Analyst Downgrades: 20 Stocks Affected Across Various Industries

Strategic Insights -

In a significant market development on March 26, 2015, multiple analysts issued downgrades for a wide range of stocks across various industries. A total of 20 stocks were affected, with some facing severe downgrades in the form of sell ratings from reputable firms. The downgrades were spread across sectors, including technology, healthcare, finance, and consumer goods, indicating a broad-based reassessment of market performance by investors and analysts.

Key Takeaways:

  • The downgrades were issued by top-tier analysts at firms such as ABN Amro, Deutsche Bank, UBS, SunTrust, BB&T, B. Riley, Goldman Sachs, Argus, Evercore ISI, Mizuho, HSBC, BTIG, Macquarie, Cowen, and Iberia.
  • AEGON (AEG) was downgraded to Hold from Buy by ABN Amro, emphasizing concerns over the company's financial performance.
  • ASML (ASML) was downgraded to Sell from Buy by Deutsche Bank, primarily due to market competition and pricing pressures in the semiconductor equipment sector.
  • Allianz (AZ) and Kraft Foods (KRFT) were downgraded to Hold from Buy by various analysts, highlighting concerns over their respective company valuations and market position.
  • Exact Sciences (EXAS) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy by Goldman Sachs, reflecting the firm's adjusted expectations following the company's earnings release.
  • Norfolk Southern (NSC) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform by Raymond James, citing market valuations that are no longer favorable.
  • LifePoint (LPNT) was downgraded by Mizuho, although the exact reasons for the downgrade are not specified in the provided text.

Statistics:

  • 20 stocks were affected by analyst downgrades on March 26, 2015.
  • A total of 10 different analysts at 13 firms issued the downgrades.
  • The downgrades were spread across 5 sectors: technology, healthcare, finance, consumer goods, and transportation.
  • 7 of the downgraded stocks were in the technology sector, 4 were in the healthcare sector, and 3 were in the finance sector.
  • The most common rating change was from Buy to Hold or Neutral, reflecting analysts' reassessment of company valuations and market performance.

Sources:

  • TheFlyOnTheWall.com
  • COMTEX