Benzinga | Jul 20, 2020 09:33AM EDT

Benzinga's Top Upgrades, Downgrades For July 20, 2020

Upgrades

* Raymond James changed the rating for Parsley Energy Inc (NYSE:PE) from Outperform to Strong Buy. For the first quarter, Parsley Energy had an EPS of $0.29, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.22. The stock has a 52-week-high of $20.80 and a 52-week-low of $3.92. Parsley Energy's stock last closed at $10.51 per share.

* For Laredo Petroleum Inc (NYSE:LPI), Raymond James upgraded the stock from Market Perform to Outperform. Laredo Petroleum earned $0.09 in the first quarter, compared to $0.12 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $29.10 and a 52-week-low of $0.33. Laredo Petroleum's stock last closed at $13.81 per share.

* Raymond James changed the rating for Apache Corp (NASDAQ:APA) from Market Perform to Outperform. For the first quarter, Apache had an EPS of ($0.13), compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.10. The stock has a 52-week-high of $33.77 and a 52-week-low of $3.80. Apache's stock last closed at $13.29 per share.

* Credit Suisse changed the rating for Gilead Sciences Inc (NASDAQ:GILD) from Underperform to Neutral. For the first quarter, Gilead Sciences had an EPS of $1.68, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $1.76. The stock has a 52-week-high of $85.97 and a 52-week-low of $60.89. Gilead Sciences's stock last closed at $77.51 per share.

* William Blair upgraded the stock for Chubb Ltd (NYSE:CB) from Underperform to Market Perform. For the first quarter, Chubb had an EPS of $2.68, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $2.54. The stock has a 52-week-high of $167.74 and a 52-week-low of $87.35. Chubb's stock last closed at $136.04 per share.

* Barclays changed the rating for Citrix Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CTXS) from Equal-Weight to Overweight. In the first quarter, Citrix Systems showed an EPS of $1.73, compared to $1.27 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $156.30 and a 52-week-low of $90.28. Citrix Systems's stock last closed at $155.83 per share.

* For Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), Independent Research upgraded the stock from Hold to Buy. In the second quarter, Johnson & Johnson showed an EPS of $1.67, compared to $2.58 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $157.00 and a 52-week-low of $109.16. Johnson & Johnson's stock last closed at $149.36 per share.

* William Blair upgraded the stock for The Travelers Companies Inc (NYSE:TRV) from Market Perform to Outperform. Travelers Companies earned $2.62 in the first quarter, compared to $2.83 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $154.17 and a 52-week-low of $76.99. Travelers Companies's stock last closed at $119.21 per share.

* Stifel upgraded the stock for Matador Resources Co (NYSE:MTDR) from Hold to Buy. Matador Resources earned $0.20 in the first quarter, compared to $0.19 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $19.82 and a 52-week-low of $1.11. Matador Resources's stock last closed at $8.65 per share.

* For QEP Resources Inc (NYSE:QEP), JP Morgan upgraded the stock from Underweight to Neutral. In the first quarter, QEP Resources showed an EPS of $0.21, compared to $0.15 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $6.52 and a 52-week-low of $0.26. QEP Resources's stock last closed at $1.35 per share.

* Evercore ISI Group changed the rating for First Horizon National Corp (NYSE:FHN) from In-Line to Outperform. In the second quarter, First Horizon National showed an EPS of $0.20, compared to $0.42 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $17.42 and a 52-week-low of $6.27. First Horizon National's stock last closed at $9.24 per share.

* For Dropbox Inc (NASDAQ:DBX), Jefferies upgraded the stock from Hold to Buy. For the first quarter, Dropbox had an EPS of $0.17, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.10. The stock has a 52-week-high of $25.72 and a 52-week-low of $14.55. Dropbox's stock last closed at $20.83 per share.

* For Valero Energy Corp (NYSE:VLO), Jefferies upgraded the stock from Hold to Buy. In the first quarter, Valero Energy showed an EPS of $0.34, compared to $0.34 from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $101.99 and a 52-week-low of $31.00. Valero Energy's stock last closed at $55.45 per share.



Downgrades

* For Freeport-McMoRan Inc (NYSE:FCX), Barclays downgraded the stock from Overweight to Equal-Weight. Freeport-McMoRan earned ($0.16) in the first quarter, compared to $0.05 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $13.87 and a 52-week-low of $4.82. Freeport-McMoRan's stock last closed at $13.58 per share.

* Deutsche Bank changed the rating for GDS Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:GDS) from Hold to Sell. For the first quarter, GDS Holdings had an EPS of ($0.10), compared to year-ago quarter EPS of ($0.18). The stock has a 52-week-high of $91.97 and a 52-week-low of $34.15. GDS Holdings's stock last closed at $81.08 per share.

* Deutsche Bank downgraded the stock for Paramount Group Inc (NYSE:PGRE) from Buy to Hold. Paramount Group earned $0.27 in the first quarter, compared to $0.24 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $15.00 and a 52-week-low of $6.42. Paramount Group's stock last closed at $7.28 per share.

* JP Morgan downgraded the stock for Moderna Inc (NASDAQ:MRNA) from Overweight to Neutral. Moderna earned ($0.35) in the first quarter, compared to ($0.40) in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $95.21 and a 52-week-low of $11.54. Moderna's stock last closed at $94.85 per share.

* Credit Suisse downgraded the stock for AcelRx Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ACRX) from Neutral to Underperform. For the first quarter, AcelRx Pharmaceuticals had an EPS of ($0.20), compared to year-ago quarter EPS of ($0.17). The stock has a 52-week-high of $2.86 and a 52-week-low of $0.70. AcelRx Pharmaceuticals's stock last closed at $1.26 per share.



Initiations

* Barrington Research initiated coverage on Points International Ltd (NASDAQ:PCOM) with an Outperform rating. The price target for Points International is set at $18.00. For the first quarter, Points International had an EPS of $0.08, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.12. The stock has a 52-week-high of $19.06 and a 52-week-low of $6.89. Points International's stock last closed at $9.62 per share.

* With a rating of Overweight, Wells Fargo initiated coverage on Starbucks Corp (NASDAQ:SBUX). The price target is set at $92.00 for Starbucks. For the second quarter, Starbucks had an EPS of $0.32, compared to year-ago quarter EPS of $0.60. The stock has a 52-week-high of $99.72 and a 52-week-low of $50.02. Starbucks's stock last closed at $74.16 per share.

* With a rating of Outperform, BMO Capital initiated coverage on Immunic Inc (NASDAQ:IMUX). The price target is set at $40.00 for Immunic. In the first quarter, Immunic showed an EPS of ($0.79), compared to ($0.22) from the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $17.24 and a 52-week-low of $4.19. Immunic's stock last closed at $13.52 per share.

* Piper Sandler initiated coverage on Zynex Inc (NASDAQ:ZYXI) with an Overweight rating. The price target for Zynex is set at $30.00. Zynex earned $0.09 in the first quarter, compared to $0.07 in the year-ago quarter. The stock has a 52-week-high of $29.73 and a 52-week-low of $7.22. Zynex's stock last closed at $21.42 per share.