Analyst Upgrades: Apple, AstraZeneca, Dicks Sporting Goods

Analysts are weighing in on tech titan Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), biotech stock AstraZeneca plc (ADR) (NYSE:AZN), and retailer Dicks Sporting Goods Inc (NYSE:DKS). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on AAPL, AZN, and DKS.

• AAPL is up 1% at $92.94, as the broader equities market bounces back following the "Brexit" bloodbath, and after Cowen and Company reiterated its "outperform" rating (subscription required), saying now could be an opportune time to buy AAPL ahead of a potential iPhone upgrade "super cycle." AAPL shares have lost over a quarter of their value within the past year, embarking on a string of lower highs and lows. Short interest is up 78.9% over the last reporting period, and AAPL's 50-day put/call volume ratio at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) of 0.74 sits higher than 99% of all other readings from the past year, showing an influx of bearish sentiment in recent weeks. However, analysts seem to believe in an Apple Inc. comeback, with 25 of 31 analysts rating AAPL a "buy" or better. Should AAPL extend its journey lower, or should September's event disappoint, a blowback of bearish analyst attention could incite more selling pressure.

• AZN is up 2.3% at $28.60, after its antibiotic Zavicefta was approved for use by the European Union (EU). Goldman Sachs and RBC have hiked their price targets to 4000 pence to 3700 pence (or approximately to $53.36 from $49.36), respectively. U.K.-based AZN has had a rough go of late, with the shares down nearly 16% year-to-date, touching a two-year low earlier this month. However, AstraZeneca plc (ADR)'s 50-day ISE/CBOE/PHLX call/put volume ratio of 2.15 sits in the 84th percentile of its annual range, suggesting optimism among option players. 

• DKS ​is trading at $41.99, up 4.8%, after Goldman Sachs added DKS to the "Conviction Buy" list, saying the retailer is "best positioned to benefit from store closures of its largest competitor, The Sports Authority." Dicks Sporting Goods Inc is up 18% year-to-date, although the shares are staring up at resistance from their formerly supportive 200-day moving average. Meanwhile, skepticism in the options pits is at a 52-week high; DKS' 10-day ISE/CBOE/PHLX put/call volume ratio of 19.54 indicates that nearly 20 puts have been bought to open for every call during the past two weeks.