Investing

Wednesday's Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Airbnb, CSX, McDonald's, Merck, Microsoft, MGM Resorts, Nike, Oracle, Union Pacific and More

Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE: EL): Zacks named this cosmetics company as its Bear of the Day stock. The analyst ponders whether China’s COVID-19 restrictions are already priced in. Shares have traded as high as $374.20 apiece in the past year but closed most recently at $257.37. That is down more than 30% year to date.

Fortinet Inc. (NASDAQ: FTNT): Oppenheimer reiterated an Outperform with an $80 target price. This compares with the $71.59 consensus target and Tuesday’s closing print of $57.29.

Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (NYSE: JEF): Goldman Sachs reiterated a Buy rating but lowered its target price to $34 from $38. The consensus target is $37.75. Tuesday’s closing share price was at $28.25.

J.Jill Inc. (NYSE: JILL): Women’s apparel is hot in 2022, says Zacks, which selected this retailer as its Bull of the Day. The stock closed last at $19.10, and the $24.00 consensus target represents more than a 25% upside.

LendingTree Inc. (NASDAQ: TREE): BofA Securities maintained a Buy rating but slashed the $190 price target to $80. The $105.75 consensus is also well above Tuesday’s close at $47.42, which was down over 7% for the day.

McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD): Atlantic Equities upgraded the fast-food giant’s stock to Overweight from Neutral and boosted the $245 price target to $278. The consensus target is $278.75. The final trade for Tuesday was recorded at $242.83.

Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK): BofA Securities kept a Neutral rating on the pharmaceutical heavyweight while raising the $89 price target to $93. The consensus target is $97.61. The stock closed almost 3% lower on Tuesday at $91.89.

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT): Redburn started coverage of the legacy software heavyweight with a Buy rating and a $370 target price. The consensus target is $357.75. Tuesday’s close at $256.48 down over 3% on the day.


MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM): JMP Securities upgraded the gambling resort giant to Market Outperform with a $55 target price. The consensus target is $53.63. Tuesday’s close was at $29.88.

Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE): Baird reiterated an Outperform rating on the athletic shoe and apparel giant and has a $140 target price. The consensus target is up at $151. The closing share price on Tuesday was $102.78, after the company posted earnings that fell short of Wall Street expectations.

Oracle Corp. (NYSE: ORCL): Exane BNP Paribas raised its Neutral rating on the software heavyweight to Outperform and has a $90 target price. The consensus target is $88.68. The $68.68 close on Tuesday was down almost 3% for the day.

Ovintiv Inc. (NYSE: OVV): J.P. Morgan’s upgrade to Overweight from Neutral included a target price hike to $64 from $56. The consensus target is $60.40. The stock closed Tuesday at $48.62, up close to 3% on the day.

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