Rivian upgraded, Check Point downgrade: Wall Street's top analyst calls

Rivian upgraded, Check Point downgrade: Wall Street's top analyst calls

Mon, July 27, 2026 at 4:38 PM GMT+3 4 min read

The most talked about and market moving research calls around Wall Street are now in one place. Here are today's research calls that investors need to know, as compiled by The Fly.

Top 5 Upgrades:

• Piper Sandler upgraded Rivian (RIVN) to Overweight from Neutral with a price target of $20, up from $18. The firm says AI-enabled business models in the auto space are disrupting established industries, and notes Rivian offers a "de-risked" balance sheet, a "smooth" R2 ramp, and an improved demand outlook. Piper Sandler also upgraded Mobileye (MBLY) to Overweight from Neutral with a price target of $12, up from $10.

• Phillip Securities upgraded Alphabet (GOOGL) to Buy from Accumulate with a price target of $425, down from $450. The company reported "robust" revenue growth across its core business segments, the firm tells investors in a research note.

• Jefferies upgraded General Motors (GM) to Buy from Hold with a price target of $99, up from $90. The firm's "main takeaway" from Q2 earnings was confidence that 2027 will "further strengthen GM's position within the US profit oligopoly," says the firm, which raised its above consensus estimates by about 6% for 2026-28 and sees 2027 earnings approaching $16 per share. Jefferies also upgraded Ford (F) to Buy from Hold with a price target of $17.50, up from $14.50.

• Wells Fargo upgraded Sirius XM (SIRI) to Equal Weight from Underweight with a price target of $30, up from $18. The firm upgraded the shares after revaluing the company's spectrum from an equity value of $1B to $5B.

• Erste Group upgraded Visa (V) to Buy from Hold. The firm views the stock as fairly valued with further upside potential driven by stronger revenue and earnings growth than peers.

Top 5 Downgrades:

• JPMorgan downgraded Check Point (CHKP) to Neutral from Overweight with an unchanged price target of $135. The firm cites near-term execution risk and the company's softening competitive position for the downgrade.

• Erste Group downgraded Caterpillar (CAT) to Hold from Buy. Caterpillar's gross margin and the operating margin declined year-over-year in the last quarter and the potential for further price gains is "severely limited," the firm tells investors.

• Seaport Research downgraded Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) to Neutral from Buy without a price target after Paramount Skydance (PSKY) said it is putting the Warner acquisition on hold up to June 1, 2027, so it could attempt to rectify the Writers' Guild and various U.S. state attorneys' general moves against the deal.

• Citi downgraded Albertsons (ACI) to Neutral from Buy with a price target of $11, down from $17. Citi believes Albertsons' market share losses in a "difficult competitive landscape" do not warrant a higher valuation multiple than current share levels.

• Piper Sandler double downgraded Stellantis (STLA) to Underweight from Overweight with a price target of $4, down from $14. Stellantis' situation will likely get worse before it gets better, the firm tells investors in a research note.

Top 5 Initiations:

• JPMorgan initiated coverage of BWX Technologies (BWXT) with an Overweight rating and $230 price target, offering 30% upside potential. The firm believes the company benefits from a "robust" demand landscape over the coming decade.

• Goldman Sachs initiated coverage of Bending Spoons (BSP) with a Buy rating and $43 price target. Goldman sees AI as a potential catalyst, saying it increases both the need for operational transformation within companies and the number of potential acquisition targets that may benefit from Bending Spoons' platform operating model. Mizuho, Bernstein, BNP Paribas, Benchmark and Wells Fargo also started coverage of the name with Buy-equivalent ratings, while Evercore ISI, JPMorgan, BofA and Jefferies initiated the stock with Neutral-equivalent ratings.
  

• Benchmark reinstated coverage of the quantum computing sector, including coverage of IonQ (IONQ) with a Buy rating and $60 price target, D-Wave Quantum (QBTS) with a Buy rating and $30 price target and Rigetti Computing (RGTI) with a Buy rating and $25 price target. The firm is "bullish" on the quantum computing sector, sees the legitimacy of the technology further building on recent momentum and argues it is not a "winner-takes-all" situation.

• BofA initiated coverage of Clean Harbors (CLH) with a Buy rating and $360 price target. As the leading provider of hazardous waste management services in North America, the firm views Clean Harbors as "uniquely positioned to benefit" from a combination of structural growth drivers, improving end-market conditions, and increasing scarcity of its irreplaceable hazardous waste infrastructure.

• Goldman Sachs initiated coverage of Genius Sports (GENI) with a Buy rating and $9.50 price target. The firm views current share levels as an attractive buying opportunity.