Five stocks stand out heading into Monday, August 31, 2026, each riding a bullish rating change issued on Friday, August 28. The tape is closing out August after digesting Nvidia's fiscal Q2 report from August 26 and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's Jackson Hole remarks. The Federal Open Market Committee held the federal funds target range at 3.50% to 3.75% at its July 29 meeting, and the CME Group FedWatch tool still prices roughly an 80% probability that policy rates hold steady through the balance of 2026.
The five ideas below span integrated oil, specialty chemicals, bitcoin mining and AI hosting, biotech, and regional banking. These are editorial notes for consideration only, not personalized investment advice.
Petrobras (PBR) – Bradesco BBI Sees Discount Closing
Brazilian integrated oil major Petrobras led Friday's international upgrades when Bradesco BBI moved shares from Neutral to Outperform. Bradesco's thesis: the valuation discount versus global integrated majors is closing as capital discipline stabilizes, and low-breakeven Pre-Salt production offers downside protection against Brent volatility.
Shares traded near $18.43 during Friday's session, up about 1.01% on the day, giving Petrobras a market capitalization near $118.8 billion. The 52-week range of $11.43 to $22.24 shows the stock has rallied off the lows but still sits below prior peaks. The trailing price-to-earnings multiple sits at 4.22, one of the cheapest valuations among global oil majors, and the trailing dividend yield exceeds 8%.
Consensus is constructive. Five sell-side firms tracked in the database rate Petrobras a strong buy, with four bullish and one neutral. The average price target of $19.28 implies modest upside from Friday's level, and Bank of America's Caio Ribeiro holds the high at $24.80 after upgrading to Buy in April.
Risks: Political and fiscal risk from the Brazilian government remains the primary variable. Jefferies analyst Alejandro Demichelis downgraded to Hold in March at a $19 target. Brent crude sensitivity, Brazilian real currency swings, and dividend-payout policy changes remain the key swing factors.
Element Solutions (ESI) – Freedom Capital Turns Bullish on Specialty Chemicals
Specialty chemicals maker Element Solutions was upgraded from Hold to Buy on Friday by Freedom Capital. The thesis focuses on end-market recovery in electronics and industrial-surface treatment, exposure to advanced-packaging chemistries as chipmakers ramp new nodes, and free-cash-flow conversion returning to historical norms.
Shares traded near $34.08 during Friday's session, down about 6.69% on softer sector sentiment even as the upgrade landed. The 52-week range of $22.86 to $49.25 shows the stock has retraced sharply. Element Solutions carries a market capitalization near $8.3 billion and a trailing price-to-earnings multiple of 46.35.
Consensus reads strong buy on six ratings, with five bullish and one neutral. The average price target of $44 implies roughly 29% upside from Friday's level, and BMO Capital's Bhavesh Lodaya holds the high near $50 alongside Truist Securities' Peter Osterland at $48.
Risks: Mizuho's John Roberts downgraded Element Solutions to Neutral on July 15 with a $45 target. Electronics end-market volatility, industrial demand cyclicality, and integration risk on recent bolt-on acquisitions all remain factors to monitor.
TeraWulf (WULF) – William Blair Initiates on the HPC Pivot
Bitcoin mining and high-performance-computing hosting operator TeraWulf was initiated with an Outperform rating on Friday by William Blair. The thesis focuses on TeraWulf's transition from a pure bitcoin miner into a hyperscaler-caliber AI-hosting operator, powered by low-cost hydro and nuclear power at the Lake Mariner and Nautilus facilities.
Shares traded near $15.22 during Friday's session, down about 7.67% on broad crypto-tape weakness even as the initiation landed. The 52-week range of $8.60 to $29.84 reflects the stock's high beta profile. TeraWulf carries a market capitalization near $7.5 billion and is not profitable on a trailing basis, with the trailing price-to-earnings multiple negative at -3.46 as the company invests in HPC infrastructure.
Coverage is uniformly bullish. All 12 analysts rate TeraWulf a strong buy. The average price target of $30.50 implies double from Friday's level, and Morgan Stanley's Stephen Byrd holds the high at $62.50 after maintaining Overweight on August 13.
Risks: The high beta cuts both ways. Bitcoin price volatility remains the biggest earnings variable, and HPC-hosting contracts have long sales cycles. Rosenblatt's Chris Brendler maintained a $30 target on August 21, near the average, setting a more measured tone than the highest bulls. Execution on the Nautilus expansion and customer-concentration risk on the HPC side remain watch items.
Moderna (MRNA) – Argus Turns Bullish on Pipeline Optionality
Vaccine and mRNA therapeutics maker Moderna was upgraded from Hold to Buy on Friday by Argus. The thesis: worst-case scenarios for COVID revenue are priced in, RSV franchise contribution is stabilizing, and the oncology and rare-disease mRNA pipeline offers optionality not reflected in current shares.
Shares traded near $137.48 during Friday's session, down about 3.71% on the day, giving Moderna a market capitalization near $54.6 billion. The 52-week range of $22.28 to $176.66 shows the stock has more than quintupled off cycle lows earlier in the year but remains volatile. Moderna is not profitable on a trailing basis, with the price-to-earnings multiple negative at -17.24 as pipeline investment continues.
This is a contrarian call. The broader panel remains cautious: 11 sell-side firms rate Moderna a hold, with only one bullish, seven neutral, and three bearish. The average price target of $77.18 sits well below Friday's price. However, Barclays' Eliana Merle raised her target on August 24 to $125, and Goldman Sachs' Salveen Richter took her target to $120 on August 20 — revisions are trending sharply higher.
Risks: This is the most divergent name on the list. JP Morgan's Jessica Fye maintained Underweight on August 21 with a $77 target, and RBC Capital's Luca Issi sits at Sector Perform with a $38 target from May. Pipeline data readouts, COVID booster demand trends, and cash-burn discipline are critical variables. Position sizing should reflect the wide dispersion in analyst views.
UMB Financial (UMBF) – Raymond James Resumes at Outperform
Kansas City-headquartered regional bank UMB Financial was resumed with an Outperform rating on Friday by Raymond James. The thesis: the Heartland Financial acquisition is delivering on cost synergies, credit quality across the commercial and institutional book remains benign, and fee-income growth from wealth management and fund services offsets NIM pressure.
Shares traded near $144.67 during Friday's session, essentially unchanged, giving UMB Financial a market capitalization near $11 billion. The 52-week range of $103.38 to $153.32 shows the stock trading near multi-year highs. The trailing price-to-earnings multiple sits at 12.05, in line with regional-bank peers.
Consensus reads strong buy on 10 ratings, with eight bullish and two neutral. The average price target of $163.80 implies roughly 13% upside from Friday's level, and Barclays' Jared Shaw holds the high at $175 after maintaining Overweight on August 3.
Risks: Wells Fargo's Terry McEvoy maintained Equal-Weight on August 10 with a $160 target, and Morgan Stanley's Brian Wilczynski trimmed his target in March. Commercial real estate credit trends, deposit competition, and securities-portfolio rate sensitivity remain the primary risks to monitor.
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