Notable Upgrades: IEC Electronics (IEC), DIRECTV (DTV), Burger King (BKW), Signet Jewelers (SIG), China Telecom (CHA)

Analysts at UBS lifted their price target on shares of DIRECTV (DTV) to $95 from $82 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday. DIRECTV’s shares closed at $86.15 yesterday. The firm’s target price suggests a potential upside of about 11% from the company’s current price of $86.28. Currently there are 2 analysts that rate DIRECTV a ‘Strong Buy’, 2 rate it a ‘Buy’ and 18 a ‘Hold’. No analysts rate it a ‘Sell.’

Analysts at UBS lifted also their price target on shares of Burger King (BKW) to $34 from $30 noting that cost synergies would be the key to a successful merger between the fast-food giant and Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons (THI). Burger King shares closed at $30.35 yesterday. UBS’ new target price suggests a potential upside of 7.59% from the company’s current price of $31.60.

Signet Jewelers Limited (SIG) was upgraded by Sterne Agee to a ‘Buy’ rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday. The firm lifted also their price target on the shares of the company to $135 from $125. Signet’s shares closed at $108.03 yesterday. The firm’s target price suggests a potential upside of about 18% from the company’s current price of $115.17.

China Telecom (CHA) shares jumped Thursday, after the company’s stock was upgraded by analysts at HSBC to a ‘Neutral’ rating from an ‘Underweight’ rating. The firm said the upgrade was based on higher earnings due to revised guidance and an increased multiple. The shares of China Telecom rose less than 5 percent to $59.70 at 1:54 p.m. in New York. The stock is up 18.01 percent this year.

IEC Electronics Corp. (IEC) received an upgrade to ‘Buy’ from ‘Hold’ at Noble Financial this morning. The firm, which set a target price of $6.00, believes IEC Electronics is an undervalued asset and either positive performance or an activist pushing for a sale of the company should lead to a higher price-per-share. In the past 52 weeks, shares of IEC Corp have traded between a low of $3.52 and a high of $6.02 and are now at $4.68, which is almost 33% above that low price.