Benzinga's Top Ratings Upgrades, Downgrades For June 16, 2023

Upgrades

According to B of A Securities, the prior rating for West Pharmaceutical Services Inc WST was changed from Neutral to Buy. West Pharmaceutical Servs earned $1.98 in the first quarter, compared to $2.30 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of West Pharmaceutical Servs shows a 52-week-high of $376.72 and a 52-week-low of $207.15. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $359.80.

For Abcam PLC ABCM, B of A Securities upgraded the previous rating of Neutral to Buy. NoneThe stock has a 52-week-high of $19.25 and a 52-week-low of $12.48. At the end of the last trading period, Abcam closed at $19.06.

UBS upgraded the previous rating for AutoZone Inc AZO from Neutral to Buy. In the third quarter, AutoZone showed an EPS of $34.12, compared to $29.03 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of AutoZone shows a 52-week-high of $2750.00 and a 52-week-low of $1964.93. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $2497.37.

JP Morgan upgraded the previous rating for MorphoSys AG MOR from Underweight to Overweight. MorphoSys earned $0.35 in the first quarter, compared to $4.03 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $7.66 and a 52-week-low of $3.19. MorphoSys closed at $7.07 at the end of the last trading period.

See all analyst ratings upgrades.

Downgrades

New Street Research downgraded the previous rating for Applied Materials Inc AMAT from Buy to Neutral. For the second quarter, Applied Mat had an EPS of $2.00, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.85. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $142.53 and a 52-week-low of $71.18. Applied Mat closed at $140.11 at the end of the last trading period.

For Truist Financial Corp TFC, Odeon Capital downgraded the previous rating of Buy to Hold. In the first quarter, Truist Finl showed an EPS of $1.09, compared to $1.23 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $53.34 and a 52-week-low of $25.56. Truist Finl closed at $32.22 at the end of the last trading period.

According to TD Cowen, the prior rating for Bausch Health Companies Inc BHC was changed from Outperform to Market Perform. In the first quarter, Bausch Health Companies showed an EPS of $0.52, compared to $0.72 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Bausch Health Companies shows a 52-week-high of $10.23 and a 52-week-low of $4.00. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $7.44.

For RPC Inc RES, Citigroup downgraded the previous rating of Neutral to Sell. In the first quarter, RPC showed an EPS of $0.39, compared to $0.07 from the year-ago quarter. NoneAt the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $11.40 and a 52-week-low of $5.71. RPC closed at $7.81 at the end of the last trading period.

For NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc NEX, Citigroup downgraded the previous rating of Buy to Neutral. In the first quarter, NexTier Oilfield showed an EPS of $0.66, compared to $0.08 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $11.36 and a 52-week-low of $6.67. At the end of the last trading period, NexTier Oilfield closed at $9.52.

According to B of A Securities, the prior rating for Evotec SE EVO was changed from Buy to Neutral. In the fourth quarter, Evotec showed an EPS of $0.08, compared to $0.23 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $15.04 and a 52-week-low of $7.80. Evotec closed at $11.85 at the end of the last trading period.

B of A Securities downgraded the previous rating for SoFi Technologies Inc SOFI from Buy to Neutral. In the first quarter, SoFi Techs showed an EPS of $0.05, compared to $0.14 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $10.23 and a 52-week-low of $4.25. SoFi Techs closed at $9.55 at the end of the last trading period.

Piper Sandler downgraded the previous rating for SoFi Technologies Inc SOFI from Overweight to Neutral. For the first quarter, SoFi Techs had an EPS of $0.05, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.14. The stock has a 52-week-high of $10.23 and a 52-week-low of $4.25. At the end of the last trading period, SoFi Techs closed at $9.55.

According to JP Morgan, the prior rating for Mersana Therapeutics Inc MRSN was changed from Overweight to Neutral. For the first quarter, Mersana Therapeutics had an EPS of $0.52, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.59. The stock has a 52-week-high of $9.62 and a 52-week-low of $2.94. At the end of the last trading period, Mersana Therapeutics closed at $3.89.

See all analyst ratings downgrades.

Initiations

With a Neutral rating, DA Davidson initiated coverage on Elastic NV ESTC. The price target seems to have been set at $60.00 for Elastic. In the fourth quarter, Elastic showed an EPS of $0.22, compared to $0.16 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Elastic shows a 52-week-high of $91.19 and a 52-week-low of $46.18. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $69.46.

With a Buy rating, Maxim Group initiated coverage on Bionomics Ltd BNOX. The price target seems to have been set at $7.00 for Bionomics.

With a Neutral rating, Ladenburg Thalmann initiated coverage on Alliant Energy Corp LNT. The price target seems to have been set at $52.50 for Alliant Energy. In the first quarter, Alliant Energy showed an EPS of $0.65, compared to $0.77 from the year-ago quarter. NoneThe stock has a 52-week-high of $64.59 and a 52-week-low of $47.23. At the end of the last trading period, Alliant Energy closed at $53.75.

With a Hold rating, Truist Securities initiated coverage on Hagerty Inc HGTY. The price target seems to have been set at $11.00 for Hagerty. In the first quarter, Hagerty showed an EPS of $0.04, compared to $0.01 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Hagerty shows a 52-week-high of $13.58 and a 52-week-low of $7.82. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $9.17.

Wells Fargo initiated coverage on MorphoSys AG MOR with an Overweight rating. The price target for MorphoSys is set to $17.00. In the first quarter, MorphoSys showed an EPS of $0.35, compared to $4.03 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of MorphoSys shows a 52-week-high of $7.66 and a 52-week-low of $3.19. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $7.07.

Wells Fargo initiated coverage on Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc BIO with an Overweight rating. The price target for Bio-Rad Laboratories is set to $550.00. In the first quarter, Bio-Rad Laboratories showed an EPS of $3.34, compared to $4.94 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Bio-Rad Laboratories shows a 52-week-high of $570.22 and a 52-week-low of $345.53. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $379.06.

Wells Fargo initiated coverage on Neogen Corp NEOG with an Overweight rating. The price target for Neogen is set to $22.00. For the third quarter, Neogen had an EPS of $0.12, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.15. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $25.00 and a 52-week-low of $10.49. Neogen closed at $19.81 at the end of the last trading period.

With a Buy rating, B. Riley Securities initiated coverage on Ares Capital Corp ARCC. The price target seems to have been set at $20.50 for Ares Capital. Ares Capital earned $0.57 in the first quarter, compared to $0.42 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $20.75 and a 52-week-low of $16.54. Ares Capital closed at $18.65 at the end of the last trading period.

Roth MKM initiated coverage on GigaCloud Technology Inc GCT with a Buy rating. The price target for GigaCloud Tech is set to $13.00. For the first quarter, GigaCloud Tech had an EPS of $0.39, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.13. The current stock performance of GigaCloud Tech shows a 52-week-high of $61.98 and a 52-week-low of $4.14. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $7.84.

With a Buy rating, Jefferies initiated coverage on LendingClub Corp LC. The price target seems to have been set at $13.50 for LendingClub. LendingClub earned $0.13 in the first quarter, compared to $0.39 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $15.78 and a 52-week-low of $6.30. At the end of the last trading period, LendingClub closed at $9.64.

With a Neutral rating, UBS initiated coverage on Guess? Inc GES. The price target seems to have been set at $22.00 for Guess. In the first quarter, Guess showed an EPS of $0.07, compared to $0.24 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Guess shows a 52-week-high of $24.14 and a 52-week-low of $14.27. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $20.85.

UBS initiated coverage on Oxford Industries Inc OXM with a Neutral rating. The price target for Oxford Industries is set to $110.00. In the first quarter, Oxford Industries showed an EPS of $3.78, compared to $3.50 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $123.37 and a 52-week-low of $82.16. Oxford Industries closed at $102.57 at the end of the last trading period.

With a Buy rating, Jefferies initiated coverage on Atlanticus Holdings Corp ATLC. The price target seems to have been set at $50.00 for Atlanticus Holdings. In the first quarter, Atlanticus Holdings showed an EPS of $1.08, compared to $1.96 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $42.97 and a 52-week-low of $21.65. Atlanticus Holdings closed at $42.97 at the end of the last trading period.

With a Neutral rating, B. Riley Securities initiated coverage on Stellus Capital Investment Corp SCM. The price target seems to have been set at $14.00 for Stellus Cap Investment. In the first quarter, Stellus Cap Investment showed an EPS of $0.45, compared to $0.29 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $16.08 and a 52-week-low of $11.06. Stellus Cap Investment closed at $14.02 at the end of the last trading period.

B. Riley Securities initiated coverage on Sixth Street Specialty Lending Inc TSLX with a Buy rating. The price target for Sixth Street Specialty is set to $21.00. For the first quarter, Sixth Street Specialty had an EPS of $0.55, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.49. The stock has a 52-week-high of $19.83 and a 52-week-low of $16.03. At the end of the last trading period, Sixth Street Specialty closed at $18.55.

BTIG initiated coverage on Olo Inc OLO with a Neutral rating. Olo earned $0.03 in the first quarter, compared to $0.01 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $14.07 and a 52-week-low of $5.74. Olo closed at $7.37 at the end of the last trading period.

With a Buy rating, BTIG initiated coverage on Shift4 Payments Inc FOUR. The price target seems to have been set at $83.00 for Shift4 Payments. In the first quarter, Shift4 Payments showed an EPS of $0.51, compared to $0.15 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $76.40 and a 52-week-low of $29.41. At the end of the last trading period, Shift4 Payments closed at $63.79.

BTIG initiated coverage on Toast Inc TOST with a Neutral rating. For the first quarter, Toast had an EPS of $0.16, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.20. The current stock performance of Toast shows a 52-week-high of $26.04 and a 52-week-low of $12.16. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $23.03.

See all analyst ratings initiations.