Analyst upgrades:

• Citigroup upgraded Vistaprint (VPRT) to buy from hold on valuation following the recent pullback in shares. The firm also raised its price target on the stock to $62 from $55.
• Fox-Pitt upgraded Eaton Vance (EV) to outperform from in line citing strong fundamentals. The firm raised its target to $36 from $34.
• Stifel Nicolaus upgraded Hospitality Properties (HPT) to buy from hold citing valuation and expected cash dividend in 2010. The firm has a $22 target on the stock.
• The Advisory Board (ABCO) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at First Analysis.
• Technip (TKPPY) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Jefferies upgraded Energy XXI (EXXI) to hold from underperform and raised its target to $2 from $1.

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

• ADC Telecommunications Inc. (NASDAQ: ADCT) beat Q2 estimates and raised its full-year guidance.
• Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA) near-term earnings prospects led to an analyst downgrade.
• Banco de Chile (NYSE: BCH) earnings prospects after an acquisition led to an analyst's upgrade.
• Benihana Inc. (NASDAQ: BNHN) posted lower Q4 profits but still beat earnings estimates.
• Bob Evans Farms Inc. (NASDAQ: BOBE) reported solid Q4 results due in part to cost management.
• Brown-Forman Corp. (NYSE: BF.B) easily beat Q4 estimates and offered full-year guidance.
• CMGI Inc. (NASDAQ: CMGI) lowered its guidance, sending shares tumbling 25%.
• Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Co. (NYSE: CCH) warned of weaker earnings due to economic conditions.
• Conn's Inc. (NASDAQ: CONN) reported solid Q1 results and issued in-line guidance for the year.
• Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. (NYSE: DKS) earnings prospects impress analysts despite recent guidance.
• Guess? Inc. (NYSE: GES) topped Q1 expectations due to strong international expansion.
• Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. (NYSE: KKD) swung to a Q1 profit despite falling revenues.
• Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (NYSE: LEH) posted a bigger-than-expected loss on further write-downs.

Both Japanese restaurant chain Benihana Inc. (NASDAQ: BNHN) and gun maker Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: SWHC) on Thursday said that their profits fell in their fiscal fourth-quarters. Shares of the former fell Friday by more than 11%, while shares of the latter rose nearly 6%.

Miami-based Benihana's fourth-quarter net income fell 30% from the year-ago quarter to $2.7 million, or 17 cents per share percent, due to the difficult environment for restaurants. Revenue for the quarter ended March 30 fell 2% to $70.2 million, and same-store sales fell 2.2%.

Analysts polled by Thomson Financial had expected a profit of 15 cents per share on revenue of $70.8 million.

For the fiscal year, earnings fell 13% to $11.7 million, or 75 cents per share, and revenue rose 9% to $296.9 million.

Shares of Benihana fell to a 52-week low of $6.69 on Friday before closing at $6.97. Shares are down 44.7% year to date.

Benihana (NASDAQ: BNHNA) operates a series of restaurants featuring Asian cuisine prepared at the customer's table. The chefs are entertainers and the culinary process is the floor show. The chain consists of 60 teppanyaki restaurants, nine Haru sushi restaurants and 18 RA Sushi Bars. Eight teppanyaki and eight RA Sushi facilities are under development. Eighteen franchised Benihana teppanyaki restaurants are operating in the US, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The company pleased investors last week, when it reported Q408 sales of $69.8 million. That topped the equivalent period in the previous year by $4.1 million. FY08 sales of $295.2 million beat the FY07 total by $24.1 million.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Kellogg Co (K) and the Auto & Truck Supplier Sector were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• JP Morgan downgraded Kellogg Co (NYSE: K) to Neutral from Outperform, citing reduced earnings growth.

• Baird downgraded the Auto & Truck Supplier Sector to Market Underweight citing valuation and lower estimates; the firm downgraded American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc (NYSE: AXL), Autoliv Inc (NYSE: ALV) and Modine Manufacturing Co (NYSE: MOD) to Underperform from Neutral.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• JP Morgan downgraded Juniper Networks Inc (NASDAQ: JNPR) to Market Perform from Outperform with a $22 target, explaining that although Juniper's December quarter showed improved revenue results, earnings guidance was disappointing given investment plans for 2007.

• Sanders Morris downgraded Benihana Inc (NASDAQ: BNHNA) to Buy from Strong Buy with a $38 target, noting that they cannot find enough catalysts that would push shares another 20% in the next six months; however, the firm is still bullish on Benihana's short-term and long-term outlooks.

• Credit Suisse downgraded Office Depot Inc (NYSE: ODP) to Neutral from Outperform, with a $41 target and believes that expectations to be overly optimistic.

Analyst summaries provided by TheFlyOnTheWall.com (subscription required).

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Benihana Inc. was the sole noteworthy upgrade in today's minuscule list:

• Sanders Morris upgraded Benihana Inc (NASDAQ:BNHNA) to Strong Buy from Buy with a $34 target, citing limited downside and $30% potential upside to their favorite restaurant pick in 2007.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• Citing increasing demand for petroleum activities and valuation, Matrix USA upgraded NewMarket Corp (NYSE:NEU) to Strong Buy from Buy.

• Ferris, Baker Watts upgraded shares of Tollgrade Communications (NASDAQ:TLGD) to Buy from Neutral, with a $12 target, based on their belief that Tollgrade has improved its growth prospects by expanding its geographic reach, evolving its product offerings and adjusting its operating and overhead structure.

Analyst summaries provided by TheFlyOnTheWall.com (subscription required).