Benzinga's Top Ratings Upgrades, Downgrades For May 20, 2021

Upgrades

According to Argus Research, the prior rating for Vontier Corp VNT was changed from Hold to Buy. In the first quarter, Vontier earned $0.63. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $36.77 and a 52-week-low of $27.63. Vontier closed at $33.99 at the end of the last trading period.
Argus Research upgraded the previous rating for The Wendy's Co WEN from Hold to Buy. For the first quarter, Wendy's had an EPS of $0.20, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.09. The current stock performance of Wendy's shows a 52-week-high of $24.91 and a 52-week-low of $18.86. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $23.57.
According to Truist Securities, the prior rating for Allogene Therapeutics Inc ALLO was changed from Hold to Buy. Allogene Therapeutics earned $0.25 in the first quarter, compared to $0.50 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Allogene Therapeutics shows a 52-week-high of $55.00 and a 52-week-low of $24.85. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $28.47.
According to JP Morgan, the prior rating for Fortive Corp FTV was changed from Neutral to Overweight. For the first quarter, Fortive had an EPS of $0.63, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.74. The current stock performance of Fortive shows a 52-week-high of $82.12 and a 52-week-low of $57.39. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $69.12.
B of A Securities upgraded the previous rating for ViacomCBS Inc VIAC from Neutral to Buy. For the first quarter, ViacomCBS had an EPS of $1.52, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.13. The current stock performance of ViacomCBS shows a 52-week-high of $101.97 and a 52-week-low of $18.66. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $39.69.
For Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc CMG, UBS upgraded the previous rating of Neutral to Buy. Chipotle Mexican Grill earned $0.05 in the fourth quarter, compared to $0.09 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Chipotle Mexican Grill shows a 52-week-high of $1579.52 and a 52-week-low of $964.50. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $1307.19.
Bernstein upgraded the previous rating for Analog Devices Inc ADI from Market Perform to Outperform. For the second quarter, Analog Devices had an EPS of $1.54, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.08. The current stock performance of Analog Devices shows a 52-week-high of $164.40 and a 52-week-low of $106.11. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $153.12.
Morgan Stanley upgraded the previous rating for Youdao Inc DAO from Equal-Weight to Overweight. Youdao earned $0.42 in the first quarter, compared to $0.21 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $47.70 and a 52-week-low of $19.02. Youdao closed at $22.40 at the end of the last trading period.
RBC Capital upgraded the previous rating for NatWest Group PLC NWG from Sector Perform to Outperform. NatWest Group earned $0.07 in the first quarter, compared to $0.03 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $5.79 and a 52-week-low of $2.34. At the end of the last trading period, NatWest Group closed at $5.65.
Goldman Sachs upgraded the previous rating for SolarEdge Technologies Inc SEDG from Neutral to Buy. SolarEdge Technologies earned $0.98 in the first quarter, compared to $0.95 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $377.00 and a 52-week-low of $127.19. At the end of the last trading period, SolarEdge Technologies closed at $233.49.
Deutsche Bank upgraded the previous rating for Ingersoll Rand Inc IR from Hold to Buy. In the first quarter, Ingersoll Rand showed an EPS of $0.45, compared to $0.25 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $52.12 and a 52-week-low of $26.72. Ingersoll Rand closed at $47.74 at the end of the last trading period.

See all analyst ratings upgrades.

Downgrades

According to Wolfe Research, the prior rating for Lordstown Motors Corp RIDE was changed from Peer Perform to Underperform. In the fourth quarter, Lordstown Motors showed an EPS of $0.23, compared to $0.10 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $31.57 and a 52-week-low of $6.69. At the end of the last trading period, Lordstown Motors closed at $11.45.
For Merck & Co Inc MRK, Argus Research downgraded the previous rating of Buy to Hold. Merck & Co earned $1.40 in the first quarter, compared to $1.50 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Merck & Co shows a 52-week-high of $87.80 and a 52-week-low of $71.72. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $79.36.
Morgan Stanley downgraded the previous rating for Silicon Motion Technology Corp SIMO from Equal-Weight to Underweight. In the first quarter, Silicon Motion Technology showed an EPS of $1.11, compared to $0.80 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $74.10 and a 52-week-low of $35.13. Silicon Motion Technology closed at $63.87 at the end of the last trading period.
According to Piper Sandler, the prior rating for Iovance Biotherapeutics Inc IOVA was changed from Overweight to Neutral. In the first quarter, Iovance Biotherapeutics showed an EPS of $0.51, compared to $0.55 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Iovance Biotherapeutics shows a 52-week-high of $54.21 and a 52-week-low of $15.88. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $16.33.
According to Goldman Sachs, the prior rating for HollyFrontier Corp HFC was changed from Neutral to Sell. In the first quarter, HollyFrontier showed an EPS of $0.53, compared to $0.53 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of HollyFrontier shows a 52-week-high of $42.39 and a 52-week-low of $16.81. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $34.63.
Itau BBA downgraded the previous rating for Ambev SA ABEV from Outperform to Market Perform. In the first quarter, Ambev showed an EPS of $0.03, compared to $0.02 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $3.38 and a 52-week-low of $2.09. Ambev closed at $3.35 at the end of the last trading period.
For Lumen Technologies Inc LUMN, Oppenheimer downgraded the previous rating of Outperform to Perform. Lumen Technologies earned $0.44 in the first quarter, compared to $0.37 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $16.60 and a 52-week-low of $8.51. Lumen Technologies closed at $14.42 at the end of the last trading period.
According to Piper Sandler, the prior rating for Altabancorp ALTA was changed from Overweight to Neutral. Altabancorp earned $0.50 in the first quarter, compared to $0.57 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $47.80 and a 52-week-low of $18.60. Altabancorp closed at $46.84 at the end of the last trading period.

See all analyst ratings downgrades.

Initiations

With a Buy rating, Maxim Group initiated coverage on Clene Inc CLNN. The price target seems to have been set at $18.00 for Clene. For the first quarter, Clene had an EPS of $0.66, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.23. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $16.50 and a 52-week-low of $6.23. Clene closed at $8.95 at the end of the last trading period.
With a Equal-Weight rating, Barclays initiated coverage on Avangrid Inc AGR. The price target seems to have been set at $56.00 for Avangrid. In the first quarter, Avangrid showed an EPS of $1.14, compared to $0.76 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Avangrid shows a 52-week-high of $56.20 and a 52-week-low of $40.02. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $51.87.
With a Buy rating, Longbow Research initiated coverage on Ball Corp BLL. The price target seems to have been set at $116.00 for Ball. Ball earned $0.72 in the first quarter, compared to $0.61 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Ball shows a 52-week-high of $102.76 and a 52-week-low of $63.55. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $85.82.
Longbow Research initiated coverage on Silgan Holdings Inc SLGN with a Buy rating. The price target for Silgan Hldgs is set to $58.00. In the first quarter, Silgan Hldgs showed an EPS of $0.75, compared to $0.57 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Silgan Hldgs shows a 52-week-high of $44.55 and a 52-week-low of $30.68. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $42.82.
Longbow Research initiated coverage on Crown Holdings Inc CCK with a Buy rating. The price target for Crown Holdings is set to $152.00. Crown Holdings earned $1.83 in the first quarter, compared to $1.13 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $114.55 and a 52-week-low of $61.00. Crown Holdings closed at $108.76 at the end of the last trading period.
Longbow Research initiated coverage on O-I Glass Inc OI with a Neutral rating. For the first quarter, O-I Glass had an EPS of $0.35, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.41. The current stock performance of O-I Glass shows a 52-week-high of $18.77 and a 52-week-low of $6.84. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $17.82.
With an Outperform rating, Baird initiated coverage on VistaGen Therapeutics Inc VTGN. The price target seems to have been set at $9.00 for VistaGen Therapeutics. In the third quarter, VistaGen Therapeutics showed an EPS of $0.07, compared to $0.15 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $3.18 and a 52-week-low of $0.40. At the end of the last trading period, VistaGen Therapeutics closed at $2.30.
With an Outperform rating, Wedbush initiated coverage on Coinbase Global Inc COIN. The price target seems to have been set at $275.00 for Coinbase Global. Coinbase Global earned $3.05 in the first quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $429.54 and a 52-week-low of $208.00. Coinbase Global closed at $224.80 at the end of the last trading period.
B of A Securities initiated coverage on Tronox Holdings PLC TROX with a Buy rating. The price target for Tronox Holdings is set to $28.00. Tronox Holdings earned $0.43 in the first quarter, compared to $0.29 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Tronox Holdings shows a 52-week-high of $23.86 and a 52-week-low of $6.15. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $22.43.
With a Buy rating, B of A Securities initiated coverage on The Chemours Co CC. The price target seems to have been set at $42.00 for Chemours. In the first quarter, Chemours showed an EPS of $0.71, compared to $0.71 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $35.53 and a 52-week-low of $12.11. Chemours closed at $33.22 at the end of the last trading period.
With a Buy rating, HC Wainwright & Co. initiated coverage on Sigma Labs Inc SGLB. The price target seems to have been set at $6.00 for Sigma Labs. For the first quarter, Sigma Labs had an EPS of $0.09, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.30. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $9.75 and a 52-week-low of $1.95. Sigma Labs closed at $3.30 at the end of the last trading period.