• AFLAC Inc. (NYSE: AFL) reported better-than-expected earnings for the first quarter.
• Ambac Financial Group Inc. (NYSE: ABK) posted a wider-than-expected loss; shares hit new low.
• Amdocs Ltd. (NYSE: DOX) beat Q2 estimates on strength in the managed services businesses.
• Amphenol Corp. (NYSE: APH) beat expectations in the first quarter and raised its guidance.
• Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: AMLN) posted a larger-than-estimated Q1 loss.
• Aptar Group Inc. (NYSE: ATR) posted record Q1 results and raised its Q2 guidance.
• Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) Q1 earnings plunged on further housing-related write-downs.
• Brinker International Inc. (NYSE: EAT) narrowly beat earnings expectations on cost cutting.
• Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE: BMY) beat analysts' estimates for the first quarter.
• Credit Suisse Group (NYSE: CS) reported a wider-than-forecast loss on subprime-related write-downs.
• Cree Inc. (NYSE: CREE) earnings slipped while revenues soared 29%.
• Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE: LLY) reported worse-than-expected Q1 earnings on discontinued product charge.
• Gannet Inc. (NYSE: GCI) beat low expectations as earnings and revenue continue slump.
• Hasbro Inc. (NYSE: HAS) posted better-than-expected Q1 earnings on international strength.
• JAKKS Pacific Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK) missed Q1 expectations on restructuring and litigation costs.
• Kimberly-Clark Corp. (NYSE: KMB) beat EPS estimates by a penny, as revenue jumped 10%.

AptarGroup (NYSE: ATR) supplies a broad range of dispensing systems to the fragrance/cosmetic, personal care, pharmaceutical, household and food/beverage markets. Offerings include spray pumps, dispensing closures, nasal pumps, aerosol valves and lotion pumps. The firm operates on five continents and sells most of its products through an in-house sales network.

Investors were pleased last week, when the company reported Q1 EPS of 52 cents and revenues of $532.3 million. Analysts had been looking for 49 cents and $500.9 million. Both results were company records. Management also guided Q2 EPS to 60-63 cents, versus consensus of 59 cents. The company repurchased about 450,000 shares of common stock in Q1, leaving some 1.5 million shares available for repurchase under the current authorization.

AptarGroup (NYSE: ATR) supplies a broad range of dispensing systems to the fragrance/cosmetic, personal care, pharmaceutical, household and food/beverage markets. Offerings include spray pumps, dispensing closures, nasal pumps, aerosol valves and lotion pumps. The firm operates on five continents and sells most of its products through an in-house sales network.

Investors were pleased earlier in the month, when the company reported Q4 EPS of 47 cents and revenues of $483.8 million. The Street had been looking for 47 cents and $479.4 million. Quarterly sales and profits increased across each business segment. Annual sales reached an all-time record $1.9 billion. Management also guided Q1 EPS to 46-49 cents (47 cent consensus), noting that the firm's broad geographic presence and diverse end-markets positioned it well to withstand any slowness in the U.S. economy.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: UBS AG, Cepheid and ICT Group were today's noteworthy upgrades:

• Credit Suisse upgraded shares of UBS AG (NYSE: UBS) to Outperform from Neutral on valuation, as they believe the current share price implies a negative valuation of the company's securities unit.
• Piper upgraded shares of Cepheid (NASDAQ: CPHD) to Buy from Neutral to reflect the better-than-expected quarter to date GeneXpert placements and management's bullish outlook during their Annual Health Care Conference.
• ICT Group (NASDAQ: ICTG) was upgraded to Market Perform from Underperform at Friedman Billings following the company's reiteration of guidance last night. The firm believes shares are near a floor and that the company could be an attractive takeout candidate once business stabilizes.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• Deutsche Bank upgraded British Airways (OTC: BAIRY) to Buy from Hold.
• Lehman upgraded the packaging sector to Positive from Neutral and upgraded AptarGroup (NYSE: ATR) to Equal Weight from Underweight.
• JP Morgan upgraded Potash Corp. (NYSE: POT) to Overweight from Neutral.

The effective dispensing of fluid products is often a complex problem best left to specialists. A Crystal Lake, Illinois, firm ranks among the recognized experts in the field.

AptarGroup (NYSE: ATR) supplies a broad range of dispensing systems to the fragrance/cosmetic, personal care, pharmaceutical, household and food/beverage markets. Offerings include spray pumps, dispensing closures, nasal pumps, aerosol valves and lotion pumps. The firm operates on five continents and sells most of its products through an in-house sales network.