The Fed’s Best-Laid Plans: Analysts Upgrade or Downgrade Oracle, Plug Power and More

Markets bounced back from a two-day slide on Friday, with the Dow Jones leading the charge higher, up nearly 1%. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq were up 0.7% and 0.4%, respectively. As it stands now, each of the major averages is on track to post gains for the week, a much-needed uptick.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier in the morning that the Federal Reserve is on track to announce yet another interest rate hike of 75 basis points in the coming Nov. 1 and 2 meeting. However, the Fed is debating on slowing rate hikes following this and approving a smaller rate hike in December.

The question remains as to how much these rate hikes are slowing the economy and how much of an impact they are having on inflation. While the Fed is taking its most aggressive stance on inflation since the 1980s, it is yet to be seen in data from the consumer and producer price indexes if inflation is truly falling.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Fed officials want higher borrowing costs and lower asset prices. The endgame is to slow economic activity by cutting down on spending, hiring and investment. Even further, the goal is to reduce demand, which will in turn lower inflation over time.

Again, it is yet to be seen if these best-laid plans will come to fruition and the American people will be relieved of this heavy burden of inflation.

Here, 24/7 Wall St. is reviewing additional analyst calls seen on Friday. We have included the latest call on each stock, as well as a recent trading history and the consensus targets among analysts. Note that analyst calls seen earlier in the day were on AT&T, Exxon Mobil, Hasbro, Moderna, Snap, Under Armour and more.

Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT): New Street upgraded the stock to Buy from Neutral. The 52-week trading range is $71.12 to $167.06, and the share price was near $80 on Friday.

ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ: ASML): New Street lifted its Neutral rating to Buy. The stock was last seen trading near $447, in a 52-week range of $363.15 to $881.12.

D.R. Horton Inc. (NYSE: DHI): The Raymond James downgrade to Outperform from Strong Buy included a price target cut to $77 from $103. Shares have traded as high as $110.45 in the past year but were changing hands near $67 on Friday.

GFL Environmental Inc. (NYSE: GFL): Though BofA Securities raised its Neutral rating to Buy, it also trimmed its $33 price target to $32.50. The shares traded near $25 on Friday. The 52-week range is $23.10 to $43.71.

KB Home (NYSE: KBH): Raymond James downgraded the shares to Market Perform from Strong Buy. The stock has traded as high as $50.20 a share in the past year but was last seen trading below $27. That is down nearly 41% year to date.

Lennar Corp. (NYSE: LEN): The prior Outperform rating at Raymond James is now Market Perform. The stock traded near $71 on Friday, in a 52-week range of $62.54 to $117.54.

Oracle Corp. (NYSE: ORCL): KeyBanc Capital Markets upgraded it from Sector Weight to Overweight with an $80 price target. The 52-week trading range is $60.78 to $106.34. Shares changed hands near $72 apiece on Friday.

Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG): Canaccord Genuity resumed coverage with a Hold rating and lowered its $21 price target to $16. The stock traded near $16 on Friday, in a 52-week range of $12.70 to $46.50.

PulteGroup Inc. (NYSE: PHM): Raymond James downgraded the stock to Market Perform from Strong Buy. Shares traded near $37 on Friday, in a 52-week range of $35.03 to $58.09.

Tenable Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: TENB): Berenberg resumed coverage with a Hold rating and a $32 price target. Shares traded near $31 on Friday, in a 52-week range of $28.80 to $63.61.

Toll Brothers Inc. (NYSE: TOL): Raymond James cut its Outperform rating to Market Perform. The 52-week trading range is $39.53 to $75.61. Shares changed hands near $40 apiece on Friday.

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