Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. (AVAH) stock is surging 5.86% in pre-market trading on Monday, following a significant upgrade from Raymond James. The healthcare services provider's shares are responding positively to the improved analyst outlook, signaling increased investor confidence.

Raymond James analyst John Ransom has upgraded Aveanna Healthcare from Market Perform to Outperform, assigning a price target of $9.00. This represents a substantial upside potential from the stock's previous closing price. The upgrade comes as Raymond James sees improved prospects for the company, potentially driven by factors such as operational improvements or favorable industry trends.

It's worth noting that prior to this upgrade, Aveanna Healthcare had an average rating of "Hold" among analysts polled by FactSet, with a mean price target of $6.69. The Raymond James upgrade and higher price target could potentially influence other analysts' views on the stock in the coming days. Investors will be closely watching how the stock performs during regular trading hours and whether it can sustain the pre-market momentum.