Benzinga's Top Ratings Upgrades, Downgrades For August 17, 2021

Upgrades

• For Compass Minerals International Inc CMP, JP Morgan upgraded the previous rating of Underweight to Neutral.  The stock has a 52-week-high of $72.00 and a 52-week-low of $54.24. At the end of the last trading period, Compass Minerals Intl closed at $67.71.
• According to Truist Securities, the prior rating for Park Hotels & Resorts Inc PK was changed from Sell to Hold. Park Hotels & Resorts earned $0.19 in the second quarter, compared to $0.74 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $24.67 and a 52-week-low of $8.42. Park Hotels & Resorts closed at $17.97 at the end of the last trading period.
• Truist Securities upgraded the previous rating for Host Hotels & Resorts Inc HST from Sell to Hold. For the second quarter, Host Hotels & Resorts had an EPS of $0.12, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.26. The current stock performance of Host Hotels & Resorts shows a 52-week-high of $18.52 and a 52-week-low of $10.04. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $15.57.
• For Hyatt Hotels Corp H, Truist Securities upgraded the previous rating of Sell to Hold. For the second quarter, Hyatt Hotels had an EPS of $1.15, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.80. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $92.22 and a 52-week-low of $51.21. Hyatt Hotels closed at $72.25 at the end of the last trading period.
• According to Berenberg, the prior rating for CF Industries Holdings Inc CF was changed from Hold to Buy. For the second quarter, CF Industries Holdings had an EPS of $1.14, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.89. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $57.19 and a 52-week-low of $25.30. CF Industries Holdings closed at $46.39 at the end of the last trading period.
• JP Morgan upgraded the previous rating for Perficient Inc PRFT from Neutral to Overweight. Perficient earned $0.84 in the second quarter, compared to $0.57 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $105.47 and a 52-week-low of $37.42. At the end of the last trading period, Perficient closed at $105.46.
• Morgan Stanley upgraded the previous rating for AppLovin Corp APP from Underweight to Equal-Weight. For the second quarter, AppLovin had an EPS of $0.04, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.10. The current stock performance of AppLovin shows a 52-week-high of $90.03 and a 52-week-low of $49.41. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $55.88.

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Downgrades

• For Freeline Therapeutics Holdings PLC FRLN, JP Morgan downgraded the previous rating of Overweight to Neutral. Freeline Therapeutics earned $1.12 in the second quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $19.89 and a 52-week-low of $2.92. Freeline Therapeutics closed at $3.35 at the end of the last trading period.
• JP Morgan downgraded the previous rating for Lightspeed Commerce Inc LSPD from Neutral to Underweight. For the first quarter, Lightspeed Commerce had an EPS of $0.05, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.22. The stock has a 52-week-high of $97.97 and a 52-week-low of $28.29. At the end of the last trading period, Lightspeed Commerce closed at $94.72.
• For Fortis Inc FTS, Wells Fargo downgraded the previous rating of Overweight to Equal-Weight. In the second quarter, Fortis showed an EPS of $0.45, compared to $0.40 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $47.02 and a 52-week-low of $38.49. Fortis closed at $46.76 at the end of the last trading period.
• According to Wells Fargo, the prior rating for Alliant Energy Corp LNT was changed from Overweight to Equal-Weight. In the second quarter, Alliant Energy showed an EPS of $0.57, compared to $0.54 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Alliant Energy shows a 52-week-high of $61.82 and a 52-week-low of $45.99. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $61.64.
• Barclays downgraded the previous rating for Cricut Inc CRCT from Overweight to Equal-Weight. Interestingly, in the second quarter, Cricut's EPS was $0.22. The stock has a 52-week-high of $47.36 and a 52-week-low of $14.88. At the end of the last trading period, Cricut closed at $28.16.
• Evercore ISI Group downgraded the previous rating for Allstate Corp ALL from Outperform to In-Line. For the second quarter, Allstate had an EPS of $3.79, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $2.58. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $140.00 and a 52-week-low of $86.51. Allstate closed at $136.54 at the end of the last trading period.
• According to JP Morgan, the prior rating for Automatic Data Processing Inc ADP was changed from Neutral to Underweight. Automatic Data Processing earned $1.20 in the fourth quarter, compared to $1.14 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $217.15 and a 52-week-low of $127.31. Automatic Data Processing closed at $216.56 at the end of the last trading period.
• According to JP Morgan, the prior rating for DXC Technology Co DXC was changed from Neutral to Underweight. DXC Technology earned $0.84 in the first quarter, compared to $0.21 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $44.18 and a 52-week-low of $15.64. At the end of the last trading period, DXC Technology closed at $41.75.
• JP Morgan downgraded the previous rating for Rackspace Technology Inc RXT from Overweight to Neutral. In the second quarter, Rackspace Technology showed an EPS of $0.24, compared to $0.21 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $26.43 and a 52-week-low of $13.23. At the end of the last trading period, Rackspace Technology closed at $13.90.

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Initiations

• JP Morgan initiated coverage on 21Vianet Group Inc VNET with an Overweight rating. The price target for 21Vianet Group is set to $27.00. In the first quarter, 21Vianet Group showed an EPS of $0.12, compared to $0.18 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $44.45 and a 52-week-low of $14.11. At the end of the last trading period, 21Vianet Group closed at $18.11.
• With a Buy rating, B of A Securities initiated coverage on Xponential Fitness Inc XPOF. The price target seems to have been set at $18.00 for Xponential Fitness. Xponential Fitness closed at $11.80 at the end of the last trading period.
• Citigroup initiated coverage on Caribou Biosciences Inc CRBU with a Neutral rating. The price target for Caribou Biosciences is set to $27.00. Caribou Biosciences closed at $26.48 at the end of the last trading period.
• Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on Cytek Biosciences Inc CTKB with a Equal-Weight rating. The price target for Cytek Biosciences is set to $26.00. Cytek Biosciences closed at $22.89 at the end of the last trading period.
• With an Overweight rating, Piper Sandler initiated coverage on U S Century Bank USCB. The price target seems to have been set at $14.00 for U.S. Century Bank. The current stock performance of U.S. Century Bank shows a 52-week-high of $12.34 and a 52-week-low of $10.53. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $11.18.
• Janney Montgomery Scott initiated coverage on South Atlantic Bancshares Inc SABK with a Neutral rating. The price target for South Atlantic Bancshares is set to $16.00. The current stock performance of South Atlantic Bancshares shows a 52-week-high of $15.50 and a 52-week-low of $8.25. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $14.65.
• With an Overweight rating, Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on Sophia Genetics SA SOPH. The price target seems to have been set at $24.00 for Sophia Genetics. At the end of the last trading period, Sophia Genetics closed at $18.09.
• With an Outperform rating, Evercore ISI Group initiated coverage on Outbrain Inc OB. The price target seems to have been set at $25.00 for Outbrain. In the second quarter, Outbrain showed an EPS of $0.28, compared to $0.16 from the year-ago quarter.  Outbrain closed at $19.09 at the end of the last trading period.
• With a Buy rating, Truist Securities initiated coverage on Gambling.com Group Ltd GAMB. The price target seems to have been set at $11.00 for Gambling.com Gr.  Gambling.com Gr closed at $7.51 at the end of the last trading period.
• With a Hold rating, Truist Securities initiated coverage on Core & Main Inc CNM. The price target seems to have been set at $29.00 for Core & Main. Core & Main closed at $27.53 at the end of the last trading period.
• Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Arch Capital Group Ltd ACGL with an Outperform rating. The price target for Arch Capital Group is set to $51.00. Arch Capital Group earned $1.00 in the second quarter, compared to $0.04 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $41.95 and a 52-week-low of $27.41. Arch Capital Group closed at $41.81 at the end of the last trading period.
• Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Allstate Corp ALL with a Peer Perform rating. The price target for Allstate is set to $130.00. Allstate earned $3.79 in the second quarter, compared to $2.58 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $140.00 and a 52-week-low of $86.51. Allstate closed at $136.54 at the end of the last trading period.
• Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Chubb Ltd CB with an Outperform rating. The price target for Chubb is set to $231.00. For the second quarter, Chubb had an EPS of $3.62, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.56. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $184.53 and a 52-week-low of $111.93. Chubb closed at $184.23 at the end of the last trading period.
• With an Outperform rating, Wolfe Research initiated coverage on American Financial Group Inc AFG. The price target seems to have been set at $145.00 for American Financial Group. In the second quarter, American Financial Group showed an EPS of $2.39, compared to $1.05 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $141.25 and a 52-week-low of $62.30. At the end of the last trading period, American Financial Group closed at $136.11.
• With an Outperform rating, Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Cincinnati Financial Corp CINF. The price target seems to have been set at $148.00 for Cincinnati Financial. For the second quarter, Cincinnati Financial had an EPS of $1.79, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.44. The stock has a 52-week-high of $124.37 and a 52-week-low of $69.92. At the end of the last trading period, Cincinnati Financial closed at $122.06.
• Wolfe Research initiated coverage on The Travelers Companies Inc TRV with an Outperform rating. The price target for Travelers Companies is set to $180.00. In the second quarter, Travelers Companies showed an EPS of $3.45, compared to $0.20 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Travelers Companies shows a 52-week-high of $162.71 and a 52-week-low of $105.67. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $157.74.
• Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Progressive Corp PGR with an Underperform rating. The price target for Progressive is set to $85.00. For the second quarter, Progressive had an EPS of $0.72, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.84. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $107.58 and a 52-week-low of $84.89. Progressive closed at $97.10 at the end of the last trading period.
• With a Peer Perform rating, Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Brown & Brown Inc BRO. The price target seems to have been set at $61.00 for Brown & Brown. Brown & Brown earned $0.49 in the second quarter, compared to $0.34 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $56.43 and a 52-week-low of $42.72. At the end of the last trading period, Brown & Brown closed at $56.38.
• Wolfe Research initiated coverage on The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc HIG with a Peer Perform rating. The price target for Hartford Finl Servs Gr is set to $74.00. For the second quarter, Hartford Finl Servs Gr had an EPS of $2.33, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.22. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $69.94 and a 52-week-low of $34.69. Hartford Finl Servs Gr closed at $67.78 at the end of the last trading period.
• With an Outperform rating, Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Selective Insurance Group Inc SIGI. The price target seems to have been set at $91.00 for Selective Insurance Gr. Selective Insurance Gr earned $1.85 in the second quarter, compared to $0.40 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $84.64 and a 52-week-low of $48.04. At the end of the last trading period, Selective Insurance Gr closed at $84.14.
• With a Peer Perform rating, Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Arthur J. Gallagher & Co AJG. The price target seems to have been set at $145.00 for Arthur J. Gallagher. For the second quarter, Arthur J. Gallagher had an EPS of $1.17, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.94. The stock has a 52-week-high of $154.03 and a 52-week-low of $100.32. At the end of the last trading period, Arthur J. Gallagher closed at $142.93.
• With a Peer Perform rating, Wolfe Research initiated coverage on The Hanover Insurance Group Inc THG. The price target seems to have been set at $144.00 for Hanover Insurance Gr. Hanover Insurance Gr earned $2.85 in the second quarter, compared to $1.63 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $143.20 and a 52-week-low of $87.71. At the end of the last trading period, Hanover Insurance Gr closed at $140.97.
• With an Outperform rating, Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Everest Re Group Ltd RE. The price target seems to have been set at $330.00 for Everest Re Group. In the second quarter, Everest Re Group showed an EPS of $14.63, compared to $2.07 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Everest Re Group shows a 52-week-high of $281.27 and a 52-week-low of $193.03. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $271.68.

See all analyst ratings initiations.