Edited by Peter Hillerberg1 min readStories are generated from ORTEX data and reviewed by the ORTEX team. How we publish
Analysts made a clear sector call this week. They upgraded cybersecurity names and cut utilities stocks in the same session.
Fortinet was upgraded, with the consensus buy count rising from four to five analysts. Palo Alto Networks also received an upgrade. Its consensus now shows 42 buy ratings. Both moves point to renewed appetite for cybersecurity after a period of relative quiet.
Applied Materials gained an upgrade too, pushing its buy count to 32. The consensus target price slipped slightly to $627.83, suggesting analysts back the stock on valuation rather than near-term momentum.
The utilities sector took the opposite treatment. Southern Company was downgraded, with buy ratings dropping from three to two. was also cut, losing a buy and gaining a sell in the same action. Both companies face the same headwind: rising rate expectations make high-yield dividend stocks less attractive.
BlackRock stood out as the sharpest downgrade of the session. Its sell count climbed from 16 to 17, and the consensus target held at $1,337. That is a cautious call on an asset manager that has outperformed peers.
Occidental Petroleum saw its consensus target edge up to $69.62 from $69.58. The move is modest but reflects steady analyst support ahead of the quarter.
The pattern is clean: buy technology, sell regulated income. Analysts appear to be positioning for a risk-on environment heading into the final quarter.
ORTEX Market Intelligence content is generated by AI from a snapshot of ORTEX's proprietary data and reviewed by the ORTEX team. Content is informational only and does not constitute investment advice.
