Monday's biggest analyst calls on Wall Street

Key Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: What Investors Should Watch This Week

Imagine checking a weather app before heading outside—you want to know if you should bring an umbrella or sunglasses. That’s a lot like checking Wall Street analyst updates: investors use these “forecasts” to decide if it’s time to buy, sell, or hold their stocks.

Why Wall Street Calls Matter for Investors

Big banks and research firms like Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, and Goldman Sachs often upgrade or downgrade stocks. These moves can shake up the market and impact your investment portfolio, especially if you own shares in the companies mentioned or are thinking about buying them.

Bullish Calls: The Optimistic Side

  • Datadog: Morgan Stanley sees strong growth ahead, especially with more companies moving to the cloud.
  • ConocoPhillips: Wells Fargo likes this oil and gas company’s dividend growth, which could mean more money for investors.
  • Liberty Formula One: Bernstein says it’s time to buy the dip, expecting the stock to bounce back with new deals.
  • Nvidia & Broadcom: Bernstein still loves these AI-focused chip makers. AI spending is rising fast, with global AI market revenue expected to hit $407 billion by 2027.
  • Amphenol: Barclays sees “tailwinds” from its role in data center technology and recent smart buys.
  • Apple: Bank of America is bullish, expecting strong iPhone sales and growing services revenue.
  • Netflix: HSBC thinks the recent price drop is a buying opportunity.
  • Medline: Morgan Stanley says this medical supplier is gaining market share.
  • General Motors: Citi is sticking with its buy rating, seeing potential through 2026-2027.
  • Zoom & Palantir: Citi upgraded both, seeing growth ahead for video calls and data analytics.
  • Applied Materials: Susquehanna expects more spending on chip-making equipment.
  • Vista Energy: UBS sees strong growth for this Mexican energy company.
  • Microsoft: Goldman Sachs calls it a top growth story in tech, with a 37% upside in the next year.
  • Airbnb: B. Riley sees healthy growth and room for the stock to rise.
  • Akamai: Morgan Stanley thinks it’s at a turning point, shifting from content delivery to cloud security.
  • Comcast: Bank of America likes its sports rights and sees more deals coming.
  • Roku, Amazon, Meta, Pool Corp, Appian, Andersen Group, ServiceNow: Several firms upgraded or reiterated these as buys, seeing either growth or attractive prices.
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Bearish or Cautious Calls: The Other Side

  • Tesla: Wells Fargo is still cautious, raising its price target a bit but warning that self-driving technology may not meet expectations soon.
  • Alphabet (Google): Wells Fargo says changes in how we search online could slow growth for a while.
  • Snowflake: Barclays downgraded after a strong year, worried about high prices and more competition.

What Does the Data Say?

History shows that analyst upgrades and downgrades can move stock prices—sometimes by over 2% in a single day, according to a National Bureau of Economic Research study. But not every call turns out right, so it’s smart to look at the bigger picture and not just follow one analyst.

Action Steps for Investors

  • Check your exposure: If you own any of these stocks, review how much of your portfolio they make up. Don’t let one company take over your whole investment plan.
  • Watch for trends, not just one call: Look for patterns in analyst opinions. If several firms are bullish or bearish, pay closer attention.
  • Dig into the details: Read why analysts like or dislike a stock. Is it because of new technology, strong sales, or just a cheap price?
  • Remember the long game: Upgrades and downgrades can cause short-term swings, but your investment goals should be long-term.
  • Use credible sources: Always double-check big claims with data from reputable studies or financial news outlets.

Investor Takeaway

  • Don’t chase every upgrade or downgrade—use them as one piece of your research puzzle.
  • Spread your risk across sectors and companies, not just the top picks from analysts.
  • Track how analyst opinions change over time, especially after earnings or big news.
  • Stay curious and keep learning—markets are always changing, and so are the “forecasts.”

For the full original report, see CNBC

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