Analyst upgrades:- Citigroup upgraded Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) to Buy from Hold after meeting with management as it believes a more aggressive strategy will lead to the company regaining market share. Citi raised its target on shares to $66 from $54.
- Piper Jaffray upgraded Allscripts (NASDAQ:MDRX) to Overweight from Neutral after learning the company signed a large contract with North Shore Long Island Jewish Hospital. Piper now sees upside to estimates and raised its target on shares to $22.50 from $14.
- UBS upgraded Amedisys (NASDAQ:AMED) to Buy from Neutral following a review of the Senate Finance Committee's healthcare proposal, which they view as "benign." The firm raised its target to $57 from $46.
- Daimler (NYSE:DAI) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Bernstein.
- Boston Private (NASDAQ:BPFH) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Keefe Bruyette.
- E-Trade (NASDAQ:ETFC) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
Analyst downgrades:
- Piper Jaffray downgraded Omniture (NASDAQ:OMTR) to reflect Adobe's (ADBE) acquisition bid for the company. The firm raised its target on shares to $21.50 from $17.
- Citirgroup downgraded UnitedHealth NYSE:UNH) to Hold from Buy to reflect commercial pricing concerns and Medicare headwinds. The firm keeps a $32 target on shares.
- Goldman downgraded Charles Schwab (NASDAQ:SCHW) to Sell from Neutral and lowered its target to $16 from $18. The firm expects low rates to "hinder" Charles Schwab's revenue growth that it derives from asset management and net interest income.
- Genzyme (NASDAQ:GENZ) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Deutsche Bank.
- Education Realty Trust (EDR) was downgraded to Underperform from Neutral at BofA/Merrill.
- IMAX (NASDAQ:IMAX) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Merriman.
- Wells Fargo initiated Equity Lifestyle (NYSE:ELS) with an Outperform rating. The firm thinks the company will benefit from the aging population, while its rising dividend is compelling.
- Cantor Fitzgerald believes that CDC Software's (NASDAQ:CDCS) valuation is attractive and the firm thinks the company's license growth could turn positive in FY10. The firm set a Buy rating and $13 target.
- Lazard Capital believes Aegean Marine's (NYSE:ANW) markets are expanding. The firm started shares with a Buy rating and $30 target.
- Southern Company (NYSE:SO), Sempre Energy (NYSE:SRE) and Progress Energy (NYSE:PGN) were initiated with Equal Weight ratings at Morgan Stanley, while Nstar (NYSE:NST), DTE ENergy (NYSE:DTE) and FPL Group (NYSE:FPL) were initiated with Underweight ratings.
- Pinnacle Entertainment (NYSE:PNK) was initiated with a Hold rating at Stifel Nicolaus.
Closing Bell: When We All Love the PIIGS (NBG, SQNM, PG, ERTS, KO)
Serious Money: Cheapest Stocks List Shrinks from 26 to 21
Chasing Value: Hasbro Earnings Makes My Point
