Analyst Upgrades: GoPro, Microsoft, Delta Air Lines

Analysts are weighing in today on mobile camera maker GoPro Inc (NASDAQ:GPRO), blue chip Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), and airline issue Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on GPRO, MSFT, and DAL.

• GPRO is headed 4.1% higher ahead of the bell, after J.P. Morgan Securities upgraded the stock to "overweight" from "neutral." The brokerage firm said GoPro Inc is a "strong growth-stock at a more reasonable price ahead of catalysts," including January's Consumer Electronics Show. The shares of GPRO have hit a rough patch in recent weeks, landing at $60.05 on Thursday, but the stock has more than doubled since inception in late June. Nevertheless, today's upgrade marks a change of pace for GPRO, which sports just three "strong buys," compared to seven tepid "holds" and one "strong sell."


• MSFT is pointed modestly lower in pre-market action, despite a pair of upbeat analyst notes. FBR upped its price target by $4 to $57, and reiterated an "outperform" opinion, while Piper Jaffray launched coverage with an "overweight" endorsement. Microsoft Corporation yesterday said it will host a Jan. 21 event to reveal more features of Windows 10 -- slated for release next fall -- and that it will allow bitcoin payments for online games and apps. MSFT has advanced more than 26% in 2014, closing at $47.17 yesterday, yet the stock's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 1.23 stands higher than 95% of all other readings from the past year. In other words, near-term options traders are more put-biased than usual right now.


• Finally, DAL settled at an all-time closing high of $48.33 yesterday, as airlines capitalized on crude's journey to five-year lows. DAL is set to extend its quest for record peaks today, too, with the shares pointed 1.5% higher in electronic trading. Last night, Delta Air Lines, Inc. and Republic Airways Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:RJET) announced an expansion of their partnership, and this morning DAL was greeted with several bullish brokerage notes. Deutsche Bank upped its price target by $12 to $60, Cowen and Company lifted its target by $13 to $58, and Buckingham hiked its target by $16 to $70; all three reiterated "buy" or equivalent ratings. DAL is no stranger to positive analyst attention, though, as 10 out of 11 brokerage firms consider the stock a "buy" or better.