Top 5 Analysts’ Upgrades: AAPL, AOL, AT, CLF, EBAY

PUBLISHED: 01 Apr 2013 @ 17:35 | Comments (0) | More info about Ed Liston

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL): The stock is in continuous plunge and analysts are retaining their negative ratings. However, Credit Agricole is going against the tide and raised its rating for Apple from Buy to Outperform. Apple is currently trading at $435.86, down 1.53 percent from its previous close.

The stock is trading above its 20 days moving average price of $435.17 and 50 days moving average price of $435.65. Its 52 weeks price range stands at $419 and $705.07. The stock is trading at the Price Earnings ratio of 9.89. Apple commands market capitalization of $409.40 billion. Despite its upgrade for the stock, Credit Agricole slashed its price target for Apple to $505, down from $575. In the recent past, Sterne Agee also confirmed its Buy rating for the stock while UBS AG now includes Apple in its ‘Preferred List’ rating.

AOL Inc. (NYSE:AOL): The stock is currently trading at $38.14, down 0.90 percent. It is trading below its 20 days moving average price of $38.32. AOL has been granted a rating upgrade by Barclays. The stock’s new rating is Overweight, up from Equal Weight. Barclays also upped the price target from $38.00 to $44.00. The stock oscillated in the range of $37.93 and $38.41 in the current trading session. AOL reported its latest EPS at $11.01. The company stock’s Price Earnings ratio stands at 3.47. AOL commands the market capitalization of $2.94 billion and its stock is trading at the beta of 0.90. AOL has been upgrade for its cost cutting measures. The company also carried out buyback of its shares, resulting in the upgrade. AOL stock responded well to the new rating. It is also expected to announce better than expected results.

Atlantic Power Corporation (NYSE:AT): The company stock received upgrades from BMO Capital Markets and Scotiabank. BMO Capital Markets upgraded the rating from Underperform to Market Perform while Scotiabank upped it to Sector Perform. The company is currently undertaking structural reorganization as it announced the appointment of its new COO. Atlantic Power named Edward Hall as its new Chief Operating Officer. He will also assume the position of Executive Vice President. Atlantic Power is currently trading at $4.75, down 3.65 percent. It is trading in the range of $4.75 and $5.01 in the current trading session. The stock is lower than its 20 days moving average price of $4.78 and 50 days moving average price of $4.85. In the past 52 weeks, the stock’s price range has been $4.56 and $15.18. The stock’s beta is 0.24 and thus has very low volatility. Atlantic Power commands market capitalization of $568.56 million. The company engages in the business of power generation and infrastructure.

Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE:CLF): Its stock traded in the range of $19.04 and $19.75 in the current trading session and at this point is at $19.13, up 0.60 percent. The stock’s highest price point of 52 weeks stands at $71.60 while its lowest price point is at $17.95. Cliffs Natural Resources stock is trading at beta of 1.93, making it a highly volatile stock. The company’s dividend yield stands at 3.20 percent. Goldman Sachs upped its rating for Cliffs Natural Resources to Neutral. Its earlier rating stood at Sell. It also increased the price target from $10 to $20. The stock is currently trading near its 52 weeks low price. Cliffs Natural Resources engages in mining and production of various natural resources such as lump ores and iron ore pellets. The company has various mining interests in states including Alabama and West Virginia. Cliffs Natural Resources was earlier known as Cleveland Cliffs Inc.

eBay Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY): The stock has been upgraded by Canaccord Genuity. Its new rating is at Buy, up from its previous verdict of Hold. The research firm also upped the target price of the stock from $56 to $64. The stock is trading 3.78 percent higher, at $56.27. The company has traded 9.16 million shares in the current trading sessions so far and its stock has traded in the range of $35.31 and $57.27 in the past 52 weeks. The company stock’s beta is 0.86, while its P/E ratio stands at 28.33. It had reported its latest Earnings per Share at $1.99. eBay also had price target raised by Robert W. Baird from $60 to $65.

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