Benzinga's Top Ratings Upgrades, Downgrades For August 31, 2023

Upgrades

Jefferies upgraded the previous rating for Mesoblast Ltd MESO from Hold to Buy. NoneThe current stock performance of Mesoblast shows a 52-week-high of $5.12 and a 52-week-low of $1.16. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $1.43.

Argus Research upgraded the previous rating for Oshkosh Corp OSK from Hold to Buy. For the second quarter, Oshkosh had an EPS of $2.69, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.41. The stock has a 52-week-high of $106.66 and a 52-week-low of $69.31. At the end of the last trading period, Oshkosh closed at $103.23.

Evercore ISI Group upgraded the previous rating for Okta Inc OKTA from Underperform to In-Line. For the second quarter, Okta had an EPS of $0.31, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.10. The stock has a 52-week-high of $94.64 and a 52-week-low of $44.13. At the end of the last trading period, Okta closed at $73.57.

For Shopify Inc SHOP, Canaccord Genuity upgraded the previous rating of Hold to Buy. Shopify earned $0.14 in the second quarter, compared to $0.03 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Shopify shows a 52-week-high of $71.43 and a 52-week-low of $23.64. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $60.01.

BMO Capital upgraded the previous rating for The Hanover Insurance Group Inc THG from Market Perform to Outperform. Hanover Insurance Gr earned $1.91 in the second quarter, compared to $2.32 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $148.78 and a 52-week-low of $103.90. At the end of the last trading period, Hanover Insurance Gr closed at $106.00.

Citigroup upgraded the previous rating for Arista Networks Inc ANET from Neutral to Buy. In the second quarter, Arista Networks showed an EPS of $1.58, compared to $1.08 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $193.91 and a 52-week-low of $98.72. Arista Networks closed at $187.10 at the end of the last trading period.

For Guidewire Software Inc GWRE, Wells Fargo upgraded the previous rating of Underweight to Equal-Weight. For the third quarter, Guidewire Software had an EPS of $0.08, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.26. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $86.79 and a 52-week-low of $52.19. Guidewire Software closed at $83.80 at the end of the last trading period.

Redburn Partners upgraded the previous rating for Exxon Mobil Corp XOM from Sell to Neutral. Exxon Mobil earned $1.94 in the second quarter, compared to $4.14 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $119.92 and a 52-week-low of $83.89. Exxon Mobil closed at $110.88 at the end of the last trading period.

According to Raymond James, the prior rating for SkyWest Inc SKYW was changed from Market Perform to Outperform. In the second quarter, SkyWest showed an EPS of $0.35, compared to $1.07 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of SkyWest shows a 52-week-high of $45.98 and a 52-week-low of $14.76. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $41.40.

For 3M Co MMM, Morgan Stanley upgraded the previous rating of Underweight to Equal-Weight. 3M earned $2.17 in the second quarter, compared to $2.48 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of 3M shows a 52-week-high of $133.89 and a 52-week-low of $92.38. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $104.45.

JP Morgan upgraded the previous rating for Vasta Platform Ltd VSTA from Neutral to Overweight. Vasta Platform earned $0.20 in the second quarter, compared to $0.18 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Vasta Platform shows a 52-week-high of $5.60 and a 52-week-low of $3.05. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $3.66.

See all analyst ratings upgrades.

Downgrades

Chardan Capital downgraded the previous rating for Outlook Therapeutics Inc OTLK from Buy to Neutral. For the third quarter, Outlook Therapeutics had an EPS of $0.08, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.08. The current stock performance of Outlook Therapeutics shows a 52-week-high of $2.03 and a 52-week-low of $0.21. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $0.27.

Oppenheimer downgraded the previous rating for Dollar General Corp DG from Outperform to Perform. In the second quarter, Dollar Gen showed an EPS of $2.13, compared to $2.98 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $261.57 and a 52-week-low of $151.27. At the end of the last trading period, Dollar Gen closed at $157.66.

Susquehanna downgraded the previous rating for C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc CHRW from Neutral to Negative. In the second quarter, C.H. Robinson Worldwide showed an EPS of $0.90, compared to $2.52 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $116.76 and a 52-week-low of $86.63. At the end of the last trading period, C.H. Robinson Worldwide closed at $94.63.

Susquehanna downgraded the previous rating for RXO Inc RXO from Neutral to Negative. In the second quarter, RXO showed an EPS of $0.08, compared to $0.56 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $23.74 and a 52-week-low of $14.75. RXO closed at $18.81 at the end of the last trading period.

For Outlook Therapeutics Inc OTLK, HC Wainwright & Co. downgraded the previous rating of Buy to Neutral. In the third quarter, Outlook Therapeutics showed an EPS of $0.08, compared to $0.08 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $2.03 and a 52-week-low of $0.21. At the end of the last trading period, Outlook Therapeutics closed at $0.27.

According to Wells Fargo, the prior rating for Victoria's Secret & Co VSCO was changed from Overweight to Equal-Weight. In the second quarter, Victoria's Secret showed an EPS of $0.24, compared to $1.09 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Victoria's Secret shows a 52-week-high of $48.12 and a 52-week-low of $16.78. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $17.94.

Evercore ISI Group downgraded the previous rating for Chewy Inc CHWY from Outperform to In-Line. In the second quarter, Chewy showed an EPS of $0.15, compared to $0.05 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Chewy shows a 52-week-high of $52.88 and a 52-week-low of $25.29. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $27.33.

CLSA downgraded the previous rating for Gaotu Techedu Inc GOTU from Outperform to Underperform. Gaotu Techedu earned $0.03 in the second quarter, compared to $0.00 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $5.49 and a 52-week-low of $0.64. Gaotu Techedu closed at $3.24 at the end of the last trading period.

JP Morgan downgraded the previous rating for Hostess Brands Inc TWNK from Overweight to Neutral. Hostess Brands earned $0.28 in the second quarter, compared to $0.22 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $28.97 and a 52-week-low of $21.59. At the end of the last trading period, Hostess Brands closed at $28.06.

For Medical Properties Trust Inc MPW, Mizuho downgraded the previous rating of Buy to Neutral. In the second quarter, Medical Properties Trust showed an EPS of $0.48, compared to $0.46 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $15.15 and a 52-week-low of $6.38. Medical Properties Trust closed at $7.34 at the end of the last trading period.

Morgan Stanley downgraded the previous rating for Palantir Technologies Inc PLTR from Equal-Weight to Underweight. Palantir Technologies earned $0.05 in the second quarter, compared to $0.01 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Palantir Technologies shows a 52-week-high of $20.24 and a 52-week-low of $5.84. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $16.33.

According to B. Riley Securities, the prior rating for MasterCraft Boat Holdings Inc MCFT was changed from Buy to Neutral. In the fourth quarter, MasterCraft Boat Hldgs showed an EPS of $1.37, compared to $1.92 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of MasterCraft Boat Hldgs shows a 52-week-high of $35.29 and a 52-week-low of $18.49. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $21.76.

See all analyst ratings downgrades.

Initiations

Raymond James initiated coverage on Middlefield Banc Corp MBCN with a Market Perform rating. For the second quarter, Middlefield Banc had an EPS of $0.63, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.70. The stock has a 52-week-high of $30.21 and a 52-week-low of $22.09. At the end of the last trading period, Middlefield Banc closed at $26.99.

Raymond James initiated coverage on Flushing Financial Corp FFIC with an Outperform rating. The price target for Flushing Financial is set to $17.00. In the second quarter, Flushing Financial showed an EPS of $0.26, compared to $0.70 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Flushing Financial shows a 52-week-high of $21.55 and a 52-week-low of $9.28. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $14.04.

With an Outperform rating, Raymond James initiated coverage on Plumas Bancorp PLBC. The price target seems to have been set at $38.00 for Plumas. In the second quarter, Plumas showed an EPS of $1.12, compared to $0.96 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $45.31 and a 52-week-low of $27.50. At the end of the last trading period, Plumas closed at $34.71.

With a Buy rating, Truist Securities initiated coverage on RadNet Inc RDNT. The price target seems to have been set at $40.00 for RadNet. For the second quarter, RadNet had an EPS of $0.24, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.15. The stock has a 52-week-high of $35.18 and a 52-week-low of $12.14. At the end of the last trading period, RadNet closed at $33.01.

Janney Montgomery Scott initiated coverage on Microvast Holdings Inc MVST with a Buy rating. The price target for Microvast Holdings is set to $8.00. For the second quarter, Microvast Holdings had an EPS of $0.02, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.05. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $2.91 and a 52-week-low of $0.88. Microvast Holdings closed at $1.81 at the end of the last trading period.

BMO Capital initiated coverage on Civitas Resources Inc CIVI with an Outperform rating. The price target for Civitas Resources is set to $95.00. Civitas Resources earned $1.72 in the second quarter, compared to $4.63 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $81.63 and a 52-week-low of $52.77. At the end of the last trading period, Civitas Resources closed at $81.28.

BMO Capital initiated coverage on Chord Energy Corp CHRD with an Outperform rating. The price target for Chord Energy is set to $185.00. In the second quarter, Chord Energy showed an EPS of $3.65, compared to $7.30 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $164.79 and a 52-week-low of $117.05. Chord Energy closed at $158.66 at the end of the last trading period.

HC Wainwright & Co. initiated coverage on Lyra Therapeutics Inc LYRA with a Buy rating. The price target for Lyra Therapeutics is set to $12.00. In the second quarter, Lyra Therapeutics showed an EPS of $0.36, compared to $0.43 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Lyra Therapeutics shows a 52-week-high of $6.37 and a 52-week-low of $1.86. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $3.36.

With a Buy rating, Needham initiated coverage on MoonLake Immunotherapeutics MLTX. The price target seems to have been set at $76.00 for MoonLake. For the second quarter, MoonLake had an EPS of $0.23, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.34. The stock has a 52-week-high of $63.40 and a 52-week-low of $7.05. At the end of the last trading period, MoonLake closed at $56.19.

With an Overweight rating, JP Morgan initiated coverage on MP Materials Corp MP. The price target seems to have been set at $27.00 for MP Materials. In the second quarter, MP Materials showed an EPS of $0.09, compared to $0.41 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of MP Materials shows a 52-week-high of $36.67 and a 52-week-low of $19.18. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $20.33.

JP Morgan initiated coverage on Establishment Labs Holdings Inc ESTA with an Overweight rating. The price target for Establishment Labs Hldgs is set to $75.00. In the second quarter, Establishment Labs Hldgs showed an EPS of $0.65, compared to $1.52 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $79.88 and a 52-week-low of $44.48. Establishment Labs Hldgs closed at $58.09 at the end of the last trading period.

With an Outperform rating, Oppenheimer initiated coverage on Crinetics Pharmaceuticals Inc CRNX. The price target seems to have been set at $40.00 for Crinetics Pharmaceuticals. In the second quarter, Crinetics Pharmaceuticals showed an EPS of $0.94, compared to $0.81 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals shows a 52-week-high of $24.58 and a 52-week-low of $15.23. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $16.52.

See all analyst ratings initiations.