Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading:
Blackstone – Shares of the alternative asset manager shed 0.2% following a downgrade to neutral at Bank of America. The firm said that while Blackstone is "very well-positioned over the long term" they see "more modest upside" ahead after the stock's 55% surge this year.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise — HPE shares rose 4.1% after an analyst at Evercore ISI upgraded them to in-line from underperform. The analyst said HPE now has a better "risk/reward dynamic," citing solid cash flow, an attractive valuation and the acquisition of supercomputer builder Cray.
AMC – Shares of the entertainment company lost 2.4% after Evercore downgraded the stock to underperform. The firm said that "accelerating cord-cutting trends" makes the stock "unfavorable at current levels."
Western Digital – Shares of the computer hard-disk maker rose 1.6% after an analyst at Loop Capital upgraded Western Digital to buy from hold, noting the company can deliver earnings and revenue upside for the final two quarters of 2019.
Tapestry – Shares of the luxury lifestyle brands company dropped 2.8% after UBS lowered its rating on the stock to neutral from buy. UBS believes Tapestry will continue to face both widespread and industry headwinds, limiting its upside.
General Motors – GM's stock slipped 0.2% after the United Auto Workers (UAW) union announced it was countering the automaker's latest offer. The UAW strike has lasted nearly a month, disputing GM production as multiple key manufacturing locations.
Beyond Meat – Shares of the plant-based burger maker slid 3.9% after Wells Fargo initiated coverage on the stock with a market perform rating. The firm said "competition is poised to intensify" and that there's "limited visibility into restaurant and foodservice success."
CrowdStrike – Shares of cybersecurity technology company CrowdStrike tanked 9.5% after Citi initiated coverage of the stock with a sell rating. The firm said CrowdStrike won't be able to sustain its current growth level and is trading above normal software multiples.
Planet Fitness – Shares of Planet Fitness rose 3.7% following an upgrade from Imperial to outperform from in-line. The firm said Planet Fitness is a "best in class" fitness operator with good management. Imperial called the stock a "core long-term holding."
SmileDirectClub – The teeth-straightening startup's stock tanked 12.9% after California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that is expected to how the company's "teledentistry" service is regulated. SmileDirectClub shares have lost more than half their value since the company's IPO on Sept. 12.
– CNBC's Maggie Fitzgerald, Pippa Stevens and Fred Imbert contributed to this report.