Benzinga's Top Ratings Upgrades, Downgrades For May 20, 2021

Upgrades

• According to Argus Research, the prior rating for Vontier Corp VNT was changed from Hold to Buy. In the first quarter, Vontier earned $0.63. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $36.77 and a 52-week-low of $27.63. Vontier closed at $33.99 at the end of the last trading period.
• Argus Research upgraded the previous rating for The Wendy's Co WEN from Hold to Buy. For the first quarter, Wendy's had an EPS of $0.20, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.09. The current stock performance of Wendy's shows a 52-week-high of $24.91 and a 52-week-low of $18.86. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $23.57.
• According to Truist Securities, the prior rating for Allogene Therapeutics Inc ALLO was changed from Hold to Buy. Allogene Therapeutics earned $0.25 in the first quarter, compared to $0.50 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Allogene Therapeutics shows a 52-week-high of $55.00 and a 52-week-low of $24.85. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $28.47.
• According to JP Morgan, the prior rating for Fortive Corp FTV was changed from Neutral to Overweight. For the first quarter, Fortive had an EPS of $0.63, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.74. The current stock performance of Fortive shows a 52-week-high of $82.12 and a 52-week-low of $57.39. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $69.12.
• B of A Securities upgraded the previous rating for ViacomCBS Inc VIAC from Neutral to Buy. For the first quarter, ViacomCBS had an EPS of $1.52, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.13. The current stock performance of ViacomCBS shows a 52-week-high of $101.97 and a 52-week-low of $18.66. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $39.69.
• For Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc CMG, UBS upgraded the previous rating of Neutral to Buy. Chipotle Mexican Grill earned $0.05 in the fourth quarter, compared to $0.09 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Chipotle Mexican Grill shows a 52-week-high of $1579.52 and a 52-week-low of $964.50. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $1307.19.
• Bernstein upgraded the previous rating for Analog Devices Inc ADI from Market Perform to Outperform. For the second quarter, Analog Devices had an EPS of $1.54, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.08. The current stock performance of Analog Devices shows a 52-week-high of $164.40 and a 52-week-low of $106.11. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $153.12.
• Morgan Stanley upgraded the previous rating for Youdao Inc DAO from Equal-Weight to Overweight. Youdao earned $0.42 in the first quarter, compared to $0.21 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $47.70 and a 52-week-low of $19.02. Youdao closed at $22.40 at the end of the last trading period.
• RBC Capital upgraded the previous rating for NatWest Group PLC NWG from Sector Perform to Outperform. NatWest Group earned $0.07 in the first quarter, compared to $0.03 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $5.79 and a 52-week-low of $2.34. At the end of the last trading period, NatWest Group closed at $5.65.
• Goldman Sachs upgraded the previous rating for SolarEdge Technologies Inc SEDG from Neutral to Buy. SolarEdge Technologies earned $0.98 in the first quarter, compared to $0.95 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $377.00 and a 52-week-low of $127.19. At the end of the last trading period, SolarEdge Technologies closed at $233.49.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded the previous rating for Ingersoll Rand Inc IR from Hold to Buy. In the first quarter, Ingersoll Rand showed an EPS of $0.45, compared to $0.25 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $52.12 and a 52-week-low of $26.72. Ingersoll Rand closed at $47.74 at the end of the last trading period.

See all analyst ratings upgrades.

Downgrades

• According to Wolfe Research, the prior rating for Lordstown Motors Corp RIDE was changed from Peer Perform to Underperform. In the fourth quarter, Lordstown Motors showed an EPS of $0.23, compared to $0.10 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $31.57 and a 52-week-low of $6.69. At the end of the last trading period, Lordstown Motors closed at $11.45.
• For Merck & Co Inc MRK, Argus Research downgraded the previous rating of Buy to Hold. Merck & Co earned $1.40 in the first quarter, compared to $1.50 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Merck & Co shows a 52-week-high of $87.80 and a 52-week-low of $71.72. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $79.36.
• Morgan Stanley downgraded the previous rating for Silicon Motion Technology Corp SIMO from Equal-Weight to Underweight. In the first quarter, Silicon Motion Technology showed an EPS of $1.11, compared to $0.80 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $74.10 and a 52-week-low of $35.13. Silicon Motion Technology closed at $63.87 at the end of the last trading period.
• According to Piper Sandler, the prior rating for Iovance Biotherapeutics Inc IOVA was changed from Overweight to Neutral. In the first quarter, Iovance Biotherapeutics showed an EPS of $0.51, compared to $0.55 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Iovance Biotherapeutics shows a 52-week-high of $54.21 and a 52-week-low of $15.88. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $16.33.
• According to Goldman Sachs, the prior rating for HollyFrontier Corp HFC was changed from Neutral to Sell. In the first quarter, HollyFrontier showed an EPS of $0.53, compared to $0.53 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of HollyFrontier shows a 52-week-high of $42.39 and a 52-week-low of $16.81. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $34.63.
• Itau BBA downgraded the previous rating for Ambev SA ABEV from Outperform to Market Perform. In the first quarter, Ambev showed an EPS of $0.03, compared to $0.02 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $3.38 and a 52-week-low of $2.09. Ambev closed at $3.35 at the end of the last trading period.
• For Lumen Technologies Inc LUMN, Oppenheimer downgraded the previous rating of Outperform to Perform. Lumen Technologies earned $0.44 in the first quarter, compared to $0.37 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $16.60 and a 52-week-low of $8.51. Lumen Technologies closed at $14.42 at the end of the last trading period.
• According to Piper Sandler, the prior rating for Altabancorp ALTA was changed from Overweight to Neutral. Altabancorp earned $0.50 in the first quarter, compared to $0.57 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $47.80 and a 52-week-low of $18.60. Altabancorp closed at $46.84 at the end of the last trading period.

See all analyst ratings downgrades.

Initiations

• With a Buy rating, Maxim Group initiated coverage on Clene Inc CLNN. The price target seems to have been set at $18.00 for Clene. For the first quarter, Clene had an EPS of $0.66, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.23. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $16.50 and a 52-week-low of $6.23. Clene closed at $8.95 at the end of the last trading period.
• With a Equal-Weight rating, Barclays initiated coverage on Avangrid Inc AGR. The price target seems to have been set at $56.00 for Avangrid. In the first quarter, Avangrid showed an EPS of $1.14, compared to $0.76 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Avangrid shows a 52-week-high of $56.20 and a 52-week-low of $40.02. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $51.87.
• With a Buy rating, Longbow Research initiated coverage on Ball Corp BLL. The price target seems to have been set at $116.00 for Ball. Ball earned $0.72 in the first quarter, compared to $0.61 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Ball shows a 52-week-high of $102.76 and a 52-week-low of $63.55. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $85.82.
• Longbow Research initiated coverage on Silgan Holdings Inc SLGN with a Buy rating. The price target for Silgan Hldgs is set to $58.00. In the first quarter, Silgan Hldgs showed an EPS of $0.75, compared to $0.57 from the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Silgan Hldgs shows a 52-week-high of $44.55 and a 52-week-low of $30.68. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $42.82.
• Longbow Research initiated coverage on Crown Holdings Inc CCK with a Buy rating. The price target for Crown Holdings is set to $152.00. Crown Holdings earned $1.83 in the first quarter, compared to $1.13 in the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $114.55 and a 52-week-low of $61.00. Crown Holdings closed at $108.76 at the end of the last trading period.
• Longbow Research initiated coverage on O-I Glass Inc OI with a Neutral rating. For the first quarter, O-I Glass had an EPS of $0.35, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.41. The current stock performance of O-I Glass shows a 52-week-high of $18.77 and a 52-week-low of $6.84. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $17.82.
• With an Outperform rating, Baird initiated coverage on VistaGen Therapeutics Inc VTGN. The price target seems to have been set at $9.00 for VistaGen Therapeutics. In the third quarter, VistaGen Therapeutics showed an EPS of $0.07, compared to $0.15 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $3.18 and a 52-week-low of $0.40. At the end of the last trading period, VistaGen Therapeutics closed at $2.30.
• With an Outperform rating, Wedbush initiated coverage on Coinbase Global Inc COIN. The price target seems to have been set at $275.00 for Coinbase Global. Coinbase Global earned $3.05 in the first quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $429.54 and a 52-week-low of $208.00. Coinbase Global closed at $224.80 at the end of the last trading period.
• B of A Securities initiated coverage on Tronox Holdings PLC TROX with a Buy rating. The price target for Tronox Holdings is set to $28.00. Tronox Holdings earned $0.43 in the first quarter, compared to $0.29 in the year-ago quarter. The current stock performance of Tronox Holdings shows a 52-week-high of $23.86 and a 52-week-low of $6.15. Moreover, at the end of the last trading period, the closing price was at $22.43.
• With a Buy rating, B of A Securities initiated coverage on The Chemours Co CC. The price target seems to have been set at $42.00 for Chemours. In the first quarter, Chemours showed an EPS of $0.71, compared to $0.71 from the year-ago quarter. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $35.53 and a 52-week-low of $12.11. Chemours closed at $33.22 at the end of the last trading period.
• With a Buy rating, HC Wainwright & Co. initiated coverage on Sigma Labs Inc SGLB. The price target seems to have been set at $6.00 for Sigma Labs. For the first quarter, Sigma Labs had an EPS of $0.09, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.30. At the moment, the stock has a 52-week-high of $9.75 and a 52-week-low of $1.95. Sigma Labs closed at $3.30 at the end of the last trading period.

See all analyst ratings initiations.