Thursday's Biggest Analyst Calls: Nvidia, Apple, Coca-cola, Mcdonald's, Palantir & More

Here are Thursday’s biggest calls on Wall Street:

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UBS Upgrades Diageo to Buy
UBS upgraded Diageo, citing strong brand momentum in the beverage sector. Analysts noted an encouraging outlook for Diageo’s U.S. business, with sell-out trends showing a 3.6% increase—well ahead of the weak spirits industry. Key brands like Don Julio and Crown Royal are driving growth, with expectations for sustained performance.

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Goldman Sachs Downgrades General Dynamics to Sell
General Dynamics received a downgrade from Goldman Sachs due to multiple negative catalysts across its segments. Challenges include delivery and margin pressures at Gulfstream, declining supplemental revenue at Combat, and margin concerns in the Marine division.

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UBS Downgrades Nucor to Neutral
UBS shifted its rating for steel producer Nucor to neutral, pointing to a stretched valuation. The price target was reduced to $156 from $171.

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Bernstein Reiterates Apple as Outperform
Bernstein maintained its outperform rating on Apple but expressed caution regarding the rollout of artificial intelligence features in 2025. Analysts expect the initial features to be modest, with a gradual adoption trajectory for smartphone AI capabilities.

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JPMorgan Upgrades Brookfield Renewables to Overweight
Brookfield Renewables earned an overweight rating from JPMorgan, which cited the company’s strong access to capital and its diversified, scalable operations as advantages. These factors position it to accelerate investments in renewable energy projects.

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Morgan Stanley Names Alcoa a Top Pick
Morgan Stanley selected Alcoa as a top pick for 2025, highlighting productivity initiatives, cost reduction efforts, and asset optimization. The easing risks associated with bauxite mining in Western Australia also contributed to the bullish outlook.

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Wells Fargo Reiterates McDonald’s as Overweight
Wells Fargo identified McDonald’s as its top large-cap restaurant idea heading into 2025. Analysts observed improved customer traffic and the closure of an E. coli case, which could boost U.S. comparable sales in the fourth quarter.

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Wells Fargo Downgrades Blackstone to Equal Weight
Blackstone’s valuation led Wells Fargo to downgrade the stock. Despite being a leader in alternative investments, potential risks to performance fee expectations in early 2025 and limited upside to earnings per share weighed on the outlook.

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TD Cowen Downgrades Adobe to Hold
Following its earnings report, TD Cowen downgraded Adobe. While the company’s focus on expanding its free user base is strategic, analysts don’t see generative AI significantly boosting growth in the near term.

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KeyBanc Upgrades Charter to Overweight
Charter Communications received an upgrade from KeyBanc, which anticipates a significant jump in free cash flow. The firm set a price target of $500.

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KeyBanc Downgrades T-Mobile to Sector Weight
T-Mobile was downgraded on valuation concerns. KeyBanc noted that the stock’s price has become stretched, and analysts are reluctant to raise targets to justify it.

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Mizuho Reiterates Nvidia as Outperform
Mizuho reiterated its positive stance on Nvidia, emphasizing the company’s role in driving generative AI power demand. Modular data centers are expected to support AI growth, benefiting Nvidia and other firms in the tech ecosystem.

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Morgan Stanley Upgrades Equifax to Overweight
Equifax was upgraded by Morgan Stanley, citing an improving regulatory environment and strengthening consumer credit dynamics.

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HSBC Initiates Roblox as Buy
HSBC initiated coverage of Roblox with a buy rating, praising its ability to attract not just younger users but also investor interest.

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Wells Fargo Downgrades Hershey to Underweight
Hershey faced a downgrade from Wells Fargo due to anticipated earnings pressures in 2025 and 2026, driven by rising cocoa costs and other challenges.

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Citi Adds American Airlines to Focus List
Citi expressed optimism about American Airlines, adding the stock to its focus list. Analysts see potential for share price gains from earnings surprises.

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Goldman Sachs Names Woodward a Top Pick
Goldman Sachs identified Woodward as a top pick for 2025, pointing to growth opportunities in power generation and improved margins in its industrial segment.

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Benchmark Initiates Penske as Buy
Benchmark began coverage of Penske Auto Group with a buy rating, setting a price target of $185. Analysts are optimistic about the transport and trucking company’s prospects.

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TD Cowen Names Amazon a Top Idea
TD Cowen highlighted Amazon as a top idea for 2025, driven by operational margin expansion, accelerating AWS growth, and improved cash flow.

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JPMorgan Upgrades Xcel Energy to Overweight
Xcel Energy was upgraded after a positive third-quarter update. JPMorgan sees room for growth despite past liabilities tied to wildfires.

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Deutsche Bank Upgrades Beverage Stocks
Deutsche Bank upgraded Coca-Cola, Keurig Dr Pepper, and Pepsi, expecting improved trends in restaurant and convenience store traffic. Impulse purchases are also seen as growth drivers heading into 2025.

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JPMorgan Reiterates Disney as Overweight
Disney remained a top pick for JPMorgan, which expects the company’s content strategy and streaming success to drive earnings growth.

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Bank of America Initiates Box as Buy
Box was initiated as a buy, with analysts highlighting its potential to capitalize on AI monetization by transitioning from data storage to value extraction.

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JPMorgan Initiates Celsius Holdings as Overweight
JPMorgan started coverage of Celsius Holdings, citing improving category trends and a valuation at one-third of its 2024 peak.

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Bank of America Upgrades Constellation Energy to Buy
Constellation Energy’s compelling valuation and growth outlook led to an upgrade by Bank of America. Analysts pointed to its clean energy mix and consistent growth.

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Goldman Sachs Upgrades Parsons to Buy
Parsons earned a buy rating from Goldman Sachs, which highlighted the company’s unique position in critical infrastructure amid government spending uncertainties.

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Jefferies Initiates Emerson Electric as Buy
Emerson Electric’s transformation efforts and benefits from U.S. factory investments earned it a bullish initiation from Jefferies.

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Goldman Sachs Reiterates AT&T as Buy
Goldman Sachs reiterated AT&T as a top pick for 2025, emphasizing its ability to sustain strong performance in the telecom sector.

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Morgan Stanley Upgrades Jazz Pharmaceuticals to Overweight
Jazz Pharmaceuticals received an upgrade, with analysts optimistic about its cancer drug Ziihera and broader portfolio prospects.

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