Stock Grades
Retrieve analyst grades, ratings, and rating changes from top financial institutions using the Octagon MCP server.
Prerequisites
Ensure Octagon MCP is configured in your AI agent (Cursor, Claude Desktop, Windsurf, etc.). See references/mcp-setup.md for installation instructions.
Workflow
1. Identify the Stock
Determine the ticker symbol for the company you want to analyze (e.g., AAPL, MSFT, GOOGL).
2. Execute Query via Octagon MCP
Use the octagon-agent tool with a natural language prompt:
Get the latest stock grades for the symbol <TICKER> from top analysts and financial institutions.MCP Call Format:
{
"server": "octagon-mcp",
"toolName": "octagon-agent",
"arguments": {
"prompt": "Get the latest stock grades for the symbol AAPL from top analysts and financial institutions."
}
}3. Expected Output
The agent returns analyst rating history including:
- Rating Actions: Upgrades, downgrades, maintains
- Analyst/Institution: Source of the rating
- Previous Rating: Prior grade
- New Rating: Current grade
- Date: When the rating was issued
Example: Maxim Group upgraded from Hold to Buy on 2026-01-30
Data Sources: octagon-stock-data-agent
4. Interpret Results
See references/interpreting-results.md for guidance on:
- Understanding rating scales
- Analyzing upgrade/downgrade trends
- Evaluating analyst credibility
- Tracking sentiment changes
Example Queries
Basic Query:
Get the latest stock grades for the symbol AAPL from top analysts and financial institutions.Recent Changes:
What are the most recent analyst rating changes for TSLA?Upgrade Focus:
Show me recent upgrades for NVDA from major investment banks.Historical View:
What is the history of analyst ratings for MSFT over the past year?Specific Institution:
What is Goldman Sachs' current rating on AMZN?Understanding Rating Scales
Common Rating Systems
| Rating Level | Common Terms |
|---|---|
| Strong Buy | Buy, Overweight, Outperform |
| Buy | Accumulate, Add, Positive |
| Hold | Neutral, Market Perform, Equal-Weight |
| Sell | Underweight, Underperform, Reduce |
| Strong Sell | Sell, Avoid |
Rating Equivalencies
| Bank A | Bank B | Bank C | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overweight | Buy | Outperform | Bullish |
| Equal-Weight | Hold | Market Perform | Neutral |
| Underweight | Sell | Underperform | Bearish |
Rating Actions
Action Types
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Upgrade | Rating improved (e.g., Hold → Buy) |
| Downgrade | Rating lowered (e.g., Buy → Hold) |
| Maintain | Rating unchanged (reaffirmed) |
| Initiate | New coverage started |
| Reiterate | Rating repeated with emphasis |
| Resume | Coverage restarted |
| Suspend | Coverage temporarily halted |
Significance Ranking
| Action | Impact |
|---|---|
| Upgrade from Sell | Highest positive |
| Upgrade from Hold | Significant positive |
| Initiate at Buy | Positive |
| Maintain at Buy | Stable positive |
| Downgrade to Hold | Negative signal |
| Downgrade to Sell | Highest negative |
Analyst Credibility
Factors to Consider
| Factor | Description |
|---|---|
| Track Record | Historical accuracy |
| Institution Tier | Major bank vs. boutique |
| Sector Expertise | Specialization |
| Coverage Length | Experience with stock |
| Independence | Conflicts of interest |
Institution Tiers
| Tier | Examples |
|---|---|
| Bulge Bracket | Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan |
| Major Banks | Bank of America, Citi, UBS |
| Boutiques | Wedbush, Piper Sandler, Needham |
| Independent | Morningstar, CFRA |
Trend Analysis
Sentiment Indicators
| Pattern | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Multiple upgrades | Improving sentiment |
| Multiple downgrades | Deteriorating outlook |
| Mixed actions | Uncertainty/debate |
| All maintains | Stable consensus |
Momentum Signals
| Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Upgrade cluster | Catalyst or breakout |
| Downgrade cluster | Concerns emerging |
| Initiation wave | Growing interest |
| Coverage drops | Reduced attention |
Rating Distribution
Consensus Rating
| Distribution | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Mostly Buy | Strong bullish consensus |
| Mostly Hold | Neutral/wait-and-see |
| Mostly Sell | Bearish consensus |
| Mixed | Divergent views |
Rating Counts
| Metric | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Buy % | Bullish proportion |
| Hold % | Neutral proportion |
| Sell % | Bearish proportion |
| Total Analysts | Coverage level |
Timing Considerations
When Ratings Change
| Catalyst | Typical Timing |
|---|---|
| Earnings | Day of or day after |
| Guidance | Within 24-48 hours |
| Product News | Same day |
| Macro Events | As needed |
| Sector Rotation | Periodic |
Staleness
| Age | Reliability |
|---|---|
| <1 month | Current view |
| 1-3 months | Reasonably current |
| 3-6 months | May be outdated |
| >6 months | Likely stale |
Common Use Cases
Sentiment Check
What is the current analyst sentiment on AAPL?Change Monitoring
Have any analysts upgraded or downgraded TSLA recently?Catalyst Research
Why did analysts upgrade NVDA last week?Consensus View
What percentage of analysts rate MSFT as a buy?Historical Tracking
How has analyst sentiment on META changed over the past year?Analysis Tips
- Weight by institution: Major banks carry more weight.
- Track changes, not just ratings: Upgrades/downgrades signal shifts.
- Consider timing: Post-earnings ratings are most current.
- Look for clusters: Multiple changes = significant.
- Check track record: Some analysts are more accurate.
- Combine with targets: Rating + price target = complete view.
Integration with Other Skills
| Skill | Combined Use |
|---|---|
| price-target-consensus | Ratings + price targets |
| analyst-estimates | Ratings + earnings expectations |
| stock-quote | Rating changes + price reaction |
| stock-performance | Historical ratings vs. performance |