Australian Broker Moves 28 August


A selection of ratings upgrades and downgrades, target price changes, and commentary for ASX stocks from major research houses for 28 August.



(Deep sigh) That's basically it for earnings season! Of course, there will be the usual updates on Monday for today's reporters.

For today however, another deluge of updates. Of interest, positive reactions to FY20 results from Atlas Arteria (ALX) and Nine Entertainment Co. (NEC), with brokers looking past the bump in earnings created by the covid pandemic.

Also faring well after reporting, Afterpay (APT) and Woolworths Group (WOW), which each saw most brokers increase their price targets for the companies.
 
Accent Group AX1 Citi raises Accent Group (AX1) price target from $1.550 to $1.600. Retains neutral rating.  
Accent Group AX1 Morgan Stanley raises Accent Group (AX1) price target from $1.900 to $2.00. Retains overweight rating.  
Adbri ABC UBS upgrades Adbri (ABC) rating from sell to neutral. Raises price target from $2.03 to $2.40. Cites better than expected performance in H1 results.
Afterpay APT Goldman Sachs raises Afterpay (APT) price target from $71.95 to $93.45. Retains neutral rating. Broker is impressed with growth, and further notes that it is likely to continue as addressable market is also growing rapidly.
Afterpay APT UBS raises Afterpay (APT) price target from $27.00 to $28.25. Retains sell rating.  
Afterpay APT Macquarie retains neutral rating on Afterpay (APT). Retains $90.00 price target.  
Afterpay APT Morgan Stanley retains overweight rating on Afterpay (APT). Retains $106.00 price target.  
Ainsworth Game Technology AGI Macquarie lowers Ainsworth Game Technology (AGI) price target from $0.500 to $0.450. Retains neutral rating.  
Appen APX Credit Suisse downgrades Appen (APX) rating from neutral to underperform. Lowers price target from $30.00 to $29.00. Blames lack of positive guidance in H1 results, notes weaker than expected.
Appen APX Macquarie raises Appen (APX) price target from $38.00 to $43.00. Retains outperform rating.  
Appen APX UBS raises Appen (APX) price target from $41.00 to $44.00. Retains buy rating.  
Ardent Leisure Group ALG Citi lowers Ardent Leisure Group (ALG) price target from $1.230 to $0.690. Retains buy rating. Blames continued headwinds for business, execution misses.
Atlas Arteria ALX Goldman Sachs raises Atlas Arteria (ALX) price target from $7.20 to $8.17. Retains buy rating.  
Atlas Arteria ALX Credit Suisse upgrades Atlas Arteria (ALX) rating from neutral to outperform. Raises price target from $6.90 to $7.90. Broker is impressed with recovery in France traffic volumes, optimistic on continued recovery elsewhere.
Atlas Arteria ALX Macquarie raises Atlas Arteria (ALX) price target from $6.71 to $6.81. Retains neutral rating. Notes recovery in traffic volumes.
Atlas Arteria ALX Morgan Stanley raises Atlas Arteria (ALX) price target from $6.88 to $6.91. Retains equalweight rating. Sees positive signs in traffic volume recovery.
Atlas Arteria ALX UBS raises Atlas Arteria (ALX) price target from $6.35 to $6.50. Retains neutral rating. Cites better than expected H1 results.
Capitol Health CAJ Credit Suisse raises Capitol Health (CAJ) price target from $0.290 to $0.300. Retains outperform rating.  
City Chic Collective CCX Macquarie raises City Chic Collective (CCX) price target from $4.21 to $4.30. Retains outperform rating.  
Flight Centre Travel Group FLT Citi raises Flight Centre Travel Group (FLT) price target from $13.50 to $14.10. Retains neutral rating.  
Flight Centre Travel Group FLT Credit Suisse raises Flight Centre Travel Group (FLT) price target from $13.46 to $14.01. Retains outperform rating.  
Flight Centre Travel Group FLT UBS lowers Flight Centre Travel Group (FLT) price target from $15.10 to $14.50. Retains buy rating.  
Galaxy Resources GXY Citi raises Galaxy Resources (GXY) price target from $1.100 to $1.250. Retains neutral rating.  
GTN GTN Macquarie lowers GTN (GTN) price target from $0.530 to $0.470. Retains neutral rating.  
Harvey Norman HVN Citi raises Harvey Norman (HVN) price target from $4.60 to $4.80. Retains buy rating.  
IGO IGO Credit Suisse upgrades IGO (IGO) rating from underperform to neutral. Raises price target from $4.05 to $4.35.  
IGO IGO Morgan Stanley raises IGO (IGO) price target from $4.75 to $4.80. Retains equalweight rating.  
Japara Healthcare JHC UBS lowers Japara Healthcare (JHC) price target from $0.600 to $0.500. Retains neutral rating.  
Life360 360 Credit Suisse raises Life360 (360) price target from $4.40 to $4.80. Retains outperform rating.  
Link Administration LNK Credit Suisse lowers Link Administration (LNK) price target from $5.90 to $5.10. Retains outperform rating.  
Link Administration LNK Macquarie raises Link Administration (LNK) price target from $4.60 to $5.10. Retains outperform rating.  
Link Administration LNK UBS raises Link Administration (LNK) price target from $4.65 to $4.80. Retains buy rating.  
Metcash MTS Goldman Sachs raises Metcash (MTS) price target from $3.27 to $3.45. Retains buy rating. Broker is impressed with accelerating sales growth across all three of co's divisions.
Nine Entertainment Co. NEC Jefferies raises Nine Entertainment Co. (NEC) price target from $1.790 to $1.990. Retains buy rating. Is pleased with the performance of co's digital assets. FY20 results were better than expected.
Nine Entertainment Co. NEC Credit Suisse raises Nine Entertainment Co. (NEC) price target from $2.10 to $2.35. Retains outperform rating. Broker is impressed with Stan performance.
Nine Entertainment Co. NEC Macquarie raises Nine Entertainment Co. (NEC) price target from $1.650 to $1.900. Retains outperform rating. Expects an uptick in earnings growth led by online.
Nine Entertainment Co. NEC Morgan Stanley raises Nine Entertainment Co. (NEC) price target from $1.950 to $2.10. Retains overweight rating. Notes is becoming more confident in co's ability to return to earning's growth.
Nine Entertainment Co. NEC UBS raises Nine Entertainment Co. (NEC) price target from $1.750 to $1.900. Retains buy rating. Expects operating conditions to improve.
Platinum Asset Management PTM Credit Suisse raises Platinum Asset Management (PTM) price target from $3.15 to $3.30. Retains underperform rating.  
Platinum Asset Management PTM Macquarie lowers Platinum Asset Management (PTM) price target from $3.50 to $3.40. Retains underperform rating.  
Prospa Group PGL Macquarie lowers Prospa Group (PGL) price target from $0.940 to $0.870. Retains neutral rating.  
Prospa Group PGL UBS lowers Prospa Group (PGL) price target from $1.400 to $0.900. Retains neutral rating.  
Ramsay Health Care RHC Citi lowers Ramsay Health Care (RHC) price target from $72.00 to $70.00. Retains neutral rating.  
Ramsay Health Care RHC Credit Suisse raises Ramsay Health Care (RHC) price target from $68.80 to $70.00. Retains outperform rating.  
Ramsay Health Care RHC Macquarie raises Ramsay Health Care (RHC) price target from $72.50 to $73.15. Retains outperform rating.  
Ramsay Health Care RHC Morgan Stanley raises Ramsay Health Care (RHC) price target from $56.00 to $61.00. Retains underweight rating.  
Reece REH Citi raises Reece (REH) price target from $8.55 to $9.60. Retains sell rating.  
Regis Healthcare REG Macquarie raises Regis Healthcare (REG) price target from $1.090 to $1.100. Retains underperform rating.  
Regis Healthcare REG UBS lowers Regis Healthcare (REG) price target from $1.500 to $1.360. Retains neutral rating.  
Sandfire Resources SFR Citi raises Sandfire Resources (SFR) price target from $5.40 to $5.50. Retains neutral rating.  
Sandfire Resources SFR Credit Suisse lowers Sandfire Resources (SFR) price target from $5.50 to $5.40. Retains outperform rating.  
Sandfire Resources SFR Macquarie lowers Sandfire Resources (SFR) price target from $5.20 to $5.10. Retains neutral rating.  
Sandfire Resources SFR UBS retains buy rating on Sandfire Resources (SFR). Retains $5.80 price target.  
Seven Group SVW Goldman Sachs raises Seven Group (SVW) price target from $20.50 to $20.90. Retains buy rating. Notes FY20 results beat expectations. Sees healthy activity levels to support earnings growth.
Seven Group SVW UBS raises Seven Group (SVW) price target from $19.00 to $21.00. Retains buy rating.  
Sonic Healthcare SHL Morgan Stanley lowers Sonic Healthcare (SHL) price target from $36.00 to $35.00. Retains overweight rating. Expects some impact on earnings growth as a result of competitor Abbott Labs gaining approval for new covid-19 test.
Woolworths Group WOW Citi lowers Woolworths Group (WOW) price target from $41.50 to $41.20. Retains neutral rating.  
Woolworths Group WOW Jefferies raises Woolworths Group (WOW) price target from $44.50 to $46.50. Retains buy rating. Broker believes sales growth intact in the near term, sees gains coming from online offering.
Woolworths Group WOW Credit Suisse raises Woolworths Group (WOW) price target from $37.18 to $40.31. Retains neutral rating. Notes comfortable holding on basis of defensive qualities.
Woolworths Group WOW Morgan Stanley raises Woolworths Group (WOW) price target from $40.50 to $42.00. Retains equalweight rating. Is pleased with strong start to new quarter.
Woolworths Group WOW UBS raises Woolworths Group (WOW) price target from $39.10 to $43.50. Retains buy rating. Broker is impressed with solid cash flow in FY20 results. Sees continued strength ahead.
Worley WOR Goldman Sachs raises Worley (WOR) price target from $12.10 to $12.40. Retains buy rating. Broker is impressed with chemicals division, but notes weakness in energy. Sees continued challenges to hydrocarbon market, but potential upside is compelling.
ZIP Co Z1P Macquarie retains underperform rating on ZIP Co (Z1P). Retains $5.45 price target. Broker is not impressed with FY20 results. Is not sector favourite.



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