Benzinga's Top Ratings Upgrades, Downgrades For September 7, 2021

Upgrades

• BMO Capital upgraded the previous rating for BRP Inc DOOO from Market Perform to Outperform. For the second quarter, BRP had an EPS of $2.35, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.83. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $101.08 and a 52-week-low of $46.90. BRP closed at $100.33 at the end of the last trading period.
• Guggenheim upgraded the previous rating for Southern Co SO from Neutral to Buy. In the second quarter, Southern showed an EPS of $0.84, compared to $0.78 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $67.46 and a 52-week-low of $51.22. Southern closed at $66.27 at the end of the last trading period.
• For Methanex Corp MEOH, Barclays upgraded the previous rating of Equal-Weight to Overweight. Methanex earned $1.24 in the second quarter, compared to $0.84 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Methanex shows a 52-week-high of $49.27 and a 52-week-low of $21.67. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $37.91.
• According to Barclays, the prior rating for Cirrus Logic Inc CRUS was changed from Equal-Weight to Overweight. Cirrus Logic earned $0.54 in the first quarter, compared to $0.53 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Cirrus Logic shows a 52-week-high of $103.25 and a 52-week-low of $55.84. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $83.62.
• Needham upgraded the previous rating for Five9 Inc FIVN from Hold to Buy. For the second quarter, Five9 had an EPS of $0.23, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.21. The stock has a 52-week-high of $211.68 and a 52-week-low of $107.98. At the end of the last trading period, Five9 closed at $170.19.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded the previous rating for Ventas Inc VTR from Hold to Buy. In the second quarter, Ventas showed an EPS of $0.73, compared to $0.77 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Ventas shows a 52-week-high of $61.09 and a 52-week-low of $37.83. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $56.31.
• For Spotify Technology SA SPOT, Keybanc upgraded the previous rating of Sector Weight to Overweight. In the second quarter, Spotify Technology showed an EPS of $0.23, compared to $2.10 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Spotify Technology shows a 52-week-high of $387.44 and a 52-week-low of $201.68. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $249.04.

See all analyst ratings upgrades.

Downgrades

• Wedbush downgraded the previous rating for XOMA Corp XOMA from Outperform to Neutral. In the second quarter, XOMA showed an EPS of $0.29, compared to $0.33 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of XOMA shows a 52-week-high of $46.32 and a 52-week-low of $17.66. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $28.88.
• For Alliant Energy Corp LNT, Guggenheim downgraded the previous rating of Buy to Neutral. For the second quarter, Alliant Energy had an EPS of $0.57, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.54. The stock has a 52-week-high of $62.35 and a 52-week-low of $45.99. At the end of the last trading period, Alliant Energy closed at $61.47.
• For Lam Research Corp LRCX, Exane BNP Paribas downgraded the previous rating of Outperform to Neutral. In the fourth quarter, Lam Research showed an EPS of $8.09, compared to $4.78 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $673.80 and a 52-week-low of $292.28. At the end of the last trading period, Lam Research closed at $610.71.
• For Banner Corp BANR, DA Davidson downgraded the previous rating of Buy to Neutral. For the second quarter, Banner had an EPS of $1.56, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.67. The stock has a 52-week-high of $60.42 and a 52-week-low of $30.05. At the end of the last trading period, Banner closed at $56.52.
• According to Morgan Stanley, the prior rating for Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc VRTX was changed from Equal-Weight to Underweight. For the second quarter, Vertex Pharmaceuticals had an EPS of $3.11, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $2.61. The stock has a 52-week-high of $281.86 and a 52-week-low of $185.32. At the end of the last trading period, Vertex Pharmaceuticals closed at $198.05.
• Morgan Stanley downgraded the previous rating for argenx SE ARGX from Overweight to Equal-Weight. In the second quarter, argenx showed an EPS of $1.98, compared to $3.15 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of argenx shows a 52-week-high of $382.15 and a 52-week-low of $212.66. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $350.58.
• For Johnson & Johnson JNJ, Morgan Stanley downgraded the previous rating of Overweight to Equal-Weight. Johnson & Johnson earned $2.48 in the second quarter, compared to $1.67 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Johnson & Johnson shows a 52-week-high of $179.92 and a 52-week-low of $133.65. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $175.04.
• Morgan Stanley downgraded the previous rating for Merck & Co Inc MRK from Overweight to Equal-Weight. In the second quarter, Merck & Co showed an EPS of $1.31, compared to $1.37 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Merck & Co shows a 52-week-high of $87.80 and a 52-week-low of $15.32. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $77.26.
• Wolfe Research downgraded the previous rating for Carrier Global Corp CARR from Outperform to Peer Perform. Carrier Global earned $0.64 in the second quarter, compared to $0.33 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Carrier Global shows a 52-week-high of $58.89 and a 52-week-low of $28.58. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $57.41.
• Morgan Stanley downgraded the previous rating for Amgen Inc AMGN from Overweight to Equal-Weight. In the second quarter, Amgen showed an EPS of $4.38, compared to $4.25 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $276.69 and a 52-week-low of $210.28. Amgen closed at $226.37 at the end of the last trading period.
• For JOANN Inc JOAN, Barclays downgraded the previous rating of Overweight to Equal-Weight. Interestingly, in the second quarter, JOANN's EPS was $0.20. The stock has a 52-week-high of $17.50 and a 52-week-low of $9.75. At the end of the last trading period, JOANN closed at $10.28.

See all analyst ratings downgrades.

Initiations

• Zelman initiated coverage on Opendoor Technologies Inc OPEN with a Buy rating. In the second quarter, Opendoor Technologies showed an EPS of $0.24, compared to $0.66 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $39.24 and a 52-week-low of $13.44. Opendoor Technologies closed at $19.18 at the end of the last trading period.
• With a Buy rating, Alliance Global Partners initiated coverage on Greenlane Holdings Inc GNLN. The price target seems to have been set at $6.00 for Greenlane Hldgs. In the second quarter, Greenlane Hldgs showed an EPS of $0.22, compared to $0.46 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $8.73 and a 52-week-low of $1.83. At the end of the last trading period, Greenlane Hldgs closed at $2.73.
• With an Outperform rating, Wedbush initiated coverage on Tango Therapeutics Inc TNGX. The price target seems to have been set at $20.00 for Tango Therapeutics. Tango Therapeutics closed at $12.93 at the end of the last trading period.
• With an Overweight rating, Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on Valero Energy Corp VLO. The price target seems to have been set at $80.00 for Valero Energy. In the second quarter, Valero Energy showed an EPS of $0.48, compared to $1.25 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $84.95 and a 52-week-low of $35.44. Valero Energy closed at $64.70 at the end of the last trading period.
• Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on Phillips 66 PSX with a Equal-Weight rating. The price target for Phillips 66 is set to $80.00. In the second quarter, Phillips 66 showed an EPS of $0.74, compared to $0.74 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $94.34 and a 52-week-low of $43.27. Phillips 66 closed at $69.62 at the end of the last trading period.
• With a Equal-Weight rating, Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on PBF Energy Inc PBF. The price target seems to have been set at $12.00 for PBF Energy. For the second quarter, PBF Energy had an EPS of $1.26, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $3.19. The stock has a 52-week-high of $18.78 and a 52-week-low of $4.06. At the end of the last trading period, PBF Energy closed at $9.63.
• With a Buy rating, Jefferies initiated coverage on Celcuity Inc CELC. The price target seems to have been set at $48.00 for Celcuity. In the second quarter, Celcuity showed an EPS of $0.66, compared to $0.17 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $33.01 and a 52-week-low of $5.00. Celcuity closed at $21.50 at the end of the last trading period.
• Evercore ISI Group initiated coverage on Avidity Biosciences Inc RNA with an Outperform rating. The price target for Avidity Biosciences is set to $50.00. For the second quarter, Avidity Biosciences had an EPS of $0.70, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.23. The current stock performance of Avidity Biosciences shows a 52-week-high of $37.46 and a 52-week-low of $17.58. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $19.24.

See all analyst ratings initiations.