(This is CNBC Pro’s live coverage of Friday’s analyst calls and Wall Street chatter. Please refresh every 20-30 minutes to view the latest posts.) An e-commerce giant from China and a chemicals company were among the names being talked about by analysts on Friday. Macquarie upgraded JD.com to outperform and called for roughly 17% upside ahead. Jefferies also raised its rating on DuPont to buy, noting shares can surge 30%. Check out the latest calls and chatter below. All times ET. 5:48 a.m.: Macquarie upgrades JD.com, says shares have ‘bottomed out’ The outlook is improving for shares of JD.com , according to Macquarie. Analyst Ellie Jiang upgraded the Chinese e-commerce stock to outperform from neutral, saying that shares have “bottomed out” from a “year-long transition” period. “After a year-long organizational restructuring, we believe JD has now entered a new stage with core categories such as electronics/appliances and general merchandising to see recovering signals,” she wrote. “JD Retail revenue rebounded to 6.8% yoy during 1Q24 from 3.4% yoy in the prior quarter, reinforcing JD’s strong presence in the China retail market.” Shares of JD.com have fallen about 8% over the last year. Jiang upped the firm’s price target on U.S.-listed shares to $40 from $26, representing about 17% upside from Thursday’s close. JD YTD mountain JD.com year to date Looking ahead, Jiang expects JD.com to benefit from a recovery in core categories, an expansion in its merchant pool, and increased customer purchasing. “As JD differentiates itself among ecommerce peers with a supply chain-centric strategy, we turn more optimistic towards JD’s growth outlook while maintaining steady earnings despite fierce competition,” she said. — Samantha Subin 5:48 a.m.: Jefferies upgrades DuPont de Nemours Shares of DuPont are primed for major gains ahead, according to Jefferies. Analyst Laurence Alexander upgraded the chemicals giant to buy from hold. He also raised his price target to $101 from $78, implying upside of 30%. DD YTD mountain DD year to date “The cyclical recovery trade for DuPont is all about volumes, not spreads. DuPont provides both operating leverage to the next cycle in electronics, construction and manufacturing, as well as support for multiple expansion based on portfolio evolution through cultural change and asset selection,” Alexander said. DuPont has lagged the broader market this year, rising less than 1%, while the S & P 500 has popped 11% to record highs. However, “discipline around FCF deployment (a 7.1% avg. yield before dividends) should lead to a constructive narrative over the next 2-3 years,” according to Alexander. — Fred Imbert
