Benzinga's Top Ratings Upgrades, Downgrades For August 6, 2021

Upgrades

According to Wolfe Research, the prior rating for The AES Corp AES was changed from Peer Perform to Outperform. AES earned $0.31 in the second quarter, compared to $0.25 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of AES shows a 52-week-high of $29.07 and a 52-week-low of $15.21. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $24.85.
According to Morgan Stanley, the prior rating for BP PLC BP was changed from Underweight to Equal-Weight. For the second quarter, BP had an EPS of $0.83, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.98. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $28.49 and a 52-week-low of $14.74. BP closed at $25.34 at the end of the last trading period.
HSBC upgraded the previous rating for Altice USA Inc ATUS from Hold to Buy. For the second quarter, Altice USA had an EPS of $0.51, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.19. The stock has a 52-week-high of $38.30 and a 52-week-low of $25.08. At the end of the last trading period, Altice USA closed at $29.33.
Raymond James upgraded the previous rating for Switch Inc SWCH from Outperform to Strong Buy. In the second quarter, Switch showed an EPS of $0.04, compared to $0.06 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $21.98 and a 52-week-low of $13.38. Switch closed at $20.31 at the end of the last trading period.
Cowen & Co. upgraded the previous rating for Adtran Inc ADTN from Market Perform to Outperform. Adtran earned $0.16 in the second quarter, compared to $0.04 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $22.89 and a 52-week-low of $9.66. At the end of the last trading period, Adtran closed at $21.70.
For Marathon Oil Corp MRO, Scotiabank upgraded the previous rating of Sector Perform to Sector Outperform. For the second quarter, Marathon Oil had an EPS of $0.22, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.60. The current stock performance of Marathon Oil shows a 52-week-high of $14.33 and a 52-week-low of $3.73. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $11.79.
For ViacomCBS Inc VIAC, Deutsche Bank upgraded the previous rating of Sell to Hold. ViacomCBS earned $0.97 in the second quarter, compared to $1.25 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of ViacomCBS shows a 52-week-high of $101.97 and a 52-week-low of $25.61. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $41.55.
UBS upgraded the previous rating for Triumph Group Inc TGI from Neutral to Buy. Triumph Group earned $0.09 in the first quarter, compared to $0.19 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $22.71 and a 52-week-low of $5.96. Triumph Group closed at $18.12 at the end of the last trading period.
Raymond James upgraded the previous rating for Equity Residential EQR from Underperform to Market Perform. For the second quarter, Equity Residential had an EPS of $0.72, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.86. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $85.83 and a 52-week-low of $45.42. Equity Residential closed at $84.62 at the end of the last trading period.
JP Morgan upgraded the previous rating for Switch Inc SWCH from Neutral to Overweight. For the second quarter, Switch had an EPS of $0.04, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.06. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $21.98 and a 52-week-low of $13.38. Switch closed at $20.31 at the end of the last trading period.
For Global Payments Inc GPN, BMO Capital upgraded the previous rating of Market Perform to Outperform. In the second quarter, Global Payments showed an EPS of $2.04, compared to $1.31 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $220.81 and a 52-week-low of $153.33. Global Payments closed at $170.30 at the end of the last trading period.
BMO Capital upgraded the previous rating for International Money Express Inc IMXI from Market Perform to Outperform. For the second quarter, International Money had an EPS of $0.39, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.28. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $18.69 and a 52-week-low of $13.14. International Money closed at $16.62 at the end of the last trading period.
According to Raymond James, the prior rating for Itron Inc ITRI was changed from Outperform to Strong Buy. Itron earned $0.28 in the second quarter, compared to $0.03 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $122.31 and a 52-week-low of $53.49. At the end of the last trading period, Itron closed at $71.84.

See all analyst ratings upgrades.

Downgrades

For Thomson Reuters Corp TRI, Canaccord Genuity downgraded the previous rating of Buy to Hold. In the second quarter, Thomson Reuters showed an EPS of $0.48, compared to $0.44 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $113.11 and a 52-week-low of $69.50. At the end of the last trading period, Thomson Reuters closed at $112.13.
According to Canaccord Genuity, the prior rating for Neurocrine Biosciences Inc NBIX was changed from Buy to Hold. Neurocrine Biosciences earned $0.63 in the second quarter, compared to $1.42 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $120.87 and a 52-week-low of $86.02. At the end of the last trading period, Neurocrine Biosciences closed at $92.69.
According to Needham, the prior rating for Cornerstone OnDemand Inc CSOD was changed from Buy to Hold. Cornerstone OnDemand earned $0.73 in the second quarter, compared to $0.40 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $55.50 and a 52-week-low of $32.99. Cornerstone OnDemand closed at $49.92 at the end of the last trading period.
According to Cowen & Co., the prior rating for Dicerna Pharmaceuticals Inc DRNA was changed from Outperform to Market Perform. For the first quarter, Dicerna Pharmaceuticals had an EPS of $0.39, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.31. The current stock performance of Dicerna Pharmaceuticals shows a 52-week-high of $40.14 and a 52-week-low of $16.50. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $37.92.
JP Morgan downgraded the previous rating for Becton, Dickinson and Co BDX from Overweight to Neutral. In the third quarter, Becton, Dickinson showed an EPS of $2.74, compared to $2.20 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Becton, Dickinson shows a 52-week-high of $284.97 and a 52-week-low of $219.50. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $243.08.
According to Deutsche Bank, the prior rating for Cardinal Health Inc CAH was changed from Buy to Hold. In the fourth quarter, Cardinal Health showed an EPS of $0.77, compared to $1.04 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $62.96 and a 52-week-low of $44.65. Cardinal Health closed at $50.57 at the end of the last trading period.
According to Deutsche Bank, the prior rating for Parker Hannifin Corp PH was changed from Buy to Hold. For the fourth quarter, Parker Hannifin had an EPS of $4.38, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $2.55. The current stock performance of Parker Hannifin shows a 52-week-high of $324.68 and a 52-week-low of $183.02. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $300.23.
Baird downgraded the previous rating for FireEye Inc FEYE from Outperform to Neutral. For the second quarter, FireEye had an EPS of $0.09, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.09. The current stock performance of FireEye shows a 52-week-high of $25.53 and a 52-week-low of $12.26. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $20.09.
Baird downgraded the previous rating for Itron Inc ITRI from Outperform to Neutral. In the second quarter, Itron showed an EPS of $0.28, compared to $0.03 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $122.31 and a 52-week-low of $53.49. At the end of the last trading period, Itron closed at $71.84.
Baird downgraded the previous rating for Cloudflare Inc NET from Outperform to Neutral. For the second quarter, Cloudflare had an EPS of $0.02, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.03. The current stock performance of Cloudflare shows a 52-week-high of $122.77 and a 52-week-low of $32.70. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $121.46.
Citigroup downgraded the previous rating for IPG Photonics Corp IPGP from Buy to Neutral. IPG Photonics earned $1.29 in the second quarter, compared to $0.91 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $262.55 and a 52-week-low of $149.51. At the end of the last trading period, IPG Photonics closed at $183.62.
JMP Securities downgraded the previous rating for Expedia Group Inc EXPE from Outperform to Market Perform. Expedia Group earned $1.13 in the second quarter, compared to $4.09 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $187.93 and a 52-week-low of $80.50. Expedia Group closed at $161.69 at the end of the last trading period.
According to Oppenheimer, the prior rating for Moderna Inc MRNA was changed from Outperform to Perform. In the second quarter, Moderna showed an EPS of $6.46, compared to $0.31 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $443.99 and a 52-week-low of $54.21. At the end of the last trading period, Moderna closed at $416.26.
For Kala Pharmaceuticals Inc KALA, JP Morgan downgraded the previous rating of Overweight to Neutral. In the second quarter, Kala Pharmaceuticals showed an EPS of $0.57, compared to $0.42 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Kala Pharmaceuticals shows a 52-week-high of $9.97 and a 52-week-low of $2.75. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $3.18.
SVB Leerink downgraded the previous rating for Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc KPTI from Outperform to Market Perform. For the second quarter, Karyopharm Therapeutics had an EPS of $0.71, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.63. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $18.00 and a 52-week-low of $5.76. Karyopharm Therapeutics closed at $5.93 at the end of the last trading period.
Raymond James downgraded the previous rating for Core-Mark Holding Co Inc CORE from Outperform to Market Perform. In the second quarter, Core-Mark Holding Co showed an EPS of $0.50, compared to $0.52 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $47.84 and a 52-week-low of $26.80. At the end of the last trading period, Core-Mark Holding Co closed at $41.67.
Piper Sandler downgraded the previous rating for Moderna Inc MRNA from Overweight to Neutral. In the second quarter, Moderna showed an EPS of $6.46, compared to $0.31 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Moderna shows a 52-week-high of $443.99 and a 52-week-low of $54.21. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $416.26.

See all analyst ratings downgrades.

Initiations

With a Equal-Weight rating, Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on Rover Group Inc ROVR. The price target seems to have been set at $11.00 for Rover Group. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $11.81.
With a Buy rating, Jefferies initiated coverage on Petco Health and Wellness Co Inc WOOF. The price target seems to have been set at $24.00 for Petco Health and Wellness. Petco Health and Wellness earned $0.17 in the first quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $31.08 and a 52-week-low of $17.86. At the end of the last trading period, Petco Health and Wellness closed at $19.74.
Jefferies initiated coverage on Hillman Solutions Corp HLMN with a Buy rating. The price target for Hillman Solutions is set to $17.00. Hillman Solutions earned $1.82 in the second quarter. Hillman Solutions closed at $12.71 at the end of the last trading period.
With an Outperform rating, BMO Capital initiated coverage on Victoria's Secret & Co VSCO. The price target seems to have been set at $89.00 for Victoria's Secret. Victoria's Secret closed at $58.77 at the end of the last trading period.
With a Neutral rating, New Street Research initiated coverage on DLocal Ltd DLO. The price target seems to have been set at $50.00 for DLocal. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $57.00 and a 52-week-low of $29.57. DLocal closed at $47.47 at the end of the last trading period.
With a Buy rating, B. Riley Securities initiated coverage on Minim Inc MINM. The price target seems to have been set at $4.00 for Minim. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $5.70 and a 52-week-low of $2.26. Minim closed at $2.36 at the end of the last trading period.
RBC Capital initiated coverage on Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc BHLB with a Sector Perform rating. The price target for Berkshire Hills Bancorp is set to $29.00. For the second quarter, Berkshire Hills Bancorp had an EPS of $0.44, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.13. The current stock performance of Berkshire Hills Bancorp shows a 52-week-high of $28.89 and a 52-week-low of $8.55. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $27.61.
Credit Suisse initiated coverage on Generac Holdings Inc GNRC with an Outperform rating. The price target for Generac Hldgs is set to $523.00. For the second quarter, Generac Hldgs had an EPS of $2.39, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.40. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $457.00 and a 52-week-low of $164.24. Generac Hldgs closed at $403.72 at the end of the last trading period.
Citigroup initiated coverage on Progress Software Corp PRGS with a Neutral rating. The price target for Progress Software is set to $48.00. Progress Software earned $0.82 in the second quarter, compared to $0.63 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $49.23 and a 52-week-low of $34.40. Progress Software closed at $45.71 at the end of the last trading period.
Goldman Sachs initiated coverage on Dynavax Technologies Corp DVAX with a Buy rating. The price target for Dynavax Technologies is set to $19.00. Dynavax Technologies earned $0.06 in the second quarter, compared to $0.53 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Dynavax Technologies shows a 52-week-high of $11.84 and a 52-week-low of $3.58. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $10.33.