Benzinga | Aug 24, 2020 09:34AM EDT

Benzinga's Top Upgrades, Downgrades For August 24, 2020

Upgrades

* B of A Securities upgraded the previous rating for Deere & Co (NYSE:DE) from Neutral to Buy. Deere earned $2.57 in the third quarter, compared to $2.71 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $202.95 and a 52-week-low of $106.14. At the end of the last trading period, Deere closed at $199.49.

* JMP Securities upgraded the previous rating for MFA Financial Inc (NYSE:MFA) from Market Perform to Market Outperform. MFA Finl earned $0.19 in the second quarter, compared to $0.20 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of MFA Finl shows a 52-week-high of $8.09 and a 52-week-low of $0.32. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $2.67.

* Citigroup upgraded the previous rating for Qiagen NV (NYSE:QGEN) from Neutral to Buy. In the second quarter, Qiagen showed an EPS of $0.55, compared to $0.33 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $52.79 and a 52-week-low of $25.04. Qiagen closed at $52.39 at the end of the last trading period.

* According to RBC Capital, the prior rating for The Estee Lauder Companies Inc (NYSE:EL) was changed from Sector Perform to Outperform. Estee Lauder Cos earned $0.53 in the fourth quarter, compared to $0.64 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $220.42 and a 52-week-low of $137.01. At the end of the last trading period, Estee Lauder Cos closed at $206.98.



Downgrades

* According to HC Wainwright & Co., the prior rating for Galapagos NV (NASDAQ:GLPG) was changed from Buy to Neutral. In the second quarter, Galapagos showed an EPS of $1.95, compared to $0.96 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $274.03 and a 52-week-low of $112.00. Galapagos closed at $137.16 at the end of the last trading period.

* Northland Capital Markets downgraded the previous rating for Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ:AMD) from Outperform to Market Perform. In the second quarter, Advanced Micro Devices showed an EPS of $0.18, compared to $0.08 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $87.29 and a 52-week-low of $27.43. At the end of the last trading period, Advanced Micro Devices closed at $83.81.

* According to Morgan Stanley, the prior rating for Amphenol Corp (NYSE:APH) was changed from Overweight to Equal-Weight. For the second quarter, Amphenol had an EPS of $0.81, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.92. The current stock performance of Amphenol shows a 52-week-high of $111.40 and a 52-week-low of $63.05. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $108.24.

* For Eversource Energy (NYSE:ES), Guggenheim downgraded the previous rating of Buy to the current rating Neutral. Eversource Energy earned $0.76 in the second quarter, compared to $0.74 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $99.42 and a 52-week-low of $60.69. Eversource Energy closed at $86.53 at the end of the last trading period.

* B. Riley FBR downgraded the previous rating for Helmerich & Payne Inc (NYSE:HP) from Neutral to Sell. Helmerich & Payne earned $0.34 in the third quarter, compared to $0.41 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $47.45 and a 52-week-low of $12.40. At the end of the last trading period, Helmerich & Payne closed at $16.88.

* According to BOCOM International, the prior rating for Pinduoduo Inc (NASDAQ:PDD) was changed from Buy to Neutral. In the second quarter, Pinduoduo showed an EPS of $0.01, compared to $0.04 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $98.96 and a 52-week-low of $28.86. Pinduoduo closed at $84.00 at the end of the last trading period.

* Evercore ISI Group downgraded the previous rating for Prologis Inc (NYSE:PLD) from Outperform to In-Line. For the second quarter, Prologis had an EPS of $1.11, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.77. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $106.73 and a 52-week-low of $59.82. Prologis closed at $103.05 at the end of the last trading period.

* For Livongo Health Inc (NASDAQ:LVGO), Stifel downgraded the previous rating of Buy to the current rating Hold. Livongo Health earned $0.11 in the second quarter, compared to $0.46 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $150.00 and a 52-week-low of $15.12. At the end of the last trading period, Livongo Health closed at $140.35.

* According to Citigroup, the prior rating for Pinterest Inc (NYSE:PINS) was changed from Buy to Neutral. Pinterest earned $0.07 in the second quarter, compared to $0.06 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $38.23 and a 52-week-low of $10.10. At the end of the last trading period, Pinterest closed at $34.20.

* According to Benchmark, the prior rating for Steelcase Inc (NYSE:SCS) was changed from Buy to Hold. In the first quarter, Steelcase showed an EPS of $0.18, compared to $0.15 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $23.02 and a 52-week-low of $7.02. Steelcase closed at $10.75 at the end of the last trading period.



Initiations

* Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on AlloVir Inc (NASDAQ:ALVR) with an Overweight rating. The price target for AlloVir is set to $49.00. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $45.28 and a 52-week-low of $23.01. AlloVir closed at $31.76 at the end of the last trading period.

* Ladenburg Thalmann initiated coverage on CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:CNSP) with a Buy rating. The price target for CNS Pharmaceuticals is set to $11.00. Interestingly, in the second quarter, CNS Pharmaceuticals's EPS was $0.15. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $5.69 and a 52-week-low of $1.26. CNS Pharmaceuticals closed at $1.73 at the end of the last trading period.

* For Del Taco Restaurants Inc (NASDAQ:TACO), CL King initiated coverage, by setting the current rating at Buy. For the second quarter, Del Taco Restaurants had an EPS of $0.00, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.13. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $11.56 and a 52-week-low of $2.45. Del Taco Restaurants closed at $8.68 at the end of the last trading period.

* With a current rating of Buy, B of A Securities initiated coverage on Retrophin Inc (NASDAQ:RTRX). The price target seems to have been set at $30.00 for Retrophin. For the second quarter, Retrophin had an EPS of $0.22, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.58. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $21.92 and a 52-week-low of $8.98. Retrophin closed at $18.53 at the end of the last trading period.

* With a current rating of Neutral, Goldman Sachs initiated coverage on Vertex Inc (NASDAQ:VERX). The price target seems to have been set at $26.00 for Vertex. The stock has a 52-week-high of $28.75 and a 52-week-low of $22.80. At the end of the last trading period, Vertex closed at $27.24.

* With a current rating of Buy, BTIG initiated coverage on TravelCenters Of America Inc (NASDAQ:TA). The price target seems to have been set at $34.00 for TravelCenters Of America. For the second quarter, TravelCenters Of America had an EPS of $0.59, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.15. The current stock performance of TravelCenters Of America shows a 52-week-high of $23.26 and a 52-week-low of $5.51. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $17.26.

* Needham initiated coverage on Pegasystems Inc (NASDAQ:PEGA) with a Buy rating. The price target for Pegasystems is set to $154.00. Pegasystems earned $0.28 in the second quarter, compared to $0.30 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Pegasystems shows a 52-week-high of $120.28 and a 52-week-low of $38.01. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $119.87.

* Needham initiated coverage on Sprout Social Inc (NASDAQ:SPT) with a Buy rating. The price target for Sprout Social is set to $40.00. Interestingly, in the second quarter, Sprout Social's EPS was $0.11. The stock has a 52-week-high of $34.30 and a 52-week-low of $10.54. At the end of the last trading period, Sprout Social closed at $34.26.

* Bernstein initiated coverage on Ballard Power Systems Inc (NASDAQ:BLDP) with an Outperform rating. The price target for Ballard Power Systems is set to $22.00. For the second quarter, Ballard Power Systems had an EPS of $0.05, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.03. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $21.61 and a 52-week-low of $4.25. Ballard Power Systems closed at $16.21 at the end of the last trading period.