As previously reported, BofA/Merrill upgraded Owens-Illinois to Neutral from Underperform. The firm is positive on the acquisition of Vitro's food and beverage glass container business and said it will help grow volumes and earnings. Price target raised to $28 from $24.

As previously reported, BofA downgraded O-I Glass to Neutral from Buy with a price target of $16, down from $21. The firm believes demand for glass-packaged alcoholic products could remain sluggish into the second half and scanner data suggests weak trends. The firm contends that it will be difficult for O-I shares to re-rate until growth improves.

O-I Glass completed a major transformation of its Zipaquira, Colombia manufacturing site investing approximately $120 Million to upgrade the sustainability, flexibility, and productivity of the plant. This is consistent with O-I's sustainability strategy, the company's ongoing investments into plant upgrades, and aligned with its previously announced capital spending plan. A new furnace has been installed that incorporates well-proven oxy/fuel combustion and waste heat recovery technology. The investments are set to increase O-I's flexibility to serve strategic customers and emerging segments in the food and beverage sector and improve energy efficiency, lowering CO2 emissions by up to 15% per ton produced on the new furnace. In addition to the decarbonization impacts, the new technologies also reduce NOX emissions by up to 50 % compared to a traditional air fuel-fired furnace and allow for higher usage of recycled glass. At the Zipaquira plant, one of the largest O-I plants in Latin America with more than 700 employees, approximately 100 new jobs were created in conjunction with the new furnace along with a larger number of indirect jobs in the region.