Analyst Upgrades

• Auriga upgraded Leap Wireless (LEAP) to buy from hold following the company's Q2 results and analyst day, citing valuation, longer-term potential for consolidation and prospects for business improvements. Despite upgrading, the firm lowered its target for shares to $16 from $19.
• Goldman upgraded Barnes & Noble (BKS) to neutral from sell following the company's announcement to explore strategic alternatives. The firm raised its price target to $15 from $12.
• RBC Capital upgraded ESCO Technologies (ESE) to sector perform from underperform following the better-than-expected Q3 report. The firm raised its price target to $30 from $28.
• MetLife (MET) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Priceline.com (PCLN) was upgraded to buy from hold at Stifel Nicolaus.
• HSBC (HBC) was upgraded to outperform from underperform at CLSA.

Analyst Upgrades

• BofA/Merrill upgraded ConocoPhillips (COP) to neutral from underperform following the better-than-expected Q2 report. The firm has a $61 price target on shares.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded Citrix Systems (CTXS) to buy from hold following the company's Q2 results and raised its target for shares to $65 from $45. Shares were also upgraded to neutral from underperform at Cowen following the better-than-expected Q2 report.
• Macquarie upgraded Arch Coal (ACI) to outperform from underperform and raised its price target to $29 from $23. The firm expects PRB priced to move higher given increased domestic and export demand combined with supply shortfalls.
• Boeing (BA) was upgraded to hold from sell at Societe Generale.
• Equinix (EQIX) was upgraded to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Williams-Sonoma (WSM) was upgraded to equal weight from underweight at Barclays.

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has fared poorly so far this year. The one-year chart is a somewhat depressing figure to look at for long-term shareholders. But will things change going forward?

Analyst Upgrades

• JPMorgan upgraded Norfolk Southern (NSC) to overweight from neutral, citing the company's leverage to coal and position relative to peers. The firm has a $68 price target for shares.
• Benchmark upgraded Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) to hold from sell based on a more favorable earnings outlook and reduced dividend risk.
• UBS upgraded Costco (COST) to buy from neutral based on valuation. The firm raised its price target to $63 from $62.
• Visa (V) was upgraded to gonviction buy from buy at Goldman.
• KLA-Tencor (KLAC) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Texas Instruments (TXN) was upgraded to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.

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

• Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) shares declined despite better-than-expected Q1 results due to profit taking.
• Alcoa Inc. (AA) reported a decline in revenue and earnings in line with expectations, leading to a sell off of shares.
• Bank of America Corp. (BAC) Q1 earnings results beat consensus estimates but shares fell on other news.
• General Electric Co. (GE) posted better-than-expected earnings but said revenue declined in the first quarter.
• Google Inc. (GOOG) Q1 earnings and revenue topped expectations but a surge in expenses sent shares lower.

Earlier this week, Intel (INTC) delivered an impressive quarter; I came away with positive thoughts about the chip maker's long-term prospects. Now, we have Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and its own three-month release to ponder. How was the price action after Q1 results were posted on Thursday following the conclusion of the normal session?

Lousy, at least at the time I was writing this. Shares of AMD tumbled 5% in extended trading. Quite disappointing, when you think about it. After all, the stock had hit a new 52-week high during intraday activities before the report. And the volume? You couldn't ask for a better number of shares in play. There was great conviction behind the buying activity.

Intel (INTC), whose colleagues include Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Texas Instruments (TXN), had a nice time during yesterday's after-hours trading. The company's stock was met with buying approval after the impressive first-quarter earnings report was posted. How should investors feel about the stock now?

Well, investors should feel pretty good, I believe. The price action has been encouraging. First, if you examine the one-year chart, you'll see that the stock has been trending higher. Admittedly, it's not the smoothest-looking uptrend, but overall, I think the chip maker is going to continue to climb higher. And the stock has certainly come a long way from the 52-week low.

Intel Corporation (INTC) and scrappy Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) are two tech companies that have been fighting in the microprocessor market for longer than many of us care to remember. Intel controls the majority of the PC processor market for consumer machines and business servers, but AMD always seems to be there to mop up market share with as much gusto as it can. Enter the latest battle originating from AMD's end: recruiting the red-hot Acer to power its servers with AMD chips.

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

• Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) shares declined despite an earnings beat and a positive outlook
• Bank of America Corp. (BAC) reported that its Q4 loss widened more than expected by Wall Street.
• Capital One Financial Corp. (COF) reported better-than-expected earnings but shares declined.
• Colgate-Palmolive Co. (CL) is seen as on-track to record double-digit earnings growth in 2010.
• Cree Inc. (CREE) strong earnings and revenue growth sent shares to a new 52-week high.

Chip-maker Intel (INTC), whose colleagues include Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Texas Instruments (TXN), issued fourth-quarter data yesterday after the bell. Shareholders must have loved the growth rates. Revenues increased 28% on a year-over-year basis. Adjusted net income on a dollar basis grew well over 200%. Adjusted per-share profit came in at 55 cents versus 15 cents in the comparable period.

As for expectations, Earnings.com says that the market was looking for 30 cents per share. Some coverage compared the 30-cent projection to the reported GAAP income number of 40 cents per share, instead of the non-GAAP number I mentioned above, which would make the earnings beat not as impressive. I usually deal with non-GAAP figures, but either way, Intel has gone above estimates in significant fashion.