Wall Street analysts made significant calls on Friday, impacting major stocks like SpaceX, Nvidia, Apple, and Tesla. TD Cowen upgraded Diageo, while Stephens initiated coverage on James Hardie and Granite. Analysts reiterated strong stances on Nvidia and Microsoft, seeing continued growth potential.
Notable movements include a downgrade for Nike and upgrades for Crocs and Allegiant. Other companies in focus were Penn Gaming, Red Rock Resorts, and Robinhood, with several receiving ‘buy’ ratings.
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Friday's Market Movers: Top Analyst Calls on SpaceX, Nvidia, Apple, Tesla, Microsoft, and More
Wall Street analysts were active on Friday, issuing a range of upgrades, downgrades, and initiations across major tech and industrial companies. Key calls included TD Cowen upgrading beverage giant Diageo, Stephens initiating coverage on James Hardie and Granite, and Mizuho reiterating an outperform rating on Nvidia.
Key Analyst Actions:
- Diageo (DEO): TD Cowen upgraded the beverage company to 'buy' from 'hold', citing a "valuation dislocation" and expected improvements in growth and commercial execution.
- James Hardie (JHX) & Granite (GVA): Stephens initiated both companies with 'overweight' ratings. James Hardie was praised as a "high-quality" fiber cement manufacturer, while Granite was noted for its strong performance in construction services and civil contracting.
- Nvidia (NVDA): Mizuho reiterated its 'outperform' rating, affirming Nvidia's leadership in AI training and inference chips for data centers.
- Apple (AAPL): Morgan Stanley maintained an 'overweight' rating, anticipating "earnings upside" despite recent price hikes, due to ecosystem strength and inelastic demand.
- Penn Gaming (PENN) & Red Rock Resorts (RRR): Goldman Sachs initiated both with 'buy' ratings, highlighting compelling risk/reward profiles and strong future earnings potential.
- Nike (NKE): Keybanc downgraded the sportswear giant to 'sector weight' from 'overweight', indicating a slower-than-expected turnaround.
- Crocs (CROX): Piper Sandler upgraded the footwear company to 'overweight', citing an inexpensive valuation and positive trends in direct-to-consumer sales.
- Microsoft (MSFT): Deutsche Bank reiterated its 'buy' rating, suggesting Microsoft's AI initiatives are "value creative" and form a sustainable commercial foundation.
- Allegiant (ALGT): Citi upgraded the airline to 'buy' from 'neutral', enthusiastic about the potential synergies from a merger with Sun Country Airlines.
- Robinhood (HOOD): BTIG initiated coverage with a 'buy' rating, believing the company is "built to compound."
