at $25.16.

DoubleDown Interactive Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: DDI): Wedbush initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and a $12.25 target price. The consensus target is $17.06. The shares closed up 4% on  Tuesday at $8.00.

Euronav N.V. (NYSE: EURN): When Stifel upgraded the shares to Buy from Hold, its target price increased to $22 from $17. The consensus target is $22.31. The stock closed on Tuesday at $17.27.

First Republic Bank (NYSE: FRC): Janney downgraded the shares to Sell from Neutral and trimmed its $10 price target to $8. The consensus target is $45.80 for now. The last trade on Tuesday was recorded at $8.12, down 49% after reporting massive deposit losses.

Ladder Capital Corp. (NASDAQ: LADR): BTIG Research resumed coverage with a $10 target price. The consensus target is $12.50. The shares closed on Tuesday at $8.93.

PDD Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: PDD): Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock to Neutral from Buy, and its $116 target price was reduced to $93. The consensus target is $106.69. The shares closed on Tuesday at $64.58.

PPG Industries Inc. (NYSE: PPG): Goldman Sachs raised its $148 target price on the Buy-rated stock to $167. The consensus target is $149.83. Tuesday’s close at $140.46.

Range Resources Corp. (NYSE: RRC): Benchmark upgraded the stock to Buy from Hold. Its $32 target price compares with a $31.74 consensus target and the most recent close at $25.09.

Sierra Bancorp (NASDAQ: BSRR): D.A. Davidson upgraded the stock to Buy from Neutral and has a $19.50 target. The consensus target is $19.75. The shares closed on Tuesday at $16.17.
Squarespace Inc. (NASDAQ: SQSP): Citigroup’s upgrade was to Buy from Neutral, and its $30 target price is now $40. The consensus target is lower at $29.42. The stock closed almost 3% higher on Tuesday at $31.45 after the upgrade.

Stanley Black & Decker Inc. (NYSE: SWK): The Zacks Bear of the Day still struggles with inventory issues and its earnings outlook has tumbled, says the analyst. Shares have traded as high as $140.78 in the past year and closed most recently at $77.66.

Starwood Property Trust Inc. (NYSE: STWD): BTIG Research resumed coverage with a Buy rating and a $19 target price. The consensus target is $23.21. The shares ended Tuesday’s session over 3% lower at $16.89.

Talos Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: TALO): Stephens started coverage with an Overweight rating and a $21 target price. The consensus target is $24.20. Tuesday’s close at $12.98 was down close to 6% on weak spot oil.

Universal Health Services Inc. (NYSE: UHS): Barclays upgraded the stock to Equal Weight from Underweight and boosted its $132 price target to $142. The consensus target is $141.47, and Tuesday’s close was at $140.72.

V.F. Corp. (NYSE: VFC): Piper Sandler resumed coverage with an Overweight rating and a $29 target price. The consensus target is $27.10. Tuesday’s $19.88 close was down almost 7% for the day.

Viking Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VKTX): Oppenheimer reiterated a Buy rating with a $35 target price. The consensus target is $19.50. Tuesday’s $19.88 close was down almost 7% on the day.

Zebra Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ: ZBRA): Credit Suisse upgraded the shares to Outperform from Neutral and lifted the $311 target price to $326. The consensus target is up at $360.08. The stock closed most recently at $284.10.

ZTO Express Inc. (NYSE: ZTO): Goldman Sachs upgraded the stock to Buy from Neutral. The analyst also lifted the $37 target price to $42, well above the $35.21 consensus target. The stock closed on Tuesday at $27.46.

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Goldman Sachs sees three top cloud software stocks as poised to take off for the rest of the year. All three have been pounded and are offering outstanding entry points for aggressive growth investors now.

Tuesday’s top analyst upgrades and downgrades included Aflac, Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Capri, Chesapeake Energy, CNX Resources, EQT, First Republic Bank, Luminar Technologies, PDD, Starwood Property Trust, Talos Energy, VFC, XPeng and ZTO Express.

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