Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Activision Blizzard, Boeing, FireEye, Gilead, Groupon, Netflix, Pandora and More

February 12, 2016 by Jon C. Ogg

Stocks were trying to stage a solid bounce on Friday despite Japan reopening weaker. 24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst reports each day to find new investing and trading ideas for its readers. Some analyst reports are on stocks to buy, while others cover stocks to sell or avoid.

These are the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations seen on Friday, February 12, 2016.

Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) closed at $30.52 ahead of earnings but was indicated down 8% at $28.10 in early trading on Friday. Jefferies maintained its Buy rating and $45 price target, noting that it is transforming into a global entertainment network with a half-billion users. Credit Suisse maintained an Outperform rating and $41 target but lowered estimates and said the guidance drop was uncharacteristic but may have been conservative.

Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) shares fell on Thursday by 6.8% to $108.44 after an SEC accounting probe on its big jets. Boeing was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight and the price target was cut to $120 from $142 at JPMorgan. The prior consensus target is $147.17 and the 52-week trading range is now $102.10 to $158.83.

FireEye Inc. (NASDAQ: FEYE) was down 0.5% before earnings and is indicated up 1.5% after earnings at $12.60. Topeka Capital Markets has a Buy rating but lowered its price target to $30 from $40. Wells Fargo maintained a Market Perform rating but lowered its valuation range to $15.00 to $16.00 from its prior $22.00 to $25.00 range.

Gilead Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD) was started as Outperform with a price target of $120 (versus a $87.80 prior close) at Oppenheimer. Gilead has a consensus analyst target of $118.63 and a 52-week range of $81.89 to $123.37.


Groupon Inc. (NASDAQ: GRPN) was maintained as Neutral at Credit Suisse after earnings, but the firm sees progress toward a skinnier company and it raised estimates. Wells Fargo maintained its Market Perform rating but lowered its valuation range to $2.50 to $3.00 from a prior range of $3.00 to $3.50.

Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform and the price target was cut to $100 from $125 (versus a $86.35 close) at FBR Capital Markets. The consensus target price is closer to $125, and the 52-week range is $58.46 to $133.27.

Pandora Media Inc. (NYSE: P) was up 8% at $9.09 on buyout rumors ahead of earnings, and it was indicated up 3% too around $9.35 on Friday. FBR Capital Markets raised Pandora to Outperform from Market Perform with a $16 price target (versus a $9.09 close). Credit Suisse maintained its Neutral rating, but lowered estimates and lowered it target price to $17 from $24. Wells Fargo maintained its Market Perform rating but lowered its valuation range to $10.00 to $12.00 from a prior $12.00 to $14.00 range.

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Other key analyst upgrades and downgrades were seen as follows:

  • Alliance Data Systems Corp. (NYSE: ADS) was started as Buy with a $240 price target (versus $180.45 close) at Jefferies.
  • Archer Daniels Midland Co. (NYSE: ADM) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Argus.
  • Goldcorp Inc. (NYSE: GG) was downgraded to Sector Perform from Sector Outperform at CIBC.
  • Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) was started as Buy with a $45 price target (versus a $36.43 close) at Stifel.
  • Linn Energy LLC (NASDAQ: LINE) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral at Citigroup.
  • Memorial Production Partners L.P. (NYSE: MEMP) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Ladenburg Thalmann.
  • Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. (NASDAQ: SFM) was started as Buy with a $27 price target (versus a $22.09 close) at Stifel.
  • Square Inc. (NYSE: SQ) was last seen up 16% at $10.01, after Visa is buying close to a 10% stake in Square. SunTrust Robinson Humphrey started Square with a Neutral rating late on Thursday.
  • Vonage Holdings Corp. (NYSE: VG) was reiterated as Buy at Dougherty, but the price target was cut to $7.00 from $9.50 (versus a $4.72 close).

If you missed Thursday’s top analyst upgrades and downgrades, they included Cisco, Dish Networks, First Data, Level 3 Communications, Regions Financial, SolarCity, Tesla, Twitter, Visa and about 20 more companies.

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