A flurry of analyst moves this week saw sector upgrades, double downgrades, and mixed views across tech, consumer and payments stocks.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)
Rating Action: Upgraded to Sector Weight by KeyBanc (no price target)TLDR: Tariff relief removes a major downside risk—but caution remains on consumer spending and AI execution.
Tariff Exemption: Smartphones carved out of U.S. duties—a “best?case scenario” that wipes out prior downside.
Lingering Risks: High FY26 growth expectations, underwhelming AI progress, and the DOJ lawsuit against Google.
KeyBanc’s View: No longer bearish, but “Apple’s not out of the woods.”
Coty Inc. (NYSE:COTY)
Rating Action: Double downgrade to Underperform by BofA; $4.50 price targetTLDR: Slowing growth and consumer weakness sap beauty momentum.
Prestige Fragrances: 56% of revenue, but market share slipping.
Consumer Beauty: Erosion continues; stabilization is the best?case scenario.
China & Skincare: Macro headwinds and timing missteps on new launches weigh on prospects.
Cloudflare Inc. (NYSE:NET)
Rating Action: Upgraded to Outperform by Mizuho; $135 price targetTLDR: AI?driven deal pipelines and scalable architecture justify a bullish stance despite a 38% price pullback.
Large Deals Flowing: Enterprise pipeline growth and “Workers AI” traction.
Macro Overlooked: Mizuho sees risk/reward skewed in NET’s favor, even as multiples contract.
Hopium Check: Analysts believe NET’s multi?year acceleration remains intact.
Fiserv Inc. (NYSE:FI)
Rating Action: Downgraded to Sell by Redburn?Atlantic; $150 price targetTLDR: Structural cracks in high?growth segments cloud the digital payments narrative.
Merchant Solutions Risk: Clover + Enterprise account for ~60% of growth—but face cyclical headwinds.
Misleading Resilience: Larger non?discretionary merchants mask dependence on smaller, higher?take?rate clients.
Redburn’s Stance: Skeptical of Fiserv’s long?term growth story amid merchant spending pressures.
Track Analyst Rating Changes
See the latest upgrades and downgrades across the market using the? Up-Down Grades by Company API from Financial Modeling Prep.This API delivers real?time data on analyst rating actions—including upgrades, downgrades, and price target revisions—so you can stay on top of evolving consensus.
