Catch up on today's top five analyst downgrades with this list compiled by The Fly: 1. Walmart (WMT) downgraded to Perform from Outperform at Oppenheimer by analysts Rupesh Parikh and Brian Nagel, who said that while they remain "upbeat" on the retailer's strategic direction, they no longer see the case for Walmart outperformance and are "increasingly concerned" that the valuation at which shares trade could prove capped. 2. VMware (VMW) downgraded to Hold from Buy at Stifel by analyst Brad Reback, who sees "too much uncertainty" as parent Dell Technologies (DVMT) evaluates "potential business opportunities." He believes, however, that VMware continues to execute well following its "strong" Q4 results. 3. Ruth's Hospitality (RUTH) downgraded to Hold from Buy at Deutsche Bank by analyst Brett Levy, who said the company's progress and upside are largely priced in given the company's premium multiple, Levy tells investors in a research note. The analyst this morning also upgraded both Bloomin' Brands (BLMN) and Del Frisco's (DFRG) to Buy. 4. Opko Health (OPK) downgraded to Underweight from Neutral at JPMorgan by analyst Eric Joseph, who believes the company's Q4 miss raises "significant doubts" for the core diagnostics/ BRL business. He believes the stock will continue to see pressure going forward. 5. Pure Storage (PSTG) downgraded to Neutral from Positive at Susquehanna by analyst Mehdi Hosseini, who cited the lack of visibility, particularly around FlashBlade, to raise estimates from current levels, which would be necessary for the next leg of appreciation. This list is just a portion of The Fly's full analyst coverage. To see The Fly's full Street Research coverage, click here.

JPMorgan keeps a Neutral rating on Affirm (AFRM) after CNBC reported that One, a Walmart-backed fintech, has begun offering buy now, pay later at certain U.S. Walmart (WMT) locations. The announcement does not come as a complete surprise, as One first announced it was exploring a BNPL service in December 2022, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm points out Affirm expanded its relationship with Walmart in December 2023 to offer BNPL at self-checkout kiosks. For the time being, Affirm will remain a funding option at Walmart but will presumably compete head-to-head with One at the point of sale, adds JPMorgan. It believes the news "highlights the importance, foresight and wisdom" of launching the Affirm Card, which makes Affirm a funding option most anywhere Visa is accepted, while reducing Affirm's reliance on merchant-driven promotion and exclusivity. The firm views the Affirm Card as the company's "ace in the hole."

Mizuho analyst Dan Dolev says Affirm (AFRM) shares are lower today following a report that One, backed by Walmart (WMT), has started offering buy now, pay later loans in-store. However, this is not new news, as this was first reported in December 2022, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm says history suggests headline risks for Affirm end up being great buying opportunities. It estimates Walmart accounts for 5% of the company's gross merchandise volume and that all the volume likely won't go away. Affirm's total addressable market is in the trillions, so Walmart supporting buy now, pay later expands the visibility of the category, contends Mizuho. The firm keeps a Buy rating on the stock with a $65 price target.

Walmart's (WMT) majority-owned fintech startup One has begun offering buy now, pay later, or BNPL loans for big-ticket items at some of the retailer's more than 4,600 U.S. stores, putting One in direct competition with Affirm (AFRM), the BNPL leader and exclusive provider of installment loans for Walmart customers since 2019, CNBC's Hugh Son and Melissa Repko reported. Reference Link

Raymond James raised the firm's price target on Brinker (EAT) to $54 from $50 and keeps a Strong Buy rating on the shares. The firm maintains a selective stance towards its restaurant coverage universe as industry sales have underwhelmed in recent months, causing Raymond James to increasingly favor stocks it view as having "idiosyncratic factors trading at attractive valuations," such as Brinker, Shake Shack (SHAK), First Watch (FWRG) and Bloomin' Brands (BLMN), the analyst tells investors in a group earnings preview note.

Shares of Walmart-backed (WMT) Ibotta soared in their market debut, rising more than 30% and giving the digital marketing company a valuation of about $3. 55B... To see the rest of the story go to thefly.com. See Story Here