Analyst Calls: ABT, AON, APA, BX, CSIQ, FSLR, GRMN, GXDX, PCLN, RIG, XOM ...

Analyst Upgrades

FBR Capital upgraded Transocean (RIG) to outperform from market perform as it believes congressional hearings and reports indicate the company's blowout preventer at the Deepwater Horizon likely worked properly. The firm has an $87 price target for shares.
Auriga upgraded First Solar (FSLR) to buy from hold as it believes the recent sell-off in shares as created an attractive entry point. Despite upgrading, the firm lowered its target for shares to $138 from $147.
Soleil upgraded Priceline.com (PCLN) to buy from hold, citing a favorable risk-reward profile. Despite the upgrade, the firm lowered its target for shares to $230 from $250.
Blackrock (BLK) was upgraded to conviction buy from buy at Goldman.
Abbott (ABT) was upgraded to hold from sell at Citigroup.
Exxon Mobil (XOM) was upgraded to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.

Analyst Downgrades

Auriga downgraded Genoptix (GXDX) two notches to sell from buy on concerns the company's slowing growth makes its 2010 guidance unrealistic. The firm dropped its target for shares to $23 from $43.
Auriga downgraded also Canadian Solar (CSIQ) to hold from buy on concerns that the recent depreciation in the euro will adversely affect the company's margins. The firm dropped its target for shares to $13 from $21.
Baird downgraded RC2 Corp. (RCRC) to neutral from outperform, citing valuation. The firm has a $20 price target on the stock.
Blackstone (BX) was downgraded to buy from conviction buy at Goldman.
Cree (CREE) was downgraded to underperform from outperform at CLSA.
Aon Corporation (AON) was downgraded to neutral from buy at Janney Montgomery.

Analyst Initiations

Pritchard initiated Apache (APA) with a buy rating and $126 price target.
JPMorgan resumed coverage of Garmin (GRMN) with an underweight rating and $30.50 price target.
Merriman initiated Acorn Energy (ACFN) with a buy rating. The firm has a $7 to $8 potential valuation range for shares.
Virgin Media (VMED) was initiated with a buy rating at Deutsche Bank.
Con-Way (CNW) was initiated with a neutral rating and $37 target at Goldman.
AMB Property (AMB) coverage was resumed with a buy rating and $30 target at Stifel Nicolaus.