Benzinga's Top Upgrades, Downgrades For August 19, 2020

Upgrades

• Wells Fargo upgraded the previous rating for Southwest Gas Holdings Inc SWX from Underweight to Equal-Weight. In the second quarter, Southwest Gas Holdings showed an EPS of $0.48, compared to $0.41 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $92.94 and a 52-week-low of $45.68. Southwest Gas Holdings closed at $68.03 at the end of the last trading period.
• For Resolute Forest Products Inc RFP, RBC Capital upgraded the previous rating of Sector Perform to the current rating Outperform. Resolute Forest Products earned $0.25 in the second quarter, compared to $0.12 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $5.38 and a 52-week-low of $1.14. Resolute Forest Products closed at $3.70 at the end of the last trading period.
• Morgan Stanley upgraded the previous rating for Proofpoint Inc PFPT from Equal-Weight to Overweight. In the second quarter, Proofpoint showed an EPS of $0.51, compared to $0.41 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Proofpoint shows a 52-week-high of $133.58 and a 52-week-low of $83.81. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $108.31.
• According to Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, the prior rating for Cadence Bancorp CADE was changed from Market Perform to Outperform. In the second quarter, Cadence Bancorp showed an EPS of $0.45, compared to $0.40 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Cadence Bancorp shows a 52-week-high of $18.28 and a 52-week-low of $4.63. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $9.04.
• For XPO Logistics Inc XPO, KeyBanc upgraded the previous rating of Sector Weight to the current rating Overweight. For the second quarter, XPO Logistics had an EPS of $0.63, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.28. The stock has a 52-week-high of $100.18 and a 52-week-low of $38.47. At the end of the last trading period, XPO Logistics closed at $80.86.

Downgrades

• According to Morgan Stanley, the prior rating for JM Smucker Co SJM was changed from Equal-Weight to Underweight. For the fourth quarter, JM Smucker had an EPS of $2.57, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $2.08. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $125.62 and a 52-week-low of $91.88. JM Smucker closed at $113.89 at the end of the last trading period.
• Gordon Haskett downgraded the previous rating for Kohl's Corp KSS from Hold to Underperform. Kohl's earned $0.25 in the second quarter, compared to $1.55 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $59.28 and a 52-week-low of $10.89. At the end of the last trading period, Kohl's closed at $20.01.
• For Darden Restaurants Inc DRI, Stifel downgraded the previous rating of Buy to the current rating Hold. Darden Restaurants earned $1.24 in the fourth quarter, compared to $1.76 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $128.41 and a 52-week-low of $26.15. Darden Restaurants closed at $82.82 at the end of the last trading period.
• JMP Securities downgraded the previous rating for Cree Inc CREE from Market Outperform to Market Perform. For the fourth quarter, Cree had an EPS of $0.18, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.11. The current stock performance of Cree shows a 52-week-high of $74.72 and a 52-week-low of $27.77. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $68.44.
• According to Compass Point, the prior rating for Regency Centers Corp REG was changed from Buy to Neutral. In the second quarter, Regency Centers showed an EPS of $0.64, compared to $0.97 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $70.13 and a 52-week-low of $31.80. At the end of the last trading period, Regency Centers closed at $41.82.

Initiations

• With a current rating of Neutral, Goldman Sachs initiated coverage on RealPage Inc RP. The price target seems to have been set at $68.00 for RealPage. In the second quarter, RealPage showed an EPS of $0.49, compared to $0.43 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $69.79 and a 52-week-low of $36.91. RealPage closed at $60.80 at the end of the last trading period.
• With a current rating of Outperform, Bernstein initiated coverage on Global Payments Inc GPN. The price target seems to have been set at $201.00 for Global Payments. For the second quarter, Global Payments had an EPS of $1.31, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.51. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $209.62 and a 52-week-low of $105.54. Global Payments closed at $170.09 at the end of the last trading period.
• Bernstein initiated coverage on Fiserv Inc FISV with a Market Perform rating. The price target for Fiserv is set to $104.00. In the second quarter, Fiserv showed an EPS of $0.93, compared to $0.82 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $125.05 and a 52-week-low of $73.50. At the end of the last trading period, Fiserv closed at $102.67.
• With a current rating of Outperform, Bernstein initiated coverage on Fidelity National Information Services Inc FIS. The price target seems to have been set at $170.00 for Fidelity National Info. In the second quarter, Fidelity National Info showed an EPS of $1.15, compared to $1.78 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Fidelity National Info shows a 52-week-high of $158.21 and a 52-week-low of $91.68. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $143.82.
• Credit Suisse initiated coverage on Afya Ltd AFYA with a Neutral rating. The price target for Afya is set to $26.00. Afya earned $0.29 in the first quarter. The current stock performance of Afya shows a 52-week-high of $34.87 and a 52-week-low of $13.98. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $24.96.