Investing

Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Apache, Arch Coal, CBOE, Chevron, GM, Nasdaq and More

Stocks have tried to bounce after a sharp sell-off, but investors remain wary. They want bull market upside, but they also want to avoid the next market correction. Is it time for value stocks or is it time for beaten down momentum and growth stocks? 24/7 Wall St. reviews many analyst research reports each morning, on the hunt for new ideas for its readers. Some analyst calls are about stocks to buy, while some cover stocks to sell or to avoid. These are this Wednesday’s top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations.

Alpha Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE: ANR) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral and the price target was cut to $3 from $5 by UBS.

Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Deutsche Bank.

Arch Coal Inc. (NYSE: ACI) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral by UBS.

CBOE Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: CBOE) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Carlyle Group L.P. (NASDAQ: CG) was raised to Outperform from Perform at Oppenheimer.

Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) was started with a Buy rating and a $140 price target (versus a $117 close) at Jefferies. Chevron is also one of Warren Buffett’s top dividend stocks.

E*Trade Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: ETFC) was raised to Neutral from Underperform and Merrill Lynch.

Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) was started with a Hold rating at Jefferies.

Fortune Brands Home & Security Inc. (NYSE: FBHS) was raised to Outperform from Neutral and the price target was raised to $50 from $47 by Credit Suisse.

READ ALSO: Warren Buffett’s Top Dividend Stocks

General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) was given a nasty downgrade to Underweight from Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley. The price target was slashed to $33 from $49 in the call, after shares closed at $34.53.

Intuitive Surgical Inc. (NASDAQ: ISRG) was started with an Underperform rating and given a $440 price target (versus a $489.84 close) at Sterne Agee.

Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. (NASDAQ: NDAQ) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Merrill Lynch.

NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI) was raised to Strong Buy from Outperform by Raymond James. It was also one of the few positive calls from Deutsche Bank when it said semiconductor shares are too expensive.

Ryanair Holdings PLC (NASDAQ: RYAAY) was raised to Overweight from Equal Weight by Barclays.

Walter Energy Inc. (NYSE: WLT) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral and the price target was cut to $5 from $8 by UBS.

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