Stocks have hit new all-time highs in recent days, and they are indicated to open higher on Friday. The trend that has continued to prevail has been for investors to buy all the big market sell-offs. Investors are also looking for new investing and trading ideas to generate gains and income ahead.

24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports each day of the week in an effort to find some of those new investing and trading ideas for investors and traders alike. Some of the daily analyst reports and research reports cover stocks to buy. Other reports cover stocks to sell or to avoid.

Additional color and commentary has been added on most of these daily analyst calls. The consensus analyst price targets mentioned and other valuation metrics are from the Thomson Reuters sell-side research service.

These were the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and other research calls from Friday, December 8, 2017.

Align Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: ALGN) was started as Hold at Deutsche Bank.

Athenahealth Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHN) was started as Hold at Deutsche Bank.

Ball Corp. (NYSE: BLL) was downgraded to Underweight from Sector Weight with a $36 price target (versus a $40.81 prior close) at Keybanc Capital Markets. The 52-week trading range is $35.65 to $43.24, and the consensus analyst target price is $45.00.

Boston Scientific Corp. (NYSE: BSX) was raised to Strong Buy from Buy with a $32 price target at Needham. The stock was down 0.8% at $25.04 on Thursday and indicated up 2.8% at $25.75 on Friday morning. It has a 52-week range of $20.69 to $29.93 and a consensus target price of $31.27.

Capstead Mortgage Corp. (NYSE: CMO) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform at Keefe Bruyette & Woods.

Carvana Co. (NYSE: CVNA) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Deutsche Bank.

Checkpoint Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: CKPT) was started as Buy with an $11 price target (versus a $4.71 close) at H.C. Wainwright.

Ciena Corp. (NASDAQ: CIEN) was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight with a $22 price target (versus a $20.76 close) at Piper Jaffray. The shares were indicated down 0.6% at $20.64 on Friday. It has a 52-week range of $19.40 to $27.98, and a consensus target price of $28.06.

Fairmount Santrol Holdings Inc. (NYSE: FMSA) was started as Buy with an $8 price target (versus a $4.85 close) at Seaport Global.

Flowserve Corp. (NYSE: FLS) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral with a $37 price target (versus a $42.65 close) at Goldman Sachs. The 52-week range is $37.51 to $52.10, and the consensus target price is $43.46.

GoDaddy Inc. (NYSE: GDDY) was started with a Neutral rating and assigned a $52 price target (versus a $48.15 close) at Wedbush Securities. The analyst called it a good strategy and execution but said it’s priced in and full valued. It has a 52-week range of $34.27 to $51.29 and a consensus target price of $52.64.

Gulfport Energy Corp. (NASDAQ: GPOR) was started with a Buy rating and assigned a $26 price target (versus a $12.35 close) at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey. While this is a call for shares to double and then some, its volatility is evident with a 52-week trading range of $10.90 to $29.92.

Henry Schein Inc. (NASDAQ: HSIC) was started as Buy and the price target was set at $79 (versus a $67.57 close) at Deutsche Bank. It has a 52-week range of $65.28 to $93.50 and a consensus target price of $81.17.

Hi-Crush Partners L.P. (NYSE: HCLP) was started as Buy with a $17 price target (versus a $10.10 close) at Seaport Global.

Ingersoll-Rand PLC (NYSE: IR) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Goldman Sachs.

Johnson Controls Inc. (NYSE: JCI) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral with a $35 price target (versus a $37.36 close) at Goldman Sachs.