Benzinga's Top Upgrades, Downgrades For March 15, 2018

Top Upgrades

• SunTrust Robinson Humphrey upgraded HD Supply Holdings Inc HDS from Hold to Buy. HD Supply shares fell 0.21 percent to close at $38.01 on Wednesday.
• Analysts at Bernstein upgraded Liberty Global plc LBTYA from Market Perform to Outperform. Liberty Global shares rose 0.21 percent to $33.03 in pre-market trading.
• SunTrust Robinson Humphrey upgraded The Rubicon Project Inc RUBI from Hold to Buy. Rubicon Project shares rose 30.23 percent to $2.24 in pre-market trading.
• HSBC upgraded Exxon Mobil Corporation XOM from Reduce to Buy. Exxon Mobil shares rose 0.76 percent to $74.16 in pre-market trading.
• Maxim Group upgraded Galmed Pharmaceuticals Ltd GLMD from Hold to Buy. Galmed Pharmaceuticals shares rose 12.22 percent to $6.98 in pre-market trading.
• Analysts at Raymond James upgraded LifePoint Health Inc LPNT from Market Perform to Outperform. LifePoint Health rose 0.32 percent to close at $47.30 on Wednesday.
• Gordon Haskett upgraded Williams-Sonoma, Inc. WSM from Reduce to Hold. Williams-Sonoma shares rose 3.72 percent to $55.70 in pre-market trading.
• KeyBanc upgraded Akamai Technologies, Inc. AKAM from Underweight to Sector Weight. Akamai Technologies shares rose 1.83 percent to $74.59 in pre-market trading.
• Goldman Sachs upgraded Aon plc (UK) AON from Neutral to Buy. Aon shares closed at $144.22 on Tuesday.
• Seaport Global upgraded Covenant Transportation Group, Inc. CVTI from Neutral to Buy. Covenant Transportation shares rose 11.44 percent to $30.00 in pre-market trading.

Top Downgrades

• Analysts at JP Morgan downgraded Solid Biosciences Inc SLDB from Neutral to Underweight. Solid Biosciences shares fell 60.05 percent to $10.51 in pre-market trading.
• Loop Capital downgraded Smart & Final Stores Inc SFS from Buy to Hold. Smart & Final Stores shares fell 8.22 percent to $6.70 in pre-market trading.
• Bank of America downgraded Qorvo Inc QRVO from Neutral to Underperform. Qorvo shares fell 1.97 percent to $80.60 in pre-market trading.
• Morgan Stanley downgraded e.l.f. Beauty Inc ELF from Equal-Weight to Underweight. e.l.f. Beauty shares fell 3.96 percent to $19.18 in pre-market trading.
• Needham downgraded Signet Jewelers Ltd. SIG from Buy to Hold. Signet shares fell 1.62 percent to $37.60 in pre-market trading.
• Baird downgraded Sportsman's Warehouse Holdings Inc SPWH from Outperform to Neutral. Sportsman's Warehouse shares fell 5.47 percent to $4.49 in pre-market trading.
• Deutsche Bank downgraded Teladoc Inc TDOC from Buy to Hold. Teladoc shares rose 0.29 percent to close at $42.95 on Wednesday.
• Macquarie downgraded Expedia Inc EXPE from Outperform to Neutral. Expedia shares fell 1.39 percent to $111.70 in pre-market trading.
• Stifel Nicolaus downgraded Mercadolibre Inc MELI from Buy to Hold. MercadoLibre shares fell 3.94 percent to $389.00 in pre-market trading.
• Credit Suisse downgraded Maxar Technologies Ltd. MAXR from Outperform to Neutral. Maxar Technologies shares fell 2.37 percent to close at $46.58 on Wednesday.

Top Initiations

• Raymond James initiated coverage on Stryker Corporation SYK with a Outperform rating. The price target for Stryker is set to $183. Stryker shares closed at $166.38 on Wednesday.
• Stifel Nicolaus initiated coverage on Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. ESIO with a Buy rating. The price target for Electro Scientific is set to $36. Electro Scientific shares closed at $19.67 on Wednesday.
• Deutsche Bank initiated coverage on Sogou Inc SOGO with a Hold rating. The price target for Sogou is set to $8.20. Sogou shares closed at $9.53 on Wednesday.
• DA Davidson initiated coverage on II-VI, Inc. IIVI with a Buy rating. The price target for II-VI is set to $55. II-VI shares closed at $44.80 on Wednesday.
• Deutsche Bank initiated coverage on Baidu Inc (ADR) BIDU with a Buy rating. The price target for Baidu is set to $319. Baidu shares closed at $259.35 on Wednesday.
• Analysts at Seaport Global initiated coverage on Louisiana-Pacific Corporation LPX with a Buy rating. The price target for Louisiana-Pacific is set to $37. Louisiana-Pacific shares closed at $28.53 on Wednesday.
• Analysts at Seaport Global initiated coverage on Boise Cascade Co BCC with a Neutral rating. Boise Cascade closed at $41.05 on Wednesday.