Benzinga's Top Ratings Upgrades, Downgrades For March 10, 2022

Upgrades

• For Alpha Metallurgical Resources Inc AMR, B. Riley Securities upgraded the previous rating of Neutral to Buy. For the fourth quarter, Alpha Metallurgical had an EPS of $13.30, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $3.00. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $132.70 and a 52-week-low of $11.13. Alpha Metallurgical closed at $121.64 at the end of the last trading period.
• For Hormel Foods Corp HRL, Argus Research upgraded the previous rating of Hold to Buy. In the first quarter, Hormel Foods showed an EPS of $0.44, compared to $0.41 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $53.19 and a 52-week-low of $40.48. At the end of the last trading period, Hormel Foods closed at $49.91.
• According to Wells Fargo, the prior rating for Arista Networks Inc ANET was changed from Equal-Weight to Overweight. In the fourth quarter, Arista Networks showed an EPS of $0.82, compared to $0.62 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $536.54 and a 52-week-low of $108.23. Arista Networks closed at $120.61 at the end of the last trading period.
• According to Stifel, the prior rating for IDEAYA Biosciences Inc IDYA was changed from Hold to Buy. In the third quarter, IDEAYA Biosciences showed an EPS of $0.31, compared to $0.17 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of IDEAYA Biosciences shows a 52-week-high of $28.00 and a 52-week-low of $11.75. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $12.79.
• According to Barclays, the prior rating for NetApp Inc NTAP was changed from Equal-Weight to Overweight. In the third quarter, NetApp showed an EPS of $1.44, compared to $1.10 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of NetApp shows a 52-week-high of $96.82 and a 52-week-low of $63.23. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $80.78.
• JP Morgan upgraded the previous rating for Toll Brothers Inc TOL from Underweight to Neutral. Toll Brothers earned $1.24 in the first quarter, compared to $0.76 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Toll Brothers shows a 52-week-high of $75.61 and a 52-week-low of $47.17. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $51.60.
• For Pilgrims Pride Corp PPC, BMO Capital upgraded the previous rating of Market Perform to Outperform. Pilgrims Pride earned $0.56 in the fourth quarter, compared to $0.25 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $29.70 and a 52-week-low of $20.23. Pilgrims Pride closed at $22.96 at the end of the last trading period.
• According to JP Morgan, the prior rating for KB Home KBH was changed from Neutral to Overweight. For the fourth quarter, KB Home had an EPS of $1.91, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.12. The stock has a 52-week-high of $52.48 and a 52-week-low of $33.94. At the end of the last trading period, KB Home closed at $38.10.
• According to BTIG, the prior rating for CrowdStrike Holdings Inc CRWD was changed from Neutral to Buy. For the fourth quarter, CrowdStrike Holdings had an EPS of $0.30, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.13. The stock has a 52-week-high of $298.48 and a 52-week-low of $150.02. At the end of the last trading period, CrowdStrike Holdings closed at $169.79.

See all analyst ratings upgrades.

Downgrades

• Wolfe Research downgraded the previous rating for Newmark Group Inc NMRK from Outperform to Peer Perform. In the fourth quarter, Newmark Group showed an EPS of $0.65, compared to $0.30 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $19.10 and a 52-week-low of $9.88. Newmark Group closed at $16.57 at the end of the last trading period.
• Craig-Hallum downgraded the previous rating for Kirkland's Inc KIRK from Buy to Hold. Kirkland's earned $0.51 in the third quarter, compared to $0.66 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Kirkland's shows a 52-week-high of $34.45 and a 52-week-low of $12.50. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $13.79.
• Northcoast Research downgraded the previous rating for McDonald's Corp MCD from Buy to Neutral. McDonald's earned $2.23 in the fourth quarter, compared to $1.70 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of McDonald's shows a 52-week-high of $271.15 and a 52-week-low of $208.24. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $222.47.
• Piper Sandler downgraded the previous rating for Coterra Energy Inc CTRA from Overweight to Neutral. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $27.93 and a 52-week-low of $14.28. Coterra Energy closed at $25.46 at the end of the last trading period.
• According to Wells Fargo, the prior rating for Cisco Systems Inc CSCO was changed from Overweight to Equal-Weight. In the second quarter, Cisco Systems showed an EPS of $0.84, compared to $0.79 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $64.28 and a 52-week-low of $47.72. At the end of the last trading period, Cisco Systems closed at $55.92.
• Wells Fargo downgraded the previous rating for Hess Midstream LP HESM from Overweight to Equal-Weight. For the fourth quarter, Hess Midstream had an EPS of $0.51, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.36. The stock has a 52-week-high of $35.71 and a 52-week-low of $20.36. At the end of the last trading period, Hess Midstream closed at $31.90.
• For Mettler-Toledo International Inc MTD, Goldman Sachs downgraded the previous rating of Neutral to Sell. For the fourth quarter, Mettler-Toledo Intl had an EPS of $10.53, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $9.26. The stock has a 52-week-high of $1714.75 and a 52-week-low of $1049.20. At the end of the last trading period, Mettler-Toledo Intl closed at $1388.29.
• Cowen & Co. downgraded the previous rating for Renewable Energy Group Inc REGI from Outperform to Market Perform. Renewable Energy Gr earned $1.03 in the fourth quarter, compared to $0.60 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $85.22 and a 52-week-low of $32.54. At the end of the last trading period, Renewable Energy Gr closed at $60.97.
• For Meritage Homes Corp MTH, JP Morgan downgraded the previous rating of Overweight to Neutral. Meritage Homes earned $6.25 in the fourth quarter, compared to $3.97 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $125.01 and a 52-week-low of $84.05. Meritage Homes closed at $96.52 at the end of the last trading period.
• JP Morgan downgraded the previous rating for Green Brick Partners Inc GRBK from Neutral to Underweight. In the fourth quarter, Green Brick Partners showed an EPS of $1.24, compared to $0.58 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $32.25 and a 52-week-low of $19.61. Green Brick Partners closed at $22.69 at the end of the last trading period.
• According to JP Morgan, the prior rating for Asana Inc ASAN was changed from Neutral to Underweight. In the fourth quarter, Asana showed an EPS of $0.25, compared to $0.22 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $145.79 and a 52-week-low of $25.41. Asana closed at $48.81 at the end of the last trading period.

See all analyst ratings downgrades.

Initiations

• With a Buy rating, Roth Capital initiated coverage on iSun Inc ISUN. The price target seems to have been set at $7.00 for iSun. For the third quarter, iSun had an EPS of $0.12, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.10. The stock has a 52-week-high of $18.28 and a 52-week-low of $4.26. At the end of the last trading period, iSun closed at $5.09.
• With a Buy rating, DA Davidson initiated coverage on Shift4 Payments Inc FOUR. The price target seems to have been set at $70.00 for Shift4 Payments. In the fourth quarter, Shift4 Payments showed an EPS of $0.08, compared to $0.05 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Shift4 Payments shows a 52-week-high of $104.11 and a 52-week-low of $38.88. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $45.77.
• With a Buy rating, Brookline Capital initiated coverage on Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc VRCA. The price target seems to have been set at $20.00 for Verrica Pharmaceuticals. For the fourth quarter, Verrica Pharmaceuticals had an EPS of $0.35, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.52. The current stock performance of Verrica Pharmaceuticals shows a 52-week-high of $18.42 and a 52-week-low of $7.10. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $7.96.
• HC Wainwright & Co. initiated coverage on Esperion Therapeutics Inc ESPR with a Buy rating. The price target for Esperion Therapeutics is set to $22.00. In the fourth quarter, Esperion Therapeutics showed an EPS of $1.77, compared to $3.89 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $32.00 and a 52-week-low of $3.28. At the end of the last trading period, Esperion Therapeutics closed at $4.57.
• Mizuho initiated coverage on Idacorp Inc IDA with a Buy rating. The price target for Idacorp is set to $119.00. For the fourth quarter, Idacorp had an EPS of $0.65, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.74. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $114.19 and a 52-week-low of $92.40. Idacorp closed at $108.95 at the end of the last trading period.
• Mizuho initiated coverage on Avista Corp AVA with a Neutral rating. The price target for Avista is set to $47.00. Avista earned $0.71 in the fourth quarter, compared to $0.85 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Avista shows a 52-week-high of $49.14 and a 52-week-low of $37.73. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $45.14.
• With a Neutral rating, Mizuho initiated coverage on NorthWestern Corp NWE. The price target seems to have been set at $62.00 for NorthWestern. NorthWestern earned $1.04 in the fourth quarter, compared to $1.29 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $70.80 and a 52-week-low of $53.66. At the end of the last trading period, NorthWestern closed at $60.97.
• JP Morgan initiated coverage on C4 Therapeutics Inc CCCC with an Overweight rating. The price target for C4 Therapeutics is set to $43.00. C4 Therapeutics earned $0.31 in the fourth quarter, compared to $3.45 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of C4 Therapeutics shows a 52-week-high of $51.21 and a 52-week-low of $19.81. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $24.21.
• JP Morgan initiated coverage on Kymera Therapeutics Inc KYMR with a Neutral rating. The price target for Kymera Therapeutics is set to $44.00. In the fourth quarter, Kymera Therapeutics showed an EPS of $0.66, compared to $0.29 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $69.12 and a 52-week-low of $29.93. Kymera Therapeutics closed at $40.13 at the end of the last trading period.

See all analyst ratings initiations.