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Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Deckers Outdoor, Expedia, Intel, Juniper Networks, Pure Storage, Southwest Airlines, NXP Semiconductors and More

Lee Jackson

Published: July 27, 2018 8:50 am

Last Updated: January 11, 2020 8:18 pm

The futures traded flat Friday morning as investors continue digesting a huge week of second-quarter earnings, and the second-quarter GDP report. The blow-up of Facebook yesterday rocked the Nasdaq, which could see some increased buying today. But the trend of buying the dips has not worked as well lately as it has in prior years. Many investors have been considering how they want their investments positioned for the longer term.

24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports each day of the week to find new investing and trading ideas for our readers. Some of the top analyst reports cover stocks to buy. Other analyst calls cover stocks to sell or to avoid.

Additional color and commentary have been added on some of these daily analyst calls. The consensus analyst price target data are from the Thomson Reuters sell-side research service.

These were the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and other research calls from Friday, July 27, 2018.

Deckers Outdoor Corp. (NASDAQ: DECK) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Stifel, but the price target was actually raised to $123 from $120. That compares with a Wall Street consensus target of $111.46. The shares ended trading on Thursday at $119.23. This looks like a valuation call, as the analysts feel further upside in the stock is limited.

Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform at Raymond James after posting solid second-quarter results. The 52-week trading range for the online travel giant is $98.52 to $161, and the consensus price target is posted at $137.57. The stock closed Thursday at $125.80.

Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Merrill Lynch. The 52-week trading range for the semiconductor giant is $34.38 to $57.60, and the consensus price target is $58.87. The stock closed Thursday at $52.16, but shares traded down almost 7% after the company posted disappointing second-quarter results.

Juniper Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: JNPR) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at BMO Capital Markets. The 52-week trading range is $23.61 to $30.29, and the consensus price target is set at $26.62. The stock closed Thursday at $28.25, but shares traded down over 8% in the premarket after earnings missed expectations.

NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI) was raised to Buy from Hold at Jefferies following a recent unsuccessful attempt by Qualcomm to buy the company. The 52-week trading range is $90.25 to $125.93, and the consensus price target is $115.92. The shares ended trading on Thursday at $92.81, down almost 6% on the day.

Patterson-UTI Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: PTEN) is raised to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse. The land driller has traded between $14.60 and $25.03 over the past year. The consensus price target is $24.21, and the shares closed Thursday at $16.04.

PulteGroup Inc. (NYSE: PHM) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral at BTIG Research on what they see as “relative valuation.” The 52-week trading range for the home-building company is $24.15 to $35.21. The consensus price target is set at $35.20, and the stock closed Thursday at $28.98.

Pure Storage Inc. (NYSE: PSTG) was started with an Overweight rating at JPMorgan with a $30 price target. That compares with a consensus price target of $24.89. The stock ended trading on Thursday at $23.35.

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Southwest Airlines Inc. (NYSE: LUV) saw its price target raised to $66 from $63 at Cowen, and that compares with consensus price target for the low-cost airline leader of $61.47. The shares closed trading Thursday at $56.70 up almost 9%

Valero Energy Partners L.P. (NYSE: VLP) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Mitsubishi UFJ. The 52-week trading range for the stock is $33.25 to $48.66, and the consensus price objective is set at $46.96. The stock closed Thursday at $41.67.

Other key analysts upgrades and downgrades were seen in the following:

Autolus Therapeutics PLC (NASDAQ: AUTL) was started with a Neutral rating at Goldman Sachs with a $30 price target. That compares to a consensus target of $35. The stock closed trading on Thursday at $24.49.

Axalta Coatings Systems Ltd. (NYSE: AXTA) was raised to Overweight from Neutral at JPMorgan. The 52-week trading range for the shares is $27.77 to $38.20, and the consensus price target is $33.94. The stock closed Thursday at $30.36.

D.R. Horton Inc. (NYSE: DHI) was raised to Outperform from In-line at Evercore ISI. The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $34.06 to $53.52. The consensus price target is set at $54.50. The shares ended trading on Thursday at $43.84.

Meta Financial Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CASH) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at B. Riley FBR, which lowered the price target to $100 from $132. The consensus price target is $126.75, and the stock closed Thursday at $96.95.

PPG Industries Inc. (NYSE: PPG) was downgraded to Outperform from Strong Buy at Raymond James. Over the past year, the stock has traded between $100.36 at $122.02. The consensus price target is posted at $120.36. The stock closed Thursday at $110.66.

NCR Corp. (NYSE: NCR) was downgraded to Perform from Outperform at Oppenheimer after posting results in which the company missed revenue expectations and the fiscal 2018 guidance was cut. The 52-week trading range is $26 to $39.20, and the consensus price target is posted at $38.39. Shares traded down over 8% in the premarket action.

Newfield Exploration Co. (NYSE: NFX) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at SunTrust. The 52-week trading range is $22.72 to $35.20, and the consensus price target is set at $37.78. The stock closed Thursday at $28.19.

United Natural Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: UNFI) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Guggenheim. The 52-week trading range is $32.52 to $52.69, and the consensus price target is $45.87. The shares ended Thursday at $34.48, down a massive 16% on the day.

In case you missed it, Thursday’s top analyst upgrades and downgrades included Dolby Labs, Facebook, Freeport-McMoRan, Gilead Sciences, GrubHub, Skechers and more.