Analyst initiations: LTRE, SDTH and CPHD

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Learning Tree, Shengdatech and Cepheid were today's noteworthy initiations:

B. Riley initiated Learning Tree (NASDAQ:LTRE) with a Buy rating and $24 target. The firm believes investors have an opportunity to invest in a compelling revenue growth/margin expansion story at reasonable multiples with the stock off recent highs.
Merriman started Shengda Tech (NASDAQ:SDTH) with a Buy rating and points to the company's growing nano-particle business and the vast market expansion opportunities associated with this business.
Stephens believes Cepheid (NASDAQ:CPHD) possesses a best-in-class platform for molecular diagnostic testing with a virtual monopoly in the molecular point of care market; shares were assumed with an Overweight rating and $32 target.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

Visa (NYSE:V) was started at Morgan Keegan with a Market Perform rating.
Morgan Stanley initiated Dr. Pepper Snapple (N YSE:DPS) with an Equal Weight rating and $30 target.
Goldman initiated Kraft Foods (NYSE:KFT) with a Neutral rating.

Tags: analyst, cepheid, cphd, dps, dr pepper snapple, DrPepperSnapple, initiation, kft, kraft, learning tree, LearningTree, ltre, sdth, shengdatech, v, visa