In a review of the pharmaceutical sector, Chuck Carlson selects his favorite International stocks which also offer direct-purchase plans for U.S. investors.

Here's a look at two of these stocks -- United Kingdom-based AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) and Denmark-based Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) -- from his The DRIP Investor, a newsletter focused on long-term, high quality investments.

"AstraZeneca is a leading pharmaceutical firm. The company boasts a portfolio that includes 11 products that generate more than $1 billion each in annual sales.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Akamai Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM) earnings prospects garnered an analyst's upgrade.
• Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) warned of a loss for the quarter due to the economic slowdown.
• Burger King Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BKC) posted lower Q2 profit and revenue that missed estimates.
• Clorox Co. (NYSE: CLX) Q2 profit fell but beat estimates, and it reaffirmed its full-year guidance.
• Dow Chemical Co. (NYSE: DOW) swung to a Q4 loss and warned that low demand will continue.
• Hartford Financial Group Inc. (NYSE: HIG) posted a loss, cut its dividend, and offered weak guidance.

Analyst upgrades:

• Baird upgraded Carlisle (NYSE:CSL) to Outperform from Neutral and lowered their target to $25 from $33 following the company's Q4 results citing attractive valuation and solid execution.
  
• Citigroup upgraded Talbots (NYSE:TLB) to Hold from Sell on valuation as they believe the company's cash flow is improving and does not expect the company to face bankruptcy in next three years.
  
• Jefferies upgraded shares of Spectra Energy (NYSE:SE) to Hold from Underperform on valuation following the company's Q4 results and raised their target price to $15 from $11.75.
• Costco (NASDAQ:COST) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS.
  
• AU Optronics (NYSE:AUO) and LG Display (NYSE:LPL) were upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Banc of America/Merrill.
  
• Alpha Natural (NYSE:ANR) was raised to Buy from Hold at Natixis.

Analyst upgrades:

• Citigroup upgraded shares of Akamai (NASDAQ: AKAM) to Buy from Hold following the company's Q4 results as they believe fundamentals are stabilizing. The firm raised their target price to $22 from $12.
  
• Baird upgraded Theravance (NASDAQ: THRX) to Outperform from Neutral. The firm said the company looks poised to realize the two-product success necessary to drive profitability, and Horizon will likely play a role in succeeding $7B+ Advair. Note that last night Theravance/Glaxo (GSK) reported positive results for Horizon.
  
• RBC Capital said Aeterna Zentaris (NASDAQ: AEZS) is on the cusp of a Cetrorelix deal and has turned more positive on shares. Shares were upgraded to Outperform from Sector Perform.
  
• Marvell Tech (NASDAQ: MRVL) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman and added to the firm's Conviction Buy List.
  
• Sangamo BioSciences (NASDAQ: SGMO) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Merriman.
  
• Arthur J. Gallagher (NYSE: AJG) was upgraded at Piper Jaffray to Buy from Neutral.

Analyst upgrades:

• Merriman upgraded shares of Akamai (NASDAQ:AKAM) to Buy from Neutral as they believe consensus expectations are now realistic and already reflect macro headwinds. Merriman also thinks the company's cost reductions could generate upside to EPS estimates.
  
• JP Morgan upgraded Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) to Overweight from Neutral on expectations the company's diabetes drug will gain U.S. approval.
  
• Credit Suisse upgraded Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) to Outperform from Neutral and raised their target to $20 from $19 citing the merits of the Wyeth (WYE) deal and valuation.
• Quality Systems (NASDAQ:QSII) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Piper Jaffray.
  
• Parexel (NASDAQ:PRXL) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform at Wachovia.
  
• Ferro (NYSE:FOE) was upgraded at KeyBanc to Hold from Underweight.

Avon Products (NYSE: AVP) closed at $20.45. AVP is scheduled to report Q4 EPS on February 3. Goldman Sachs downgraded AVP to Neutral from Buy. AVP February call option implied volatility is at 68, puts are at 74, March option implied volatility is at 63; above its 26-week average of 53, according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) is scheduled to report Q4 EPS on February 4. KFT February option implied volatility of 32 is near its 26-week average according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

This post was written by Minyanville contributor Sean Udall.

Through my career I've generally stayed apolitical with regard to investment and trading decisions, but there have been times when some higher percentage trades have presented themselves due to political circumstances. Examples include: the tech push in Clinton's second term, the defense sector after Bush's 2000 victory, as well as the oil patch. Based on that, here are some overriding thoughts, in no particular order.

The market has moved to the phase where many if not most participants want and expect a pullback. Since the market confounds the greatest number of players most of the time, is a big pullback a lower probability event now? Moreover, does the selling panic of much of October turn into a buying panic in the coming weeks and months? I'm letting the charts lead me here but aware that this bullish case could possibly trump terrible economic conditions.

I still think the alt energy patch (solar, wind, battery tech, clean coal) will produce some of the best winners, but a lot of easy money has been made in just days. Quality and fundamentals will likely count much more now than over the past few months. Also, extended runs may become vulnerable quickly if policy decisions do not show quick tangible follow-through. Companies with the best balance sheets and funding sources will benefit the most and have the least downside on sharp technical pullbacks.

Today was a nice finish for a volatile weak. Ben Bernanke talked down the economy and talked down inflation, making Wall Street push out the chances of a rate hike further and further out. Oil fell over $3.00 as US-Russian tensions are at least a tad less and after the US Dollar gained ground today. Today's unofficial closing bell levels are as follows:

DJIA 11,619.35 +1.65%
S&P500 1,292.05 +1.12%
NASDAQ 2,424.71 +1.44%
10YR T-Note 3.867% +.029
52-Week Low Club
Top analyst upgrades

Top analyst downgrades

Akamai Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM) was a very unusual stock today. We saw major call option trading activity in the stock, making some wonder if this stock was in play. Shares were up in today's final minutes.

Analyst upgrades:

• Jefferies upgraded shares of Akamai (NASDAQ: AKAM) to Buy from Hold on valuation, as they see a long-term buying opportunity following the recent correction. The firm maintains a $29 target.
• Moody's (NYSE: MCO) was upgraded to Overweight from Underweight at Lehman.
  
• Boyd Gaming (NYSE: BYD) was upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Merrill Lynch.

Analyst downgrades:

• Jefferies downgraded shares of Nortel Networks (NYSE: NT) to Hold from Buy on concerns about the company's ability to hit expectations and drive margin expansion in the face of an eroding CDMA revenue stream. The firm lowered their target to $7.25 from $11.
  
• B. Riley cut Charlotte Russe (NASDAQ: CHIC) to Neutral from Buy on concerns about how well the company can perform with the interim management team, especially in light of the current retail environment. The firm lowered their target to $14 from $17. Roth Capital downgraded shares to Sell from Hold to reflect the management uncertainty and lowered their target to $9 from $14.
  
• Goldman cut Warner Music (NYSE: WMG) to Sell from Neutral and Deere (NYSE: DE) to Neutral from Buy.

Analyst initiations:

• Banc of America expects top-line growth at Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) to be driven by Denosumab and for investors to look to the stock for biotech exposure following the potential acquisition of Genentech (NYSE: DNA). The firm started shares with a Buy rating and $70 target.
• Sirius Satellite (NASDAQ: SIRI) was initiated at JP Morgan with a Neutral rating.
  

You could have tossed a coin today and come up with the same predictions for if the market was going to close up or down. The 1.9% GDP report was lighter than the 2.2% estimates, but despite feeling like a recession, it isn't formally a recession. Equities headed south as did oil prices by more than $2.00 per barrel. Investors chose to focus on the bad data today and take profits. The bears came roaring back by the close.

Here are today's unofficial closing bell levels:

DJIA 11373.38 (-212.91)
S&P500 1266.96 (-17.30)
NASDAQ 2325.55 (-4.17)
10YR T-NOTE 3.979% (-0.069%)
KEY ANALYST DOWNGRADES

Akamai Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM) was today's big loser in tech, media, telecom. The company beat estimates last night but guidance was a few percentage points light and the investment community still demands growth here. Shares were down by 26% to a new 52-week low at $23.10 in the final minutes.

Minyanville Professor Sean Udall dares to share the kind of keen insight and actionable information you won't find in any prospectus. For more original thought, visit www.minyanville.com.

While Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM) is starting to get compellingly cheap on a valuation basis. It's also supposed to be one of those names that beats numbers like clockwork. AKAM's forward numbers are still sporting plenty of growth, but they have been lowered. Now many analysts will also lower numbers.

Unfortunately, we're not in a market that is looking forward. It's discounting companies that "could" have a re-acceleration of growth when the economy materially picks up steam again, or when the world realizes that we're not in recession/depression. The market we're in still overly punishes stocks that "feel" like they might have the bad news mostly (or fully) priced in. AKAM around $30 was feeling like a miss that was priced in. However, after hours the stock traded down a quick $5-6 and from this current level the near term direction will likely be determined by how much love is still left in the analyst community. If the analysts defend the name we could see a quick snapback.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Barclays, Merrill Lynch and Akamai were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• Lehman downgraded shares of Barclays(NYSE:BCS)to Equal Weight from Overweight as they believe the uncertainty of more write-downs will weigh on the stock.
  
• Ladenburg Thalmann downgraded shares of Merrill Lynch (NYSE:MER) to Sell from Neutral as they believe disruptions in cash and hedge markets will result in lower than expected earnings. The firm lowered MER's EPS estimates and target to $39 from $49.
  
• Goldman cut Akamai (NASDAQ:AKAM) to Sell from Neutral based on valuation and competitive pressures.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• Merrill downgraded Semtech (NASDAQ:SMTC) to Sell from Neutral.
  
• Piper downgraded CDC Corp (CHINA) to Neutral from Buy.
  
• American Electric Power (AEP) was lowered at Jefferies to Hold from Buy.

Goldman Sachs cut Akamai Technologies (NASDAQ:AKAM) to "sell" from "neutral", according to MarketWatch. The financial site also reports that Lehman Bros.cut Barclays (NYSE:BCS) to "equal weight" from "overweight."

Oppenheimer initiated Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) with a rating of "outperform" and a price target of $235, according to Briefing.com. The news service also reports that Ladenburg Thalman downgraded Lehman (NYSE:LEH) and Merrill Lynch (NYSE:MER) to "sell" from "neutral".

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

Goldman Sachs has added Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) to its "conviction buy" list, according to MarketWatch. The financial website also reports that Goldman Sachs lifted its view on U.S. semiconductors to "attractive" from "neutral."

Citigroup downgraded Akamai (NASDAQ:AKAM) to "hold" from "buy," according to Briefing.com. The news service also reports that Citigroup upgraded Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) from "hold" to "buy."

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

Monday, April 28

• PDUFA date for Genentech, Inc. (NYSE: DNA) and Roche Holding Ltd. (OTC: RHHBY)'s supplemental Biologics License Application for Herceptin for label expansion to include AC followed by docetaxel in treatment of adjuvant HER2+ breast cancer.
• PDUFA date for Shire plc (NASDAQ: SHPGY) and New River Pharma's supplemental New Drug Application for Vyvanse (NRP-104) treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disordre, or ADHD, in adult patients 18-55 years old; the drug is already approved for pediatric ADHD ages 6-12.
• Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) to report Q earnings; conference call at 8:30am.
• Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) to report Q2 earnings; conference call at 9:00am.

Tuesday, April 29

• Two-day FOMC meeting beginning at 8:30am.
• PDUFA date for Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK)'s New Drug Application for Cordaptive (MK-0524A) adjunctive therapy to diet for treating elevated LDL Cholesterol, low HDL Cholesterol and elevated triglycerides levels.
  
• PDUFA date for Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCMP)'s supplemental New Drug Application for dose of 8mg treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation; already approved for Chronic Idiopathic Constipation at 24ug dosage.
• BP plc (NYSE: BP) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 10:15am.
• United States Steel Company (NYSE: X) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 2:00pm.