Investing

Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Hasbro, Johnson & Johnson, Mattel, MetLife, United Rentals, UTC, Williams and More

Stocks rallied on Tuesday and then really got a bump on Wednesday, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average finally cracked the 20,000 level. There remains a path to Dow 21,422 in 2017, but a lot of things have to go right to have that occur. Even with this bull market almost eight years old, investors are still buying the pullbacks, and they are still looking for new and overlooked opportunities.

24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst reports each day of the week to find new investing and trading ideas for our readers. Some of these analyst research reports cover stocks to buy, while others cover stocks to sell or avoid. Most of the following analyst calls include some color, and Thomson Reuters was used for consensus analyst price target data.

These are the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations seen on Thursday, January 26, 2017:

Hasbro Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Monness Crespi & Hardt. Hasbro closed up 1.5% at $86.76 on Wednesday and was indicated down 3.2% at $84.00 early Thursday. It also has a 52-week range of $68.60 to $88.53 and a consensus analyst price target of $86.90.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Wells Fargo. Shares closed up 0.9% at $112.80 on Wednesday and were indicated down 0.5% at $112.28 on Thursday. Johnson & Johnson’s stock has a 52-week trading range of $99.78 to $126.07 and a consensus price target of $125.47.

Mattel Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at MKM Partners. Shares closed up 1.2% at $31.56 on Wednesday and were indicated down 13% at $27.40 on Thursday after reporting weak holiday sales. Mattel has a 52-week range of $26.11 to $34.76 and a consensus price target of $35.36.

MetLife Inc. (NYSE: MET) was started with a Sell rating and assigned a $51 price target (versus a $56.15 prior close) at Citigroup. MetLife has a 52-week range of $35.00 to $58.09 and a consensus price target of $61.08.

United Rentals Inc. (NYSE: URI) was indicated higher on Thursday by over 8% to $124.40 after beating earnings and making a small acquisition. It was raised to Outperform from Market Perform with a $145 price target (versus a prior closing price of $114.26) at Avondale Research. United Rentals has a 52-week range of $41.90 to $115.61 and had a consensus analyst target of $106.13 before the news.

United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) was downgraded to Hold From Buy at Argus. UTC closed down 0.6% at $110.96 on Wednesday and was indicated down 0.8% at $110.00 on Thursday. The 52-week range is $83.85 to $112.83. The consensus price target is $117.53.

Williams Companies Inc. (NYSE: WMB) was started as Outperform and assigned a $33 price target at Credit Suisse. The stock closed up 1.1% at $28.81 on Wednesday, and it has a 52-week range of $10.22 to $32.69 and a consensus price target of $32.00.

You can follow @Jonogg on Twitter if you would analyst calls and research summaries posted directly to your own feed.

Sponsored: Tips for Investing

A financial advisor can help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of investment properties. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Investing in real estate can diversify your portfolio. But expanding your horizons may add additional costs. If you’re an investor looking to minimize expenses, consider checking out online brokerages. They often offer low investment fees, helping you maximize your profit.