Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: AMD, Panera, SeaWorld, T-Mobile, Walgreens, 8Point3 and Many More

April 6, 2017 by Jon C. Ogg

Stocks were indicated marginally higher on Thursday after a volatile Wednesday took away many of the market’s gains. The bull market is now more than eight years old, but investors keep proving that they will find a reason to buy all the market pullbacks. Investors are also still looking for new trading and investing ideas.

24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports each day of the week in an effort to find new ideas for our readers. Some analyst reports cover stocks to buy, and some cover stocks to sell or to avoid

Color has been added on many of the following calls, and the consensus analyst price targets referenced are from Thomson Reuters. These are the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations seen on Thursday, April 6, 2017:

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) was started with a Sell rating and assigned an $11 price target (versus a $14.17 prior close) at Goldman Sachs, and expanded AMD research details on this call are available. AMD shares were indicated down 3.6% at $13.65 on Thursday after the call. It has a 52-week trading range of $2.60 to $15.55 and a consensus analyst target price of $12.25.

Panera Bread Co. (NASDAQ: PNRA) was up 14% to $312.94 after news of its acquisition, and analysts are telling their clients to take their money off the table. Downgrades have been seen from the likes of RBC Capital Markets, BTIG and Telsey Advisory. Panera had a 52-week range of $185.69 to $313.41 and a consensus target price of $288.37.

SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: SEAS) was started as Sell and assigned a $16 price target (versus a $17.94 prior close) at Goldman Sachs. The 52-week range is $11.77 to $21.85, and the consensus price target is $19.33.

T-Mobile US Inc. (NASDAQ: TMUS) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Deutsche Bank. Shares closed at $63.50 on Wednesday, and the 52-week range is $38.31 to $65.41. T-Mobile has a consensus price target of $67.65.

Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA) was down 1.6% at $81.17 on Wednesday after earnings and after continuing to keep its Rite Aid acquisition alive. Jefferies is reiterating its Buy rating and keeping its $95 price target, noting that the overhang from the Rite Aid deal should be resolved in the next three to four months.

8Point3 Energy Partners L.P. (NASDAQ: CAFD) was last indicated down 15% at $11.20 after earnings and on news that First Solar wants out of its obligation to the yieldco drop-down. 8Point3 was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Wells Fargo. Janney downgraded it to Neutral as well. We have expanded solar research downgrade coverage available.

Other key analyst calls were seen in the following:

ABIOMED Inc. (NASDAQ: ABMD) was raised to Overweight from Neutral at Piper Jaffray.

Cardinal Health Inc. (NYSE: CAH) was raised to Outperform at Evercore ISI Group.

Cedar Fair L.P. (NYSE: FUN) was started as Buy and assigned an $81 price target (versus a $68.04 close) at Goldman Sachs.

DXC Technology Co. (NYSE: DXC) was raised to Overweight from Equal Weight with an $85 price target (versus a $71.79 close) at Morgan Stanley.

InnerWorkings Inc. (NASDAQ: INWK) was started as Buy and assigned a $12 price target (versus a $9.70 close) at Wunderlich.

Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: JAZZ) found itself in an analyst horse race on Thursday, but shares were indicated up 6% at $149.45. It was downgraded to Neutral from Buy and the price target was cut to $150 from $162 at Mizuho. Jazz was raised to Buy with a $175 fair value estimate at Janney.

Retrophin Inc. (NASDAQ: RTRX) was started with an Outperform rating at William Blair.

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NYSEMKT: RNN) was started as Buy and assigned a $2 price target (versus a $0.62 close) at Rodman & Renshaw.

Six Flags Entertainment Corp. (NYSE: SIX) was started as Neutral and assigned a $65 price target (versus a $57.59 close) at Goldman Sachs.

Superconductor Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: SCON) was raised to Buy with a $3 price target (versus a $1.46 close) at Rodman & Renshaw.

Teladoc Inc. (NYSE: TDOC) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Cantor Fitzgerald.

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ: RARE) was assumed with a Hold rating but the price target was slashed to $66 from $109 (versus a $61.71 close) at Jefferies.

In the oil and energy sector, Jefferies reiterated its Buy ratings on Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell and Marathon Oil, but the firm kept its Hold ratings on Exxon Mobil, ConocoPhillips, Occidental and Total.

Deutsche Bank still sees big upside for financials.

A 25% corporate tax rate could boost 5 great companies.

Wednesday’s top analyst calls were in shares of AstraZeneca, Hasbro, Roche, Peabody Energy, Suncor, Wynn Resorts and many more.

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