Benzinga's Top Upgrades, Downgrades For December 1, 2020

Upgrades

• For Verisk Analytics Inc VRSK, Truist Securities upgraded the previous rating of Hold to the current rating Buy. For the third quarter, Verisk Analytics had an EPS of $1.32, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.12. The stock has a 52-week-high of 206.83 and a 52-week-low of 116.6101. At the end of the last trading period, Verisk Analytics closed at $198.31.
• For NIO Inc NIO, Goldman Sachs upgraded the previous rating of Sell to the current rating Neutral. In the third quarter, NIO showed an EPS of $0.12, compared to $0.33 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of 57.2 and a 52-week-low of 2.11. At the end of the last trading period, NIO closed at $50.57.
• For Southern Co SO, Wells Fargo upgraded the previous rating of Equal-Weight to the current rating Overweight. For the third quarter, Southern had an EPS of $1.22, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.34. The stock has a 52-week-high of 71.1 and a 52-week-low of 41.96. At the end of the last trading period, Southern closed at $59.91.
• For Charles Schwab Corp SCHW, Wells Fargo upgraded the previous rating of Equal-Weight to the current rating Overweight. Charles Schwab earned $0.48 in the third quarter, compared to $0.74 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Charles Schwab shows a 52-week-high of 51.645 and a 52-week-low of 28.0. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $48.78.
• Morgan Stanley upgraded the previous rating for NCR Corp NCR from Equal-Weight to Overweight. For the third quarter, NCR had an EPS of $0.54, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.73. The stock has a 52-week-high of 35.87 and a 52-week-low of 10.55. At the end of the last trading period, NCR closed at $27.67.
• Barclays upgraded the previous rating for FedEx Corp FDX from Equal-Weight to Overweight. FedEx earned $4.87 in the first quarter, compared to $3.05 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of FedEx shows a 52-week-high of 296.075 and a 52-week-low of 88.69. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $286.38.
• According to Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, the prior rating for Evercore Inc EVR was changed from Market Perform to Outperform. In the third quarter, Evercore showed an EPS of $1.11, compared to $1.26 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of 94.66 and a 52-week-low of 33.25. Evercore closed at $90.94 at the end of the last trading period.

Downgrades

• According to William Blair, the prior rating for Vail Resorts Inc MTN was changed from Outperform to Market Perform. In the fourth quarter, Vail Resorts showed an EPS of $3.82, compared to $2.22 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of 300.0 and a 52-week-low of 125.0. At the end of the last trading period, Vail Resorts closed at $275.72.
• UBS downgraded the previous rating for Southwestern Energy Co SWN from Neutral to Sell. For the third quarter, Southwestern Energy had an EPS of $0.08, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.08. The stock has a 52-week-high of 3.9 and a 52-week-low of 1.06. At the end of the last trading period, Southwestern Energy closed at $3.11.
• UBS downgraded the previous rating for Occidental Petroleum Corp OXY from Neutral to Sell. In the third quarter, Occidental Petroleum showed an EPS of $0.84, compared to $0.11 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of 47.58 and a 52-week-low of 8.52. Occidental Petroleum closed at $15.76 at the end of the last trading period.
• According to Truist Securities, the prior rating for IHS Markit Ltd INFO was changed from Buy to Hold. In the third quarter, IHS Markit showed an EPS of $0.77, compared to $0.67 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of 101.45 and a 52-week-low of 44.81. At the end of the last trading period, IHS Markit closed at $99.51.
• According to Truist Securities, the prior rating for CoreLogic Inc CLGX was changed from Buy to Hold. In the third quarter, CoreLogic showed an EPS of $1.21, compared to $0.82 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of 79.21 and a 52-week-low of 24.69. At the end of the last trading period, CoreLogic closed at $77.51.
• According to Bernstein, the prior rating for CNOOC Ltd CEO was changed from Outperform to Market Perform. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of 181.13 and a 52-week-low of 81.11. CNOOC closed at $98.72 at the end of the last trading period.
• For Southern Copper Corp SCCO, HSBC downgraded the previous rating of Hold to the current rating Reduce. In the third quarter, Southern Copper showed an EPS of $0.65, compared to $0.50 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of 61.28 and a 52-week-low of 23.43. Southern Copper closed at $59.35 at the end of the last trading period.
• For Sage Therapeutics Inc SAGE, Raymond James downgraded the previous rating of Outperform to the current rating Market Perform. For the third quarter, Sage Therapeutics had an EPS of $2.03, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $3.48. The current stock performance of Sage Therapeutics shows a 52-week-high of 155.33 and a 52-week-low of 25.01. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $74.09.
• For IHS Markit Ltd INFO, RBC Capital downgraded the previous rating of Outperform to the current rating Sector Perform. IHS Markit earned $0.77 in the third quarter, compared to $0.67 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of IHS Markit shows a 52-week-high of 101.45 and a 52-week-low of 44.81. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $99.51.
• For First Solar Inc FSLR, Barclays downgraded the previous rating of Equal-Weight to the current rating Underweight. For the third quarter, First Solar had an EPS of $1.45, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.29. The current stock performance of First Solar shows a 52-week-high of 98.4597 and a 52-week-low of 28.47. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $93.43.
• According to B of A Securities, the prior rating for BioNTech SE BNTX was changed from Buy to Neutral. For the third quarter, BioNTech had an EPS of $1.03, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.15. The stock has a 52-week-high of 124.91 and a 52-week-low of 20.72. At the end of the last trading period, BioNTech closed at $124.24.
• Barclays downgraded the previous rating for Appian Corp APPN from Equal-Weight to Underweight. In the third quarter, Appian showed an EPS of $0.00, compared to $0.14 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of 216.4099 and a 52-week-low of 29.07. Appian closed at $140.00 at the end of the last trading period.

Initiations

• With a current rating of Outperform, Bernstein initiated coverage on TripAdvisor Inc TRIP. The price target seems to have been set at $35.00 for TripAdvisor. For the third quarter, TripAdvisor had an EPS of $0.17, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.58. The stock has a 52-week-high of 31.67 and a 52-week-low of 13.725. At the end of the last trading period, TripAdvisor closed at $26.10.
• Goldman Sachs initiated coverage on Murphy USA Inc MUSA with a Sell rating. Murphy USA earned $2.27 in the third quarter, compared to $2.54 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Murphy USA shows a 52-week-high of 144.09 and a 52-week-low of 78.75. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $128.26.
• Vertical Research initiated coverage on Howmet Aerospace Inc HWM with a Buy rating. The price target for Howmet Aerospace is set to $34.00. For the third quarter, Howmet Aerospace had an EPS of $0.03, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.58. The stock has a 52-week-high of 25.4 and a 52-week-low of 9.87. At the end of the last trading period, Howmet Aerospace closed at $23.45.
• Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage on Whole Earth Brands Inc FREE with an Overweight rating. The price target for Whole Earth Brands is set to $23.00. In the third quarter, Whole Earth Brands earned $0.07. The stock has a 52-week-high of 9.35 and a 52-week-low of 6.92. At the end of the last trading period, Whole Earth Brands closed at $8.29.
• Bernstein initiated coverage on Expedia Group Inc EXPE with a Market Perform rating. The price target for Expedia Group is set to $113.00. Expedia Group earned $0.24 in the third quarter, compared to $3.37 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of 130.57 and a 52-week-low of 40.76. Expedia Group closed at $124.49 at the end of the last trading period.
• Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage on Evogene Ltd EVGN with an Overweight rating. The price target for Evogene is set to $9.00. In the third quarter, Evogene showed an EPS of $0.17, compared to $0.16 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of 5.3 and a 52-week-low of 0.75. At the end of the last trading period, Evogene closed at $3.47.
• With a current rating of Underperform, Bernstein initiated coverage on Booking Holdings Inc BKNG. The price target seems to have been set at $1720.00 for Booking Holdings. For the third quarter, Booking Holdings had an EPS of $12.27, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $45.36. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of 2128.02 and a 52-week-low of 1107.285. Booking Holdings closed at $2028.45 at the end of the last trading period.