Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Apple, EMC, F5 Networks, Facebook and More

September 24, 2013 by Jon C. Ogg

Stocks have seen some profit taking off of their recent all-time highs. Now investors and traders are wondering which stocks they should buy and which ones they should sell or avoid. 24/7 Wall St. reviews literally dozens of Wall Street analyst research reports with a goal of finding fresh ideas for investors and traders. Some research reports are for stocks to buy and others are for stocks to sell. These are this Tuesday’s top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations seen from Wall Street research firms.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) was raised to Positive from Neutral at Susquehanna, but it was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Soc-Gen.

Athenahealth Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHN) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Leerink Swann.

BlackBerry Ltd. (NASDAQ: BBRY) was raised to Hold from Sell at Canaccord Genuity, but only now that a first buyout offer has put in a likely floor.

CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) was raised to Buy from Hold at Jefferies.

Diamondback Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: FANG) was raised to Buy from Neutral with a $54 price target at Sterne Agee.

EMC Corp. (NYSE: EMC) was downgraded to Equal Weight from Overweight with a new $28 price target by Barclays.

Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral, and the price target was lifted to $55 from $32, at Citigroup.

F5 Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Goldman Sachs.

Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP) was raised to Buy from Neutral with a $46 price target at Goldman Sachs.

Network Appliances Inc. (NASDAQ: NTAP) was downgraded to Equal Weight from Overweight with a new $46 price target by Barclays.

PHH Corp. (NYSE: PHH) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Keefe Bruyette & Woods.

T-Mobile US Inc. (NYSE: TMUS) was started as Outperform at Cowen & Co.

Total S.A. (NYSE: TOT) was raised to Equal Weight from Underweight at Barclays.

Webster Financial Corp. (NYSE: WBS) was raised to Buy from Neutral with a new $28 price target at Sterne Agee.

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