Beacon upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at William Blair

William Blair upgraded Beacon to Outperform from Market Perform without a price target. Blair’s roofing survey was strong, with December-quarter sales up 12%, driven by volumes up 11% and price up 1%, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm upgraded Beacon based on upside to estimates, a new residential housing recovery, the nonresidential de-stock being done, and rising margins due to the company initiatives.