** Brokerage TD Cowen upgrades ratings on cos to "buy" from "hold" on U.S. packaged foods companies McCormick and Coca-Cola

** TD Cowen see signs of sequential volume growth for MKC, as well marketing execution improvement; raises PT to $90 from $86

** Says KO is executing at "the top its game" in multiple markets, sees stock's recent decline as overreaction to transitory deceleration in volume growth in Q3 and concerns around new U.S. trade policies

** But brokerage downgrades J M Smucker to "hold" from "buy" and cuts its PT to $121 from $130, citing loss of scale for previously volatile pet business

** Also downgrades WK Kellogg to "sell" from "hold", citing weak retail sales momentum heading into 2025, business disruption risks during supply chain modernization and distractions from the "Make America Healthy Again" initiative

** Last year, shares of MKC, KO and KLG rose ~11, ~5% and 37% respectively, while SJM fell ~13%

(Reporting by Neil J Kanatt in Bengaluru)

((Neil.JKanatt@thomsonreuters.com;))