Benzinga's Top Ratings Upgrades, Downgrades For March 10, 2022

Upgrades

For Alpha Metallurgical Resources Inc AMR, B. Riley Securities upgraded the previous rating of Neutral to Buy. For the fourth quarter, Alpha Metallurgical had an EPS of $13.30, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $3.00. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $132.70 and a 52-week-low of $11.13. Alpha Metallurgical closed at $121.64 at the end of the last trading period.
For Hormel Foods Corp HRL, Argus Research upgraded the previous rating of Hold to Buy. In the first quarter, Hormel Foods showed an EPS of $0.44, compared to $0.41 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $53.19 and a 52-week-low of $40.48. At the end of the last trading period, Hormel Foods closed at $49.91.
According to Wells Fargo, the prior rating for Arista Networks Inc ANET was changed from Equal-Weight to Overweight. In the fourth quarter, Arista Networks showed an EPS of $0.82, compared to $0.62 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $536.54 and a 52-week-low of $108.23. Arista Networks closed at $120.61 at the end of the last trading period.
According to Stifel, the prior rating for IDEAYA Biosciences Inc IDYA was changed from Hold to Buy. In the third quarter, IDEAYA Biosciences showed an EPS of $0.31, compared to $0.17 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of IDEAYA Biosciences shows a 52-week-high of $28.00 and a 52-week-low of $11.75. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $12.79.
According to Barclays, the prior rating for NetApp Inc NTAP was changed from Equal-Weight to Overweight. In the third quarter, NetApp showed an EPS of $1.44, compared to $1.10 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of NetApp shows a 52-week-high of $96.82 and a 52-week-low of $63.23. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $80.78.
JP Morgan upgraded the previous rating for Toll Brothers Inc TOL from Underweight to Neutral. Toll Brothers earned $1.24 in the first quarter, compared to $0.76 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Toll Brothers shows a 52-week-high of $75.61 and a 52-week-low of $47.17. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $51.60.
For Pilgrims Pride Corp PPC, BMO Capital upgraded the previous rating of Market Perform to Outperform. Pilgrims Pride earned $0.56 in the fourth quarter, compared to $0.25 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $29.70 and a 52-week-low of $20.23. Pilgrims Pride closed at $22.96 at the end of the last trading period.
According to JP Morgan, the prior rating for KB Home KBH was changed from Neutral to Overweight. For the fourth quarter, KB Home had an EPS of $1.91, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.12. The stock has a 52-week-high of $52.48 and a 52-week-low of $33.94. At the end of the last trading period, KB Home closed at $38.10.
According to BTIG, the prior rating for CrowdStrike Holdings Inc CRWD was changed from Neutral to Buy. For the fourth quarter, CrowdStrike Holdings had an EPS of $0.30, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.13. The stock has a 52-week-high of $298.48 and a 52-week-low of $150.02. At the end of the last trading period, CrowdStrike Holdings closed at $169.79.

See all analyst ratings upgrades.

Downgrades

Wolfe Research downgraded the previous rating for Newmark Group Inc NMRK from Outperform to Peer Perform. In the fourth quarter, Newmark Group showed an EPS of $0.65, compared to $0.30 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $19.10 and a 52-week-low of $9.88. Newmark Group closed at $16.57 at the end of the last trading period.
Craig-Hallum downgraded the previous rating for Kirkland's Inc KIRK from Buy to Hold. Kirkland's earned $0.51 in the third quarter, compared to $0.66 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Kirkland's shows a 52-week-high of $34.45 and a 52-week-low of $12.50. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $13.79.
Northcoast Research downgraded the previous rating for McDonald's Corp MCD from Buy to Neutral. McDonald's earned $2.23 in the fourth quarter, compared to $1.70 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of McDonald's shows a 52-week-high of $271.15 and a 52-week-low of $208.24. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $222.47.
Piper Sandler downgraded the previous rating for Coterra Energy Inc CTRA from Overweight to Neutral. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $27.93 and a 52-week-low of $14.28. Coterra Energy closed at $25.46 at the end of the last trading period.
According to Wells Fargo, the prior rating for Cisco Systems Inc CSCO was changed from Overweight to Equal-Weight. In the second quarter, Cisco Systems showed an EPS of $0.84, compared to $0.79 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $64.28 and a 52-week-low of $47.72. At the end of the last trading period, Cisco Systems closed at $55.92.
Wells Fargo downgraded the previous rating for Hess Midstream LP HESM from Overweight to Equal-Weight. For the fourth quarter, Hess Midstream had an EPS of $0.51, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.36. The stock has a 52-week-high of $35.71 and a 52-week-low of $20.36. At the end of the last trading period, Hess Midstream closed at $31.90.
For Mettler-Toledo International Inc MTD, Goldman Sachs downgraded the previous rating of Neutral to Sell. For the fourth quarter, Mettler-Toledo Intl had an EPS of $10.53, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $9.26. The stock has a 52-week-high of $1714.75 and a 52-week-low of $1049.20. At the end of the last trading period, Mettler-Toledo Intl closed at $1388.29.
Cowen & Co. downgraded the previous rating for Renewable Energy Group Inc REGI from Outperform to Market Perform. Renewable Energy Gr earned $1.03 in the fourth quarter, compared to $0.60 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $85.22 and a 52-week-low of $32.54. At the end of the last trading period, Renewable Energy Gr closed at $60.97.
For Meritage Homes Corp MTH, JP Morgan downgraded the previous rating of Overweight to Neutral. Meritage Homes earned $6.25 in the fourth quarter, compared to $3.97 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $125.01 and a 52-week-low of $84.05. Meritage Homes closed at $96.52 at the end of the last trading period.
JP Morgan downgraded the previous rating for Green Brick Partners Inc GRBK from Neutral to Underweight. In the fourth quarter, Green Brick Partners showed an EPS of $1.24, compared to $0.58 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $32.25 and a 52-week-low of $19.61. Green Brick Partners closed at $22.69 at the end of the last trading period.
According to JP Morgan, the prior rating for Asana Inc ASAN was changed from Neutral to Underweight. In the fourth quarter, Asana showed an EPS of $0.25, compared to $0.22 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $145.79 and a 52-week-low of $25.41. Asana closed at $48.81 at the end of the last trading period.

See all analyst ratings downgrades.

Initiations

With a Buy rating, Roth Capital initiated coverage on iSun Inc ISUN. The price target seems to have been set at $7.00 for iSun. For the third quarter, iSun had an EPS of $0.12, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.10. The stock has a 52-week-high of $18.28 and a 52-week-low of $4.26. At the end of the last trading period, iSun closed at $5.09.
With a Buy rating, DA Davidson initiated coverage on Shift4 Payments Inc FOUR. The price target seems to have been set at $70.00 for Shift4 Payments. In the fourth quarter, Shift4 Payments showed an EPS of $0.08, compared to $0.05 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Shift4 Payments shows a 52-week-high of $104.11 and a 52-week-low of $38.88. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $45.77.
With a Buy rating, Brookline Capital initiated coverage on Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc VRCA. The price target seems to have been set at $20.00 for Verrica Pharmaceuticals. For the fourth quarter, Verrica Pharmaceuticals had an EPS of $0.35, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.52. The current stock performance of Verrica Pharmaceuticals shows a 52-week-high of $18.42 and a 52-week-low of $7.10. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $7.96.
HC Wainwright & Co. initiated coverage on Esperion Therapeutics Inc ESPR with a Buy rating. The price target for Esperion Therapeutics is set to $22.00. In the fourth quarter, Esperion Therapeutics showed an EPS of $1.77, compared to $3.89 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $32.00 and a 52-week-low of $3.28. At the end of the last trading period, Esperion Therapeutics closed at $4.57.
Mizuho initiated coverage on Idacorp Inc IDA with a Buy rating. The price target for Idacorp is set to $119.00. For the fourth quarter, Idacorp had an EPS of $0.65, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.74. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $114.19 and a 52-week-low of $92.40. Idacorp closed at $108.95 at the end of the last trading period.
Mizuho initiated coverage on Avista Corp AVA with a Neutral rating. The price target for Avista is set to $47.00. Avista earned $0.71 in the fourth quarter, compared to $0.85 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Avista shows a 52-week-high of $49.14 and a 52-week-low of $37.73. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $45.14.
With a Neutral rating, Mizuho initiated coverage on NorthWestern Corp NWE. The price target seems to have been set at $62.00 for NorthWestern. NorthWestern earned $1.04 in the fourth quarter, compared to $1.29 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $70.80 and a 52-week-low of $53.66. At the end of the last trading period, NorthWestern closed at $60.97.
JP Morgan initiated coverage on C4 Therapeutics Inc CCCC with an Overweight rating. The price target for C4 Therapeutics is set to $43.00. C4 Therapeutics earned $0.31 in the fourth quarter, compared to $3.45 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of C4 Therapeutics shows a 52-week-high of $51.21 and a 52-week-low of $19.81. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $24.21.
JP Morgan initiated coverage on Kymera Therapeutics Inc KYMR with a Neutral rating. The price target for Kymera Therapeutics is set to $44.00. In the fourth quarter, Kymera Therapeutics showed an EPS of $0.66, compared to $0.29 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $69.12 and a 52-week-low of $29.93. Kymera Therapeutics closed at $40.13 at the end of the last trading period.