Benzinga's Top Ratings Upgrades, Downgrades For December 22, 2021

Upgrades

• According to Loop Capital, the prior rating for Williams-Sonoma Inc WSM was changed from Hold to Buy. For the third quarter, Williams-Sonoma had an EPS of $3.32, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $2.56. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $223.32 and a 52-week-low of $98.75. Williams-Sonoma closed at $167.93 at the end of the last trading period.
• For Global Payments Inc GPN, Northcoast Research upgraded the previous rating of Neutral to Buy. In the third quarter, Global Payments showed an EPS of $2.18, compared to $1.71 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Global Payments shows a 52-week-high of $220.81 and a 52-week-low of $116.75. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $131.85.
• For BigCommerce Holdings Inc BIGC, Wedbush upgraded the previous rating of Neutral to Outperform. In the third quarter, BigCommerce Holdings showed an EPS of $0.06, compared to $0.16 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of BigCommerce Holdings shows a 52-week-high of $96.66 and a 52-week-low of $34.50. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $38.38.
• For PACCAR Inc PCAR, Bernstein upgraded the previous rating of Market Perform to Outperform. PACCAR earned $1.08 in the third quarter, compared to $1.11 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $103.19 and a 52-week-low of $77.96. At the end of the last trading period, PACCAR closed at $83.38.
• Bernstein upgraded the previous rating for Caterpillar Inc CAT from Market Perform to Outperform. In the third quarter, Caterpillar showed an EPS of $2.66, compared to $1.34 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Caterpillar shows a 52-week-high of $246.69 and a 52-week-low of $175.11. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $198.31.
• For Darden Restaurants Inc DRI, Stifel upgraded the previous rating of Hold to Buy. For the second quarter, Darden Restaurants had an EPS of $1.48, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.74. The current stock performance of Darden Restaurants shows a 52-week-high of $164.28 and a 52-week-low of $110.89. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $142.91.

See all analyst ratings upgrades.

Downgrades

• According to Jefferies, the prior rating for Allakos Inc ALLK was changed from Buy to Hold. For the third quarter, Allakos had an EPS of $1.16, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.86. The current stock performance of Allakos shows a 52-week-high of $157.98 and a 52-week-low of $70.37. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $84.39.
• For CalAmp Corp CAMP, Craig-Hallum downgraded the previous rating of Buy to Hold. CalAmp earned $0.08 in the third quarter, compared to $0.10 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $14.51 and a 52-week-low of $8.90. CalAmp closed at $9.89 at the end of the last trading period.
• B of A Securities downgraded the previous rating for Canopy Growth Corp CGC from Neutral to Underperform. In the second quarter, Canopy Gwth showed an EPS of $0.02, compared to $0.22 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $56.50 and a 52-week-low of $8.53. Canopy Gwth closed at $9.66 at the end of the last trading period.
• For Cognyte Software Ltd CGNT, Wedbush downgraded the previous rating of Outperform to Neutral. The current stock performance of Cognyte Software shows a 52-week-high of $33.50 and a 52-week-low of $15.13. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $15.70.
• For AGCO Corp AGCO, Bernstein downgraded the previous rating of Outperform to Market Perform. In the third quarter, AGCO showed an EPS of $2.41, compared to $2.09 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $158.62 and a 52-week-low of $100.24. At the end of the last trading period, AGCO closed at $114.14.
• For Scholar Rock Holding Corp SRRK, Jefferies downgraded the previous rating of Buy to Hold. For the third quarter, Scholar Rock Holding had an EPS of $1.02, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.79. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $70.00 and a 52-week-low of $21.84. Scholar Rock Holding closed at $26.66 at the end of the last trading period.
• For Adagio Therapeutics Inc ADGI, Jefferies downgraded the previous rating of Buy to Hold. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $17.10 and a 52-week-low of $5.57. Adagio Therapeutics closed at $10.29 at the end of the last trading period.
• For ALX Oncology Holdings Inc ALXO, Jefferies downgraded the previous rating of Buy to Hold. In the third quarter, ALX Oncology Holdings showed an EPS of $0.61, compared to $0.31 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of ALX Oncology Holdings shows a 52-week-high of $95.91 and a 52-week-low of $21.62. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $22.91.
• Keybanc downgraded the previous rating for Cerner Corp CERN from Overweight to Sector Weight. In the third quarter, Cerner showed an EPS of $0.86, compared to $0.72 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Cerner shows a 52-week-high of $92.34 and a 52-week-low of $67.96. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $90.67.

See all analyst ratings downgrades.

Initiations

• With a Buy rating, Chardan Capital initiated coverage on Pear Therapeutics Inc PEAR. The price target seems to have been set at $16.00 for Pear Therapeutics. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $7.31 and a 52-week-low of $5.00. Pear Therapeutics closed at $7.14 at the end of the last trading period.
• With an In-Line rating, Evercore ISI Group initiated coverage on Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc APAM. The price target seems to have been set at $48.00 for Artisan Partners Asset. For the third quarter, Artisan Partners Asset had an EPS of $1.33, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.90. The current stock performance of Artisan Partners Asset shows a 52-week-high of $57.65 and a 52-week-low of $43.06. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $45.69.
• Raymond James initiated coverage on Compass Therapeutics Inc CMPX with an Outperform rating. The price target for Compass Therapeutics is set to $5.00. The stock has a 52-week-high of $7.00 and a 52-week-low of $2.01. At the end of the last trading period, Compass Therapeutics closed at $3.03.
• Benchmark initiated coverage on XPO Logistics Inc XPO with a Buy rating. The price target for XPO Logistics is set to $103.00. In the third quarter, XPO Logistics showed an EPS of $0.94, compared to $0.84 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of XPO Logistics shows a 52-week-high of $153.45 and a 52-week-low of $67.53. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $72.99.
• Wedbush initiated coverage on Upstart Holdings Inc UPST with a Neutral rating. The price target for Upstart Holdings is set to $160.00. The current stock performance of Upstart Holdings shows a 52-week-high of $401.49 and a 52-week-low of $36.26. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $149.48.
• With an In-Line rating, Evercore ISI Group initiated coverage on First Solar Inc FSLR. The price target seems to have been set at $107.00 for First Solar. First Solar earned $0.42 in the third quarter, compared to $1.45 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $123.12 and a 52-week-low of $67.71. At the end of the last trading period, First Solar closed at $89.12.
• With an Outperform rating, Baird initiated coverage on ESS Tech Inc GWH. The price target seems to have been set at $15.00 for ESS Tech. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $14.69 and a 52-week-low of $11.20. ESS Tech closed at $12.36 at the end of the last trading period.
• Spartan Securities Group initiated coverage on Salem Media Group Inc SALM with a Buy rating. The price target for Salem Media Group is set to $6.00. For the third quarter, Salem Media Group had an EPS of $0.81, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.01. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $6.82 and a 52-week-low of $1.01. Salem Media Group closed at $2.80 at the end of the last trading period.
• Oppenheimer initiated coverage on Acasti Pharma Inc ACST with an Outperform rating. The price target for Acasti Pharma is set to $6.00. Acasti Pharma earned $0.03 in the second quarter, compared to $0.01 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $2.94 and a 52-week-low of $0.25. At the end of the last trading period, Acasti Pharma closed at $1.11.
• Oppenheimer initiated coverage on Local Bounti Corp LOCL with an Outperform rating. The price target for Local Bounti is set to $11.00. The stock has a 52-week-high of $6.77 and a 52-week-low of $4.86. At the end of the last trading period, Local Bounti closed at $6.03.
• With an Outperform rating, SMBC Nikko initiated coverage on Microsoft Corp MSFT. The price target seems to have been set at $410.00 for Microsoft. In the first quarter, Microsoft showed an EPS of $2.27, compared to $1.82 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Microsoft shows a 52-week-high of $349.67 and a 52-week-low of $211.94. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $327.29.
• With a Buy rating, Loop Capital initiated coverage on Accuray Inc ARAY. The price target seems to have been set at $7.50 for Accuray. Accuray earned $0.01 in the first quarter, compared to $0.00 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Accuray shows a 52-week-high of $6.01 and a 52-week-low of $3.46. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $4.78.
• With an Outperform rating, Oppenheimer initiated coverage on Cytokinetics Inc CYTK. The price target seems to have been set at $55.00 for Cytokinetics. In the third quarter, Cytokinetics showed an EPS of $0.95, compared to $0.05 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $42.87 and a 52-week-low of $17.72. At the end of the last trading period, Cytokinetics closed at $40.83.

See all analyst ratings initiations.