Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Advanced Micro Devices, Delphi, Domino's Pizza, Southwest Airlines, Square, United Technologies and More

Investing

Published: June 15, 2018 8:55 am

Last Updated: January 11, 2020 10:18 pm

The futures are trading down big this Friday morning as investors continue to digest a litany of Fed speak following the Federal Reserve meeting this week, and the increase in the Fed funds rate to 2%. Investors received more good news on Thursday as new applications for U.S. unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, and the number of Americans on jobless rolls declined to a near 45-year low, pointing to a rapidly tightening labor market. This Friday though, trade issues are weighing heavily on the market.

Some investors are reconsidering what the nine-year bull market may bring for the rest of 2018 and beyond. It has become very clear that the multiyear trend of buying pullbacks is now more vulnerable to sellers, volatility, and each major news headline. Many investors are finding it harder to decide how they want their assets positioned for the longer term.

24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports each day of the week to find new investing ideas and trading ideas for our readers. Some of the top analyst reports cover stocks to buy. Other analyst calls cover stocks to sell or stocks to avoid.

Additional color and commentary has also been added on some of these daily analyst calls. The consensus analyst price target data are from the Thomson Reuters sell-side research service.

These were the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and other research calls from Friday, June 15, 2018.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) saw its price target raised to $21 from $18 at Cowen. The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $9.04 to $16.79. The consensus price objective on Wall Street is set at $14.31. Shares closed way above that level Thursday at $16.25 and are trading higher in premarket action.

Charles River Laboratories International Inc. (NYSE: CRL) is raised to Overweight from Equal Weight at KeyBanc Capital Markets, and they have set a $130 price target. The Wall Street consensus price objective is posted at $115.85. The stock closed Thursday at $114.47.

Delphi Technologies plc (NYSE: DLPH) was started with a new Market Perform rating at Oppenheimer. The 52-week trading range for the company is a whopping $39 to $104.09. The consensus price target for the auto parts giant is $60.43. The shares ended trading on Thursday at $51.76.

Domino’s Pizza Inc. (NYSE: DPZ) saw its target price raised to $300 from $275 at Stifel. The analysts cite sustainable drivers including the company’s strong, consistent price-value relationship; improving franchise unit economics, due, in part, to the proven strategy of “fortressing” markets; and growing scale and digital sophistication. The Wall Street consensus price target is posted at $267.56. The stock closed Thursday at $273.65.

First Data Corporation (NYSE: FDC) was resumed in coverage at Raymond James with an Outperform rating and a $23 price target. That compares with the current consensus target of $22. The stock ended trading on Thursday at $21.61.

Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN) was resumed with a Market Perform rating at Raymond James. The 52-week trading range for the company is $87.86 to $119.69. The consensus price target is set at $124.57. The stock ended trading on Thursday at $117.75.

Glu Mobile Inc,. (NASDAQ: GLUU) was started with a new Overweight rating at Piper Jaffray and they have a $7.50 price target for the mobile gaming company. The Wall Street consensus target is posted at $6.20. The shares closed Thursday at $6.23.

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Argus. The 52-week trading range for the low-cost carrier is $49.76 to $66.99. The consensus price target is set at $65.89. The shares closed Thursday at $51.94.

Square Inc. (NYSE: SQ) was resumed in coverage with a Market Perform rating at Raymond James. The 52-week trading range for the company is $22.66 to $64.85. The consensus price target across Wall Street is $52.58. The stock closed well above that level Thursday at $63.88.

United Technologies Corporation (NYSE: UTX) was resumed in coverage at Morgan Stanley with an Overweight rating and a $160 price target. That competes with the Wall Street consensus target of $145.44. The stock closed Thursday at $126.94

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

Allegheny Technologies Incorporated. (NYSE: ATI) was downgraded to Underweight from Neutral at JPMorgan, with a $25 price target. That compares with the current Wall Street consensus price target of $33.10. The shares closed Thursday at $28.17.

Badger Meter Inc (NYSE: BMI) is raised to Hold from Sell at Canaccord Genuity. The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $39.10 to $52.10. The consensus price target is set at $47.25.

Cadence Bancorporation (NYSE: CADE) is raised to Strong Buy from Buy at Raymond James and the analyst has a $36 price objective. That compares with the consensus target which is set at $ 34.13. The shares ended trading on Thursday at $29.87.

Delek US Holdings Inc. (NYSE: DK) was resumed in coverage with an Overweight rating at Barclays, and they have a $65 price target. That compares with the consensus figure of $62. The shares closed Thursday at $51.92.

Kimco Realty Corporation (NYSE: KIM) is raised to Overweight from Neutral at JPMorgan. The 52-week trading range is $13.16 to $21.24. The consensus price target is $16.53. The stock closed Thursday at $16.53.

PetMed Express Inc. (NASDAQ: PETS) was started with a Neutral rating at CL King. The 52-week trading range is $31.87 to $57.80. The consensus price objective across Wall Street is posted at $46.75. The shares closed Thursday at $42.87.

Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: SRPT) was started with a Buy rating at BTIG Research with a $120 price target. The Wall Street consensus target is posted at $99.65. The shares ended trading on Thursday at $98.78.

Spire inc. (NYSE: SR) is raised to Outperform from Market Perform at Wells Fargo. The 52-week trading range is $60.09 to $82.85 and the consensus price objective is $71.88. The stock ended trading on Thursday at $65.45.

In case you missed it, here are Thursday’s Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades. They included Capital One, Hewlett Packard Enterprises, Kohls, Roku, Spotify, Steel Dynamics and more.

ALSO READ: 12 American Companies That Control Tech

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