Analyst Update: Actavis, Electronic Arts, United Continental

Analysts adjusted their ratings on ACT, EA, and UAL

Nov 18, 2014 at 2:01 PM

Analysts are weighing in today on drugmaker Actavis plc (NYSE:ACT), video game concern Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA), and air travel issue United Continental Holdings Inc (NYSE:UAL). Here's a quick look at today's brokerage notes on ACT, EA, and UAL.

Following its buyout of Allergan, Inc. (NYSE:AGN), ACT received price-target hikes at BMO (to $286) and at Bernstein (to $300), which also reiterated its "outperform" rating. As such, shares of Actavis plc have gained 7.5% today to trade at $266.57, and earlier touched a record high of $268.38. Not surprisingly, today's bullish attention is commonplace for ACT. Fifteen of the 16 analysts covering the stock have given it a "buy" or better assessment, and the equity's consensus 12-month price target of $280.88 stands in uncharted territory.

EA is rallying on the heels of an "overweight" initiation at Barclays. What's more, the brokerage firm set a price target of $48 on the shares. The stock has responded positively to these developments, up 3.4% to hover near $42.80, after earlier hitting a six-year high of $42.86. Electronic Arts Inc.'s technical tenacity extends well beyond today, as the equity is sitting on a year-to-date lead of nearly 87%. Meanwhile, at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), EA has racked up a 10-day call/put volume ratio of 3.25 -- in the bullishly skewed 81st percentile of its 52-week range.

UAL reached an all-time peak of $58.68 earlier -- and was last seen up 4.3% at $58.40 -- thanks to an upwardly revised price target at Cowen. Specifically, the brokerage firm lifted its target by $13 to $65, to go along with an "outperform" rating. United Continental Holdings Inc is no stranger to positive attention on the Street. In fact, 10 out of 12 covering analysts have doled out "buy" or better opinions -- versus just two total "sells" -- while the stock's 10-day ISE/CBOE/PHLX call/put volume ratio of 6.97 is higher than 97% of comparable readings taken in the last year.

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