Benzinga's Top Upgrades, Downgrades For August 17, 2017

Top Upgrades

• Telsey Advisory Group upgraded Zoe's Kitchen Inc ZOES from Market Perform to Outperform. Zoe's Kitchen shares climbed 8.98 percent to close at $12.26 on Wednesday.
• Analysts at Morgan Stanley upgraded Molina Healthcare, Inc. MOH from Underweight to Overweight. Molina Healthcare shares rose 2.34 percent to $58.11 in pre-market trading.
• JP Morgan upgraded Manitowoc Company Inc MTW from Underweight to Neutral. Manitowoc shares fell 0.25 percent to close at $7.95 on Wednesday.
• Analysts at JP Morgan upgraded Kennametal Inc. KMT from Neutral to Overweight. Kennametal shares dropped 0.68 percent to close at $33.74 on Wednesday.
• MKM Partners upgraded Target Corporation TGT from Neutral to Buy. Target shares fell 0.44 percent to $56.06 in pre-market trading.
• Analysts at Bernstein upgraded Hershey Co HSY from Market Perform to Outperform. Hershey shares rose 0.63 percent to $106.71 in pre-market trading.
• Analysts at Morgan Stanley upgraded Commscope Holding Company Inc COMM from Equal-Weight to Overweight. CommScope shares rose 1.43 percent to $33.32 in pre-market trading.
• Loop Capital upgraded National-Oilwell Varco, Inc. NOV from Hold to Buy. National Oilwell Varco shares dropped 1.51 percent to close at $29.94 on Wednesday.

Top Downgrades

• JP Morgan downgraded Illinois Tool Works Inc. ITW from Neutral to Underweight. Illinois Tool Works shares rose 0.64 percent to close at $140.03 on Wednesday.
• Analysts at KeyBanc downgraded Nucor Corporation NUE from Overweight to Sector Weight. Nucor shares rose 2.09 percent to close at $56.73 on Wednesday.
• JP Morgan downgraded Allison Transmission Holdings Inc ALSN from Overweight to Neutral. Allison Transmission shares fell 4.22 percent to close at $35.61 on Wednesday.
• Jefferies downgraded TechTarget Inc TTGT from Buy to Hold. TechTarget shares fell 1.20 percent to close at $9.90 on Wednesday.
• JP Morgan downgraded TriNet Group Inc TNET from Neutral to Underweight. Trinet shares rose 0.71 percent to close at $38.18 on Wednesday.
• Analysts at Jefferies downgraded Netshoes (CAYMAN) Ltd NETS from Buy to Hold. Netshoes shares fell 2.35 percent to close at $16.18 on Wednesday.
• RBC Capital downgraded Boston Properties, Inc. BXP from Top Pick to Outperform. Boston Properties shares fell 0.29 percent to close at $122.03 on Wednesday.
• Deutsche Bank downgraded Heico Corp HEI from Buy to Hold. Heico shares fell 0.96 percent to close at $ 85.55 on Wednesday.

Top Initiations

• Evercore ISI Group initiated coverage on BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. BMRN with an Outperform rating. BioMarin Pharmaceutical shares closed at $83.07 on Wednesday.
• Analysts at DA Davidson initiated coverage on Medifast Inc MED with a Buy rating. The price target for Medifast is set to $65. Medifast shares closed at $51.63 on Wednesday.
• Oppenheimer initiated coverage on Albemarle Corporation ALB with an Outperform rating. The price target for Albemarle is set to $133. Albemarle shares closed at $113.42 on Wednesday.
• Analysts at Mizuho initiated coverage on El Paso Electric Company EE with a Neutral rating. The price target for El Paso Electric is set to $55. El Paso Electric shares closed at $54.20 on Wednesday.
• Analysts at Citigroup initiated coverage on Abbott Laboratories ABT with a Neutral rating. The price target for Abbott is set to $53. Abbott shares closed at $49.81 on Wednesday.
• Evercore ISI Group initiated coverage on bluebird bio Inc BLUE with an In-Line rating. The price target for bluebird bio is set to $102. bluebird bio shares closed at $97.10 on Wednesday.
• Jefferies initiated coverage on Nutanix Inc NTNX with a Buy rating. The price target for Nutanix is set to $30. Nutanix shares closed at $21.73 on Wednesday.
• Analysts at Evercore ISI Group initiated coverage of Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ALXN with an In-Line rating. The price target for Alexion Pharmaceuticals is set to $137. Alexion Pharmaceuticals shares closed at $136.55 on Wednesday.
• Analysts at Citigroup initiated coverage on Baxter International Inc BAX with a Neutral rating. The price target for Baxter is set to $63. Baxter shares closed at $61.36 on Wednesday.
• Evercore ISI Group initiated coverage of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc REGN with an Outperform rating. The price target for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals is set to $605. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals shares closed at $468.54 on Wednesday.