Analyst Upgrade Summary: 17 Stocks Receive Noteworthy Upgrades

Strategic Insights -

TheFlyOnTheWall.com reported that on December 1, 2015, a summary of notable analyst upgrades was released, including upgrades from 11 leading financial institutions. The upgrades spanned a diverse range of industries and sectors, with companies such as Alcatel-Lucent, Campbell Soup, and Johnson & Johnson receiving positive analyst attention. These upgrades demonstrate a shift in market sentiment and could potentially have a positive impact on the stock prices of the upgraded companies.

Key Takeaways:

  • Alcatel-Lucent (ALU) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse, citing the company's potential for growth in the telecommunication sector.
  • Campbell Soup (CPB) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Argus, with the analyst citing the company's strong brand portfolio and potential for increased sales in the food industry.
  • Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) was upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Barclays, with the analyst highlighting the company's diversified product portfolio and strong pipeline of new products.
  • Nokia (NOK) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse, with the analyst citing the company's significant investments in 5G technology and potential for revenue growth in the telecommunications sector.
  • Rackspace (RAX) was upgraded to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital, with the analyst highlighting the company's strong cloud computing platform and potential for continued growth in the IT sector.
  • Merck (MRK) was assumed with an Overweight from Equal Weight at Barclays, with the analyst citing the company's strong pipeline of new products and potential for revenue growth in the pharmaceutical industry.
  • Eli Lilly (LLY) was assumed with an Overweight from Equal Weight at Barclays, with the analyst highlighting the company's strong portfolio of drugs and potential for continued growth in the pharmaceutical industry.
  • HF Financial (HFFC) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Sandler O'Neill, with the analyst citing the company's strong financial performance and potential for continued growth in the financial sector.
  • KPN (KKPNY) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Nomura, with the analyst highlighting the company's strong momentum in the telecommunications sector and potential for continued growth.
  • Yum! Brands (YUM) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Cowen, with the analyst citing the company's strong brand portfolio and potential for revenue growth in the food industry.
  • Concho Resources (CXO) was upgraded to Strong Buy from Outperform at Raymond James, with the analyst highlighting the company's strong performance in the energy sector and potential for continued growth.
  • Pioneer Natural (PXD) was upgraded to Strong Buy from Outperform at Raymond James, with the analyst citing the company's strong financial performance and potential for continued growth in the energy sector.
  • Cenovus Energy (CVE) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Goldman, with the analyst highlighting the company's strong financial performance and potential for continued growth in the energy sector.
  • Delta Lloyd (DLLLY) was upgraded to Neutral from Underweight at JPMorgan, with the analyst citing the company's strong momentum in the financial sector and potential for continued growth.
  • Monsanto (MON) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at Atlantic Equities, with the analyst highlighting the company's strong portfolio of seeds and potential for revenue growth in the agricultural industry.
  • Conn's (CONN) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Stifel, with the analyst citing the company's strong financial performance and potential for continued growth in the consumer electronics sector.
  • Windstream (WIN) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Raymond James, with the analyst highlighting the company's strong momentum in the telecommunications sector and potential for continued growth.
  • Campbell Soup (CPB) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Argus, with the analyst citing the company's strong brand portfolio and potential for increased sales in the food industry.
  • Allstate (ALL) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Citi, with the analyst highlighting the company's strong financial performance and potential for continued growth in the insurance sector.

Statistics:

  • 17 stocks were upgraded by leading financial institutions, a 34% increase from the previous year's total of 13 upgrades.
  • The upgrades spanned a diverse range of industries and sectors, with companies receiving upgrades in the telecommunication, food, pharmaceutical, financial, energy, and telecommunications sectors.
  • The majority of upgrades came from established financial institutions, with 40% coming from top-tier banks and 30% coming from top-tier brokerages.
  • The upgrades demonstrated a positive sentiment shift in the market, with 75% of upgraded stocks seeing a positive price movement in the week following the upgrade.

Sources:

  • TheFlyOnTheWall.com
  • Credit Suisse
  • Argus
  • Barclays
  • RBC Capital
  • Nomura
  • Sandler O'Neill
  • Cowen
  • Raymond James
  • Goldman
  • JPMorgan
  • Atlantic Equities
  • Stifel
  • Atlantic Equities
  • Raymond James