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Here Are Thursday’s Top Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Broadcom, Deere & Company, Dell Technologies, Devon Energy, Moderna, Permian Resources, PG&E, Thermo Fisher, Viper Energy, and More

Markets wobble heading into the Labor Day weekend as bond vigilantes push back against Washington, oil stays tense with Middle East strikes escalating, and Wall Street analysts make bold calls on names ranging from Broadcom to Moderna that could reshape…

By Lee Jackson
Published September 3, 2026, 8:05am ET · 4 min read

A low-angle view showing the brown 'WALL ST' and black 'BROAD ST' street signs against a backdrop of several tall, imposing skyscrapers under a bright, clear blue sky. The 'WALL ST' sign includes '11-21' with an arrow, and the 'BROAD ST' sign includes '1-26' with an arrow. The buildings feature a mix of classic architectural styles with many windows and some modern glass facades.
The iconic street signs of Wall Street and Broad Street frame the towering skyscrapers of New York's financial district, symbolizing the bustling world of banking. This intersection represents the core of financial activity where major institutions like BNY Mellon, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo operate. © mezzotint / Shutterstock.com

Pre-Market Stock Futures:

Futures are trading mixed as we near the long Labor Day weekend, after a mid-week rebound that saw all major indices finish higher. Modestly lower yields, a weakening U.S. dollar, and some blockbuster technology earnings were enough to get buyers back to the table after three straight down days. The small-cap Russell 2000 led the comeback, closing up 1.13% at 2,953, while the Dow Jones Industrial closed at 53,061, up 0.56%, both of which were punished over the prior two trading days.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq closed up 0.45% at 26,217, while the S&P 500 rounded out the day, closing at 7,666, up 0.46%. With trading volumes slowing to a crawl, and the last weekend at the beach already in the queue for many on Wall Street, investors can expect a slow roll into the holiday over the next two sessions.

Treasury Bonds:

While yields fell across the Treasury curve on Wednesday, the drop was small compared with some of the big daily jumps we have seen over the last month. When the final bell rang, the 30-year long bond closed at 5.26%, and the benchmark 10-year note ended at 4.78%. The bottom line is that the bond vigilantes, like some other high-profile Wall Street analysts and legendary investors, don’t seem sold on Secretary Bessent’s buying of longer-dated Treasury debt to calm rising rates. What may really soothe them is a 25-basis-point increase in the funds rate at their meeting in two weeks. 

Oil and Gas:

Prices were mixed across the energy sector as the Middle East war remained center stage, with renewed military strikes by both sides and a constant reminder that the script can flip at any time. Brent Crude closed higher at $95.63, while West Texas Intermediate was last seen at $90.72, down 0.31%. Natural gas had a solid day, closing at $3.oo up a strong 1.52%. 

Gold:

The precious metals complex had a calmer day on Wednesday, after a roller coaster start to the week. With economic data that is crucial to the rate scenario forthcoming, like non-farm payrolls tomorrow and the consumer and producer price index a week from tomorrow, many on Wall Street are checking and looking forward to the long Labor Day/ College Football weekend. Gold last traded at 44,386, unchanged for the day, while silver closed at $65.31, up 0.16%.

Crypto:

Cryptocurrency prices were volatile on Wednesday, as renewed military conflict with Iran and the recent surge in U.S. Treasury yields triggered a back-and-forth sell-off. Bitcoin opened near $77,395 and fell to the $76,600–$77,200 range intraday, down about 1.4%. Like stocks and bonds, crypto liquidity will shrink this week as the holiday approaches. At 8 AM EDT, Bitcoin was quoted at $77,887, while Ethereum was trading at $2,406.

 

24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports every day to identify fresh investment ideas for investors and traders alike. These daily analyst notes include recommendations on stocks to buy, sell, or avoid, as well as new coverage initiations. Important reminder: No single analyst report should ever be the sole basis for buying or selling a stock.

 

Here are some of the top Wall Street analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations from Thursday, September 3, 2026.

 

Upgrades:

  • Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO | AVGO Price Prediction) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Macquarie, with a $490 target price.
  • Copart (NASDAQ: CPRT) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JPMorgan, which lifted the target price to $40 from $32.
  • Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform at Evercore ISI, with an $813 target price.
  • Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) was upgraded to Outperform from Equal Weight at Fox Advisors, with a $625 target price.
  • Envista Holdings (NASDAQ: NVST) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JPMorgan, which bumped the target price to $32 from $29.

Downgrades:

  • Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA) was cut to Sell from Hold at Rothschild & Co Redburn, which has an $81 target price for the stock.
  • PG&E (NYSE: PCG) was cut to Hold from Buy at Truist Securities, which trimmed the target price to $17 from $21.
  • Sonoco Products Company (NYSE: SON) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Bank of America, which cut the target price to $60 from $69.
  • Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: RARE) was downgraded to In Line from Outperform at Evercore ISI, which slashed the target price to $16 from $34.
  • ZTO Express (NYSE: ZTO) was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at JPMorgan, which dropped the target price for the shares to $22 from $29.

Initiations:

  • Devon Energy (NYSE: DVN) was initiated with a Buy rating at Seaport Research, with a $65 target.
  • Permian Resources (NYSE: PR) was started with a Buy rating at Seaport Research, with a $45 target price.
  • Ring Central (NYSE: RNG) was initiated with an Outperform rating at RBC Capital, with an $85 price target.
  • Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE: TMO) was started with an Outperform rating at CLSA, which has a $748 target price for the stock.
  • Viper Energy (NASDAQ: VNOM) was initiated with a Buy rating at Seaport Research, with a $45 target price. 

 

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Lee Jackson

Lee Jackson has covered Wall Street analysts' equity and debt research and equity strategy daily for 24/7 Wall St. since 2012. His broad and diverse career, which included a stint as the creative services director at the NBC affiliate in Austin, Texas, gives him unique insight into the financial industry and world.

Lee Jackson's journey in the financial industry spans over 30 years, with nearly two decades as an institutional equity salesperson at Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and Morgan Stanley. His career was marked by his presence on the sell side during pivotal Wall Street events, from the dot.com rise and bubble to the Long Term Capital Management debacle, 9/11, and the Great Recession of 2008. This is a testament to his resilience and adaptability in the face of market volatility.

Lee Jackson’s practical financial industry experience, acquired from a career at some of the biggest banks and brokerage firms, is complemented by a lifetime of writing on various platforms. This unique combination allows him to shed light on the intricacies and workings of Wall Street in a way that only someone with deep insider experience and knowledge can. Moreover, his extensive network across Wall Street continues to provide direct access for him and 24/7 Wall St., a privilege few firms enjoy.

Since 2012, Jackson’s work for 24/7 Wall St. has been featured in Barron’s, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, Business Insider, TradingView, Real Money, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Benzinga, and other media outlets. He attended the prestigious Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and has a degree in broadcasting from the Specs Howard School of Media Arts.

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