Buy/Sell: Wall Street’s top 10 stock calls this week

What has Wall Street been buzzing about this week? Here are the top 5 Buy calls and the top 5 Sell calls made by Wall Street’s best analysts during the week of September 8-12.

Find all top-rated stocks by the best-rated analysts on TipRanks.

Top 5 Buy Calls:

1. Nvidia upgraded to Buy at DA Davidson on growth in AI compute demand

DA Davidson upgraded Nvidia (NVDA) to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $210, up from $195, citing the belief the growth in AI compute demand will drive enough demand to sustain growth into next year and likely beyond. The firm’s “increasingly optimistic view” of the growth in AI compute demand supersedes its concerns about cross-currents it has highlighted in the past, including the increased competition from customers through ASICs, especially Google’s (GOOGL) TPUs and increased competition and volatility in demand in China, DA Davidson tells investors.

2. Nike upgraded to Buy at TD Cowen

TD Cowen upgraded Nike (NKE) to Buy from Hold with a price target of $85, up from $62. The firm sees three reasons to believe in Nike’s turnaround: the company’s margins have troughed and a recovery is underappreciated, new management’s execution, and improving Nike and Jordan trends, according to its field checks. TD’s field work shows signs of Nike and Jordan improvement while share gain and brand heat from upstart peers are slowing, the firm tells investors in a research note.

3. Citi upgrades Dick’s Sporting to Buy on “category killer” acquisition

Citi upgraded Dick’s Sporting (DKS) to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $280, up from $225, following the close of the Foot Locker acquisition. The firm views the combined company as a “powerful force” in athletic footwear and apparel. The buying power of Dick’s with Foot Locker will create a “category killer,” Citi contends. It believes the new company will post mid-single-digit sales growth and margin expansion as the Foot Locker business gets improved.

4. Boeing upgraded to Buy at Vertical amid “mid-cycle” shift in aerospace upcycle

Vertical Research analyst Robert Stallard upgraded Boeing (BA) to Buy from Hold with a price target of $270, up from $242. With the aerospace upcycle intact but shifting into “a mid-cycle environment,” Vertical sees room to take a “more balanced aero aftermarket vs OEM stance,” the analyst tells investors. With improving company specific metrics and cultural shifts under CEO Kelly Ortberg, the firm reports that “improvement has also been noted by customers and suppliers, with a number now commenting that they have much more faith in Boeing actually delivering on its projections,” the analyst added.

5. General Motors upgraded to Overweight at Barclays

Barclays upgraded General Motors (GM) to Overweight from Equal Weight with a price target of $73, up from $55. The firm sees a favorable environment for the company amid easing U.S. electric vehicle regulations and “resiliency” in U.S. car pricing. GM has an opportunity to narrow its EV losses. When combined with an attractive valuation and stock buybacks, GM shares “should work,” contends Barclays.

Top 5 Sell Calls:

1. Apple downgraded to Reduce from Neutral at Phillip Securities

Phillip Securities downgraded Apple (AAPL) to Reduce from Neutral with an unchanged price target of $200 following this week’s product event. The firm cites valuation for the downgrade following the recent share price rally. Phillip maintains a cautious outlook on Apple, citing near-term headwinds from tariffs, elevated spending, and “no significant AI innovation” to help with weakness in products and the China market.

2. UPS downgraded to Underperform at BofA on de minimis impact

BofA downgraded UPS (UPS) to Underperform from Neutral with a price target of $83, down from $91, as the firm accounts for increased pressure on volume and costs following the end of U.S. de minimis exemptions. International Priority & Economy packages represent 16% of UPS’ revenue and the removal of the de minimis exemption is expected to result in a muted air peak season in 2025, according to BofA, which lowered the firm’s Q3, 2025, and 2026 UPS EPS estimates 6%, 3%, and 4%, respectively.

3. Synopsys double downgraded to Underperform at BofA on Intel, China overhangs

BofA analyst Vivek Arya double downgraded Synopsys (SNPS) to Underperform from Buy with a price target of $525, down from $625, citing the persistent uncertainty of foundry potential at top customer Intel (INTC), which historically has made up about 12% of sales, as well as higher initial integration costs for the Ansys acquisition. The firm also cites the “surprising” restructuring required in its core IP business given “muted” FY26 growth and unspecified change in business model, including potentially more competition with ARM (ARM). Uncertainty over FY26 and FY27, benefits of Ansys acquisition, and near-term IP misses at Intel and China could “remain a persistent overhang on the stock,” the analyst argues.

4. Duolingo initiated with an Underweight at Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo initiated coverage of Duolingo (DUOL) with an Underweight rating and $239 price target. While the shares are already down 16% year-to-date on user growth issues, artificial intelligence “backlash” has “transition to brand apathy,” the firm tells investors in a research note. Wells believes Duolingo’s user growth issues will persist in the medium term, creating downside for the stock’s multiple. The firm believes the company’s fiscal 2027 estimates have downside risk.

5. Molson Coors downgraded to Underweight at Barclays

Barclays downgraded Molson Coors (TAP) to Underweight from Equal Weight with a price target of $50, up from $49. The firm believes beer category trends and investor sentiment “are likely to be weighed down for some time.” In this environment, Molson has a structurally disadvantaged portfolio, Barclays tells investors in a research note. The firm prefers Constellation Brands (STZ), a stock it downgraded to Equal Weight today, relative to Molson. Barclays is challenged to find a near-term catalyst for beer trends.