Benzinga's Top Upgrades, Downgrades For October 25, 2019

Upgrades

• JP Morgan upgraded the stock for Axalta Coating Systems Ltd AXTA from Neutral to Overweight. Axalta Coating Systems earned $0.52 in the third quarter, compared to $0.32 in the year-ago quarter. The total market value of Axalta Coating Systems's outstanding shares is at $7.0 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $32.20 and a 52-week-low of $21.57. Axalta Coating Systems's stock last closed at $28.82 per share.
• Citigroup changed the rating for Ceridian HCM Holding Inc CDAY from Neutral to Buy. Ceridian HCM Holding earned $0.12 in the second quarter, compared to ($0.05) in the year-ago quarter. Ceridian HCM Holding's market cap stands at $7.0 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $58.95 and a 52-week-low of $31.39. Ceridian HCM Holding's stock last closed at $45.19 per share.
• Goldman Sachs upgraded the stock for Dick's Sporting Goods Inc DKS from Neutral to Buy. In the second quarter, Dick's Sporting Goods showed an EPS of $1.26, compared to $1.20 from the year-ago quarter. The total market value of Dick's Sporting Goods's outstanding shares is at $3.4 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $41.53 and a 52-week-low of $29.69. Dick's Sporting Goods's stock last closed at $39.91 per share.
• Mizuho changed the rating for Consolidated Edison Inc ED from Neutral to Buy. For the second quarter, Consolidated Edison had an EPS of $0.58, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.61. Consolidated Edison's market cap stands at $31.3 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $94.97 and a 52-week-low of $73.30. Consolidated Edison's stock last closed at $94.28 per share.
• UBS changed the rating for Fifth Third Bancorp FITB from Neutral to Buy. Fifth Third Bancorp earned $0.75 in the third quarter, compared to $0.64 in the year-ago quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp's market cap stands at $19.6 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $30.20 and a 52-week-low of $22.12. Fifth Third Bancorp's stock last closed at $28.19 per share.
• Northland upgraded the stock for Intel Corp INTC from Market Perform to Outperform. In the third quarter, Intel showed an EPS of $1.42, compared to $1.40 from the year-ago quarter. The current market cap for Intel is at $220.7 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $59.59 and a 52-week-low of $42.36. Intel's stock last closed at $52.23 per share.

Downgrades

• Wells Fargo changed the rating for Alliance Data Systems Corp ADS from Outperform to Market Perform. Alliance Data Systems earned $5.05 in the third quarter, compared to $6.26 in the year-ago quarter. The total market value of Alliance Data Systems's outstanding shares is at $6.5 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $214.95 and a 52-week-low of $101.51. Alliance Data Systems's stock last closed at $107.00 per share.
• Edward Jones changed the rating for Alliance Data Systems Corp ADS from Buy to Hold. For the third quarter, Alliance Data Systems had an EPS of $5.05, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $6.26. The current market cap for Alliance Data Systems is at $6.5 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $214.95 and a 52-week-low of $101.51. Alliance Data Systems's stock last closed at $107.00 per share.
• For Avnet Inc AVT, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey downgraded the stock from Hold to Sell. For the first quarter, Avnet had an EPS of $0.60, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.03. Avnet's market cap stands at $4.5 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $49.03 and a 52-week-low of $33.55. Avnet's stock last closed at $40.38 per share.
• For Booking Holdings Inc BKNG, Raymond James downgraded the stock from Outperform to Market Perform. For the second quarter, Booking Holdings had an EPS of $23.59, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $20.67. The current market cap for Booking Holdings is at $83.4 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $2081.81 and a 52-week-low of $1606.27. Booking Holdings's stock last closed at $2043.75 per share.
• Deutsche Bank downgraded the stock for Avis Budget Group Inc CAR from Buy to Hold. Avis Budget Group earned $0.79 in the second quarter, compared to $0.57 in the year-ago quarter. The current market cap for Avis Budget Group is at $2.0 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $37.27 and a 52-week-low of $21.63. Avis Budget Group's stock last closed at $29.96 per share.
• Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock for CNOOC Ltd CEO from Buy to Neutral. The stock has a 52-week-high of $193.66 and a 52-week-low of $139.77. CNOOC's stock last closed at $154.97 per share.
• For Franklin Financial Network Inc FSB, Piper Jaffray downgraded the stock from Overweight to Neutral. Franklin Finl Network earned $0.72 in the third quarter, compared to $0.70 in the year-ago quarter. The total market value of Franklin Finl Network's outstanding shares is at $441.8 million. The stock has a 52-week-high of $35.95 and a 52-week-low of $25.25. Franklin Finl Network's stock last closed at $33.75 per share.
• Maxim Group changed the rating for Gilead Sciences Inc GILD from Buy to Hold. For the third quarter, Gilead Sciences had an EPS of $1.75, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.84. The current market cap for Gilead Sciences is at $80.2 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $72.90 and a 52-week-low of $60.32. Gilead Sciences's stock last closed at $66.00 per share.
• Goldman Sachs changed the rating for Genuine Parts Co GPC from Neutral to Sell. In the third quarter, Genuine Parts showed an EPS of $1.50, compared to $1.48 from the year-ago quarter. The current market cap for Genuine Parts is at $14.4 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $115.20 and a 52-week-low of $87.26. Genuine Parts's stock last closed at $104.04 per share.
• Bank of America downgraded the stock for Huntington Bancshares Inc HBAN from Buy to Neutral. In the third quarter, Huntington Bancshares showed an EPS of $0.34, compared to $0.33 from the year-ago quarter. The total market value of Huntington Bancshares's outstanding shares is at $14.7 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $14.97 and a 52-week-low of $11.12. Huntington Bancshares's stock last closed at $14.32 per share.
• Goldman Sachs changed the rating for Kinder Morgan Inc KMI from Buy to Neutral. For the third quarter, Kinder Morgan had an EPS of $0.22, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.21. Kinder Morgan's market cap stands at $46.6 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $21.50 and a 52-week-low of $14.62. Kinder Morgan's stock last closed at $20.43 per share.
• Capital One Financial changed the rating for LTC Properties Inc LTC from Overweight to Equal-Weight. In the second quarter, LTC Properties showed an EPS of $0.75, compared to $0.75 from the year-ago quarter. The total market value of LTC Properties's outstanding shares is at $2.0 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $53.04 and a 52-week-low of $40.11. LTC Properties's stock last closed at $52.95 per share.
• For Nasdaq Inc NDAQ, UBS downgraded the stock from Buy to Neutral. For the third quarter, Nasdaq had an EPS of $1.27, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.15. Nasdaq's market cap stands at $16.3 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $105.26 and a 52-week-low of $75.49. Nasdaq's stock last closed at $100.99 per share.

Initiations

• Cowen & Co. initiated coverage on Bausch Health Companies Inc BHC with an Outperform rating. The price target for Bausch Health Companies is set at $35.00. In the second quarter, Bausch Health Companies showed an EPS of $1.07, compared to $0.93 from the year-ago quarter. Bausch Health Companies's market cap stands at $10.2 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $27.72 and a 52-week-low of $17.20. Bausch Health Companies's stock last closed at $22.66 per share.
• Citi initiated coverage on Coupa Software Inc COUP with a Neutral rating. The price target for Coupa Software is set at $141.00. For the second quarter, Coupa Software had an EPS of $0.07, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.05. The total market value of Coupa Software's outstanding shares is at $9.0 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $159.97 and a 52-week-low of $52.01. Coupa Software's stock last closed at $131.63 per share.
• With a rating of Outperform, Oppenheimer initiated coverage on ESSA Pharma Inc EPIX. The price target is set at $8.00 for ESSA Pharma. ESSA Pharma earned ($0.52) in the third quarter, compared to ($0.50) in the year-ago quarter. The total market value of ESSA Pharma's outstanding shares is at $85.1 million. The stock has a 52-week-high of $4.54 and a 52-week-low of $1.41. ESSA Pharma's stock last closed at $4.35 per share.
• Macquarie initiated coverage on Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc GLPI with an Outperform rating. The price target for Gaming and Leisure Props is set at $44.00. For the second quarter, Gaming and Leisure Props had an EPS of $0.86, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.79. Gaming and Leisure Props's market cap stands at $8.2 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $40.82 and a 52-week-low of $31.19. Gaming and Leisure Props's stock last closed at $39.29 per share.
• Bank of America initiated coverage on Hormel Foods Corp HRL with an Underperform rating. The price target for Hormel Foods is set at $40.00. In the third quarter, Hormel Foods showed an EPS of $0.37, compared to $0.39 from the year-ago quarter. The current market cap for Hormel Foods is at $22.9 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $46.26 and a 52-week-low of $37.00. Hormel Foods's stock last closed at $40.87 per share.
• Guggenheim initiated coverage on Illumina Inc ILMN with a Buy rating. The price target for Illumina is set at $350.00. In the third quarter, Illumina showed an EPS of $1.93, compared to $1.52 from the year-ago quarter. Illumina's market cap stands at $43.4 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $380.76 and a 52-week-low of $263.30. Illumina's stock last closed at $315.50 per share.
• With a rating of Outperform, Macquarie initiated coverage on MGM Growth Properties LLC MGP. The price target is set at $35.00 for MGM Growth Properties. In the second quarter, MGM Growth Properties showed an EPS of $0.59, compared to $0.55 from the year-ago quarter. MGM Growth Properties's market cap stands at $9.0 billion. The stock has a 52-week-high of $33.30 and a 52-week-low of $25.50. MGM Growth Properties's stock last closed at $31.22 per share.