Alphabet receives an upgrade, while Nike is downgraded: Leading analyst insights from Wall Street

Today's Key Wall Street Analyst Actions

Stay updated with the most significant and influential analyst recommendations making waves in the financial markets. Below is a summary of the top upgrades, downgrades, and new coverage highlights compiled for investors.

Top 5 Analyst Upgrades

• Alphabet (GOOGL) received an upgrade from Cantor Fitzgerald, moving to Overweight from Neutral. The price target was raised to $370 from $310, with the firm highlighting Alphabet's dominant presence across multiple layers of the AI technology sector.
• Airbnb (ABNB) was upgraded by Cantor Fitzgerald to Neutral from Underweight, and the price target increased to $141 from $117. The firm notes that after a weaker performance in 2025, Airbnb's valuation has become more attractive.
• Roku (ROKU) saw Evercore ISI lift its rating to Outperform from In Line, with the price target rising to $145 from $105. The analyst points to several growth drivers for 2026, including integration with Amazon's demand-side platform, expansion of Roku Ad Manager, and new premium subscription channels within The Roku Channel.
• Shopify (SHOP) was upgraded by Scotiabank to Outperform from Sector Perform, with a new price target of $200, up from $165. The upgrade is attributed to robust revenue growth and increasing operational efficiency, further supported by advancements in AI.
• Coinbase (COIN) received a Buy rating from BofA, up from Neutral, maintaining a price target of $340. Despite a 40% drop from its July peak, the firm notes that Coinbase has accelerated product development and expanded its addressable market, even amid the Q4 crypto downturn.

Top 5 Analyst Downgrades

• Nike (NKE) was downgraded by Needham to Hold from Buy, with no price target provided. The firm cites slower-than-anticipated progress in the company's turnaround efforts.
• Chipotle (CMG) was lowered to Hold from Buy by Gordon Haskett, with a $42 price target. The analyst expects ongoing challenges among lower-income and younger consumers to persist into 2026, likely resulting in continued declines in customer traffic and making upward earnings revisions difficult.
• Tractor Supply (TSCO) was downgraded by Gordon Haskett to Hold from Accumulate, with a $50 price target ahead of its Q4 earnings. The firm reduced its same-store sales growth forecast and sees few positive catalysts in the near term, questioning the company's ability to reach its long-term growth targets.
• Darden (DRI) was downgraded by Truist to Hold from Buy, with the price target cut to $207 from $240. The analyst anticipates a challenging environment for the company heading into 2026.
• Toast (TOST) was moved to Peer Perform from Outperform by Wolfe Research, with no price target set. While the firm remains positive on Toast's execution, it considers the current consensus estimates and valuation to be reasonable.

Top 5 New Analyst Coverages

• Walmart (WMT) coverage was resumed by Deutsche Bank with a Hold rating and a $119 price target. The firm expects 2026 to be a mixed year for broadline and food retailers, citing factors like food price deflation, reduced government support, and continued consumer focus on value. Deutsche Bank also resumed coverage of Costco (COST), Five Below (FIVE), Dollar Tree (DLTR), and Dollar General (DG) with Buy ratings, and Target (TGT) with a Hold.
• Reddit (RDDT) was initiated at Neutral by Cantor Fitzgerald, with a $240 price target. The firm believes the current valuation already factors in a positive outlook following the stock's strong performance in 2025.
• Intuit (INTU) was initiated with a Buy rating and an $802 price target by TD Cowen, who sees room for estimate increases and considers concerns about AI-related risks to be overstated.
• Capri Holdings (CPRI) coverage was reinstated by Goldman Sachs at Neutral with a $27 price target. The firm notes Capri is on stronger footing after selling Versace and undergoing a turnaround at Michael Kors, but believes current estimates already reflect significant improvement.
• Tyler Technologies (TYL) was initiated with a Buy rating and a $550 price target by Stifel, which describes Tyler as the top provider of software, payment solutions, and services for the public sector.