Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Asure Software, Fluor, Lam Research, Newfield Exploration, Tesla, Yext and Many More
Lee Jackson
Despite all the concern about tail risk and the French Presidential election, things played out close to plan as former Investment Banker and one-time Socialist Finance Minister Emmanuel Macron was elected yesterday by a fairly wide margin. Gold is trading higher this morning as the futures are trading mostly flat. With this bull market now more than eight years old, investors have shown for more than the past five years that they will buy all market pullbacks.
Those same investors also still are looking for new trading and investing ideas. 24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports each morning to find new trading and investing ideas for its readers. Some analyst calls cover stocks to buy, while others cover stocks to sell or avoid.
Asure Software Inc. (ASUR) was started with a Buy rating at Canaccord Genuity, and the firm has a $15 price target. The 52-week trading range for the stock is $4.45 to $13.00. The Wall Street consensus price target is posted at $14.67. The stock closed last Friday at $11.10.
Fluor Inc. (FLR) was raised to Buy from Hold at Canaccord Genuity. The 52-week trading range for the company is $44.05 to $58.37, and the consensus price target is posted at $57.88. The shares closed down almost 5% on Friday at $48.18.
Lam Research Corporation (LRCX) is removed from Goldman Sachs prestigious Conviction Buy List, and it would appear to be a valuation call, as the stock has been on fire over the last year. The 52-week trading range for the semiconductor capital equipment giant is $72.00 to $151.00, and the consensus price objective on Wall Street is $154.20. The stock closed just below that level Friday at $150.31. Shares are lower in the pre-market on the removal.
LyondellBasell Industries N.V.. (LYB) was downgraded to Underperform from Neutral at Merrill Lynch. The 52-week trading range for the chemical giant is $69.82 to $97.64, and the consensus price target on Wall Street is set at $97.10. The shares closed up nicely Friday at $84.16.
Newfield Exploration Company (NFX) is raised to Buy from Hold at KLR Group. The 52-week trading range for the gold miner is $33 to $50, and the Wall Street consensus price target is posted at $50.43. The shares closed last Friday at $34.59.
Olin Corporation (OLN) was started with a Buy rating at Merrill Lynch and they have a $40 price target. The 52-week trading range is $18.24 to $33.88, and the consensus price objective is $32.38. The shares closed Friday at $29.72.
Tesla Inc. (TSLA) was resumed with an Outperform rating at Evercore ISI with a $330 price target. The 52-week trading range for the electric car manufacturer is $178.19 to $327.566, and the Wall Street consensus price objective is posted at $258.94. Shares closed way above that level Friday at $308.35.
Texas Capital Bancshares Inc. (TCBI) was raised to Outperform from Neutral at Wedbush, and they also raise the price target on the bank to $86 from $79. The analyst feels the bank is well positioned for a rebound in earnings-per-share growth from the weak first quarter, as mortgage warehouse pipelines are building and there is a high probability for a June rate hike, which is not in guidance. The 52-week trading range for the shares is $41.47 to $93.35, and the consensus price target is $84.19 The stock closed Friday at $76.10.
Warrior Met Col (HCC) was a recent initial public offering and is started with an Overweight rating at Morgan Stanley, and the firm has a $27 price target. The stock was started at BMO Capital at Outperform with a $24 price target, and Credit Suisse initiates coverage with a $26 target. The stock has traded between $17.32 and $19.06 since the deal priced, and the consensus price target hasn’t been established yet. The shares closed last Friday at $17.58.
Yext Inc. (YEXT) was started with a Sector Weight rating at Pacific Crest, and an Equal Weight rating at Morgan Stanley. The company also recently held its initial public offering, and firms are now able to begin coverage. Shares have traded in a range of $13.19 to $15.11 since going public, and a consensus price target has yet to be established. The shares closed Friday at $13.91.
Other key analysts upgrades and downgrades were seen in the following.
CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) is raised to Buy from Neutral at Citigroup. The 52-week trading range is $20.77 to $$37.17, while the consensus price target is set at $31.82. The shares closed Friday at $28.42.
Consolidated Edison Inc. (ED) was downgraded to Sell from Hold at Deutsche Bank. The 52-week trading range is $68.76 to $81.88. The consensus price target is posted at $75.65.
Buckeye Partners, L.P. (BPL) is raised to Buy from Hold at Stifel with a price target of $74. The 52-week trading range for the shares is $61.37 to $75.10, and the consensus price objective is $76.53,. Shares closed last Friday at $66.33.
CyrusOne Inc. (CONE) saw its target price raised to $63 from $59 at RBC Capital Markets. That is versus a consensus price target of $56.75. The 52-week trading range for the stock is $38.80 To $55.39, and the shares closed last Friday at $54.93.
Keysight Technologies Inc. (KEYS) was started with an Outperform rating at Credit Suisse, with a $44 price target. The 52-week trading range is $25.51 to $39.36, and the consensus price targets set at $41.60. The stock closed trading last Friday at $38.92.
Tempur Sealy Industries Inc. (TPX) is raised to Hold from Sell at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey. The 52-week trading range is $39.75 to $82.32, and the consensus price target is $49.11. The shares closed Friday at $47.47.
United Rentals Inc. (URI) was raised to Outperform from In Line at Evercore ISI. The 52-week trading range for the shares is $59.43 to $134.28. The consensus price objective is posted at $121.36. The shares closed last Friday at $108.96.
Varian Medical Systems Inc. (VAR) is raised to Buy from Neutral at BTIG Research with a $106 price target. The 52-week trading range is $76.94 to $106.70, and the consensus price target is set at $86.25. The stock closed way above that level Friday at $92.13 and is up big in pre-market trading.
In case you missed it, here are last Friday’s Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades. They included Celgene, Continental Resources, Hess, Renewable Energy, US Bancorp, Zynga and many more.
