Analyst Update: First Niagara Financial, Intel, HollyFrontier

Analysts chimed in on bank holding company First Niagara Financial Group Inc. (NASDAQ:FNFG), Dow component Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), and  independent petroleum refiner HollyFrontier Corp (NYSE:HFC).  Here's a quick roundup of today's brokerage notes on FNFG, INTC, and HFC.

• FNFG is 15.8% higher at $10.38 -- and hit an annual peak of $10.45 -- after a report surfaced that the company is exploring a sale of the firm and other options -- going as far as hiring JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) to advise in the process. In addition to this news, Evercore ISI raised First Niagara Financial Group Inc.'s target price to $9 from $8. Future analyst upgrades could lend more momentum to the shares, as nine of the 11 brokerages tracking the stock rate it a "hold" or worse.

• INTC is 0.1% higher at $28.70, after Bernstein raised its rating to "market perform" from "underperform," and its target price to $29 from $25. Separately, Intel Corporation announced it is joining Verizon Communications Inc.'s (NYSE:VZ) 5G technology forum. On the charts, the shares recently bounced off support from their 200-week moving average, suggesting they may be gathering upward momentum. Nonetheless, short-term option bears have taken a shine to INTC, as its Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 1.43 is higher than 83% of the readings taken over the past 52 weeks. If this bearish bunch is pushed from its pessimistic perch, the equity could enjoy some upside.

• Finally, HFC is 3% higher at $48.18 -- despite crude's recent struggles -- thanks to Credit Suisse's price-target hike to $60 from $55. The stock is cruising atop support from its 20-week moving average, which it hasn't finished a week below since the middle of April. With HollyFrontier Corp riding along this trendline, it appears that short-term option players are expecting a rally, as HFC's SOIR of 0.11 is at a 52-week low. There is also room for momentum-building upgrades, as eight of the 13 brokerages following the energy equity rate it a "hold" or worse.

For other stocks in analysts' crosshairs, read Analyst Upgrades: Heron Therapeutics Inc, Finish Line Inc, and Total SA and Analyst Downgrades: GoPro Inc, Exxon Mobil Corporation, and Vale SA