"Investors should keep a defensive posture," says Richard Moroney. However, the editor of the blue chip advisory service, Dow Theory Forecasts, see opportunity in two drug stocks that he has just added to his buy list.

"In general, we prefer to let the market's action signal that the point of maximum pessimism has passed before deploying our cash reserves. But we intend to remain engaged, looking for stocks capable of bucking the bearish trend.

"Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) produces biotechnology drugs that treat non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple sclerosis. Per-share profits jumped 69% and operating cash flow surged 71% in the September quarter.

"Wall Street expects per-share-profit growth of 9% in 2009 and 7% in 2010, but good news on Biogen's most-promising drug could render those targets conservative.

"At 12 times estimated 2009 earnings, Biogen shares are the cheapest of the six largest U.S. biotech stocks. Biogen is being initiated as a Focus List Buy and a Long-Term Buy.

"AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) is being added to the Buy List. The British drugmaker offers an intriguing blend of value and growth potential. A study released this month showed that the company's cholesterol drug Crestor reduced the risk of various heart problems by 44%.

"The study could potentially expand Crestor's addressable market to include millions of new patients, though AstraZeneca is soft-pedaling the potential benefits. AstraZeneca, which earns a Quadrix Overall score of 94 and yields 4.5%, is being added to the Buy List."

Steven Halpern's TheStockAdvisors.com offers a daily look at the latest market commentary and favorite stock picks and investment ideas from the nation's leading financial newsletter advisors.

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is recently up 28c to $18.15 in pre-open trading. CSCO is expected to report Q1 EPS on November 5. Morgan Stanley lowered its price target to $24 from $29. CSCO November option implied volatility of 74 is above its 26-week average of 38 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) is recently trading down $3.69 to $38.25 in pre-open trading. BIIB & ELN disclosed another confirmed a case of PML in MS patient treated with Tysabri in the U.S.; two others were disclosed on July 31 in Europe. Cowen says: "We believe BIIB shares 25% undervalued relative to the market assuming no contribution from Tysabri." BIIB November option implied volatility of 74 is above its 26-week average of 47 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Option Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

Analyst upgrades:

• Calyon upgraded major network carriers based on falling oil prices and capacity cuts. The analyst is positive over the next 12 months but cautious short-term given the uncertain economy, and volatile markets and oil prices. AMR Corp (NYSE: AMR) and Delta Air (NYSE: DAL) were upgraded to Add from Neutral and UAL Corp (NASDAQ: UAUA) was raised to Neutral from Reduce.
• Ryanair (NASDAQ: RYAAY) was upgraded at Citigroup to Buy from Hold.
• Boardwalk Pipeline (NYSE: BWP) was raised to Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Cowen lifted Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) to Outperform from Neutral.
• JP Morgan upgraded Choice Hotels (NYSE: CHH) to Neutral from Underweight following the better-than-expected Q3 report.
• Oppenheimer upgraded shares of Integra LifeSciences (NASDAQ: IART) to Outperform from Perform on valuation, the company's minimal exposure to economic conditions, and expectations for margin improvement and a rebound in organic growth.

Analyst downgrades:

• Sherwin-Williams (NYSE: SHW) and AerCap Holdings (NYSE: AER) were downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at JP Morgan.
• UBS downgraded Embarq (NYSE: EQ) to Neutral from Buy following the CenturyTel (NYSE: CTL) merger announcement.

Shares of drugmaker Biogen Idec Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) are higher this morning after the company posted an 84% surge in its fourth-quarter profit, driven by strong sales of its multiple sclerosis drugs Avonex and Tysabri.

The company said its profit increased during the fourth quarter to $201.2 million, or 67 cents per share. This is a significant jump from the same period of last year when the company reported a profit of $108.6 million, or 32 cents per share. Included in Biogen's earnings figures were costs related to merger, and expenses related to the company's stock option.

Excluding that, the drugmaker's quarterly profit gained 45% and its earnings per share came in at 89 cents. Analysts were expecting the company show earnings of only 80 cents per share.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• The Wall Street Journal reported that IAC/InterActiveCorp's (NASDAQ: IACI) CEO Barry Diller is in talks with outside investors or possible buyers for all four companies that he plans to spin off, according to a person familiar with the situation.

OTHER PAPERS:

• Biogen Idec Corporation (NASDAQ: BIIB) may be considering an offer for Genmab (OTC: GNMSF), according to the UK Times; GlaxoSmithKline Plc (NYSE: GSK), which has a license for Genmab's HuMax, may have to counterbid in order to protect its position.
• The Economic Times reported that Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD) may be interested in launching operations in India.

WEB SITES:

• According to a source close to Yahoo! Inc (NASDAQ: YHOO), CEO Jerry Yang has decided to go forward with layoffs at the company. The source said that the layoffs will come in the 1,500-2,000 range instead of the "hundreds" reported elsewhere, the Silicon Alley Insider reported.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Australian resources firm BHP Billiton Limited (NYSE: BHP) is unlikely to up its $99.22B bid to acquire mining company Rio Tinto PLC (NYSE: RTP), according to the Wall Street Journal.
• Ten years after taking the reins at eBay Inc (NASDAQ: EBAY), CEO Meg Whitman is making plans to retire, reported the Wall Street Journal. Company president John Donahoe is the leading candidate to replace her.
• According to the Financial Times, Biogen Idec Incorporated (NASDAQ: BIIB) CEO Jim Mullen said the company could make a "large-scale acquisition" this year after it failed to sell itself.

WEB SITES:

• Finance companies including Citigroup Incorporated (NYSE: C) could sell proprietary investments in India as they struggle to shore up their capital after suffering losses in the subprime sector in the U.S., LiveMint.com reported.

Biotechnology firms are judged on the basis of how successful they are at shepherding drug candidates through the clinical trial/regulatory approval process. With several approved formulations and more than twenty products currently in clinical development, there is a Cambridge, Massachusetts outfit that ranks with the best.

Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) specializes in drugs for neurological disorders, autoimmune disorders and cancer. Products include multiple sclerosis treatments Avonex and Tysabri; psoriasis drug Fumaderm; cancer radioimmunotherapy Zevalin; and Rituxan, a cancer formulation developed with Genentech (NYSE: DNA). The company was formed in 2003, by the merger of Biogen and Idec Pharmaceuticals.

The firm pleased investors last week, when it affirmed expectations for full year EPS of $2.60-$2.70 and revenues of $3.12-$3.16 billion. Analysts had been looking for $2.68 and $3.13 billion. Management also said it expects to grow revenue by 15% each year from 2007 to 2010 and will increase earnings per share, before charges and expenses, by 20% annually for those years. The news kept BIIB shares cycling through a positive seven-week trading channel. The price is currently at the base of that channel, where oversold Stochastic and MACD technical parameters suggest the potential for a rise back toward the top.

Biogen Idec Inc. (NASDAQ:BIIB) started as Neutral at Prudential.

eBay Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY) maintained as BUY/ATTRACTIVE at Goldman Sachs; no numbers changed.

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) sees the quiet-period for coverage after its IPO end: started as Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley; started as Buy at First Albany; started as Overweight at Cowen, started as Outperform at Piper Jaffray, started as Buy at ThinkEquity. No pre-market trading activity seen so far.

NYMEX Holdings Inc. (NYSE:NMX) also sees analyst coverage initiated today and tomorrow. So far NMX started as Hold at Citigroup and as Neutral at B of A.

Telik Inc. (NASDAQ:TELK) has seen two downgrades pre-market after yesterday's share implosion from a failed cancer drug: cut to Underweight at Thomas Weisel, cut to Neutral at UBS. Since the stock lost roughly three-quarters of its share price yesterday, these downgrades are more clean-up late calls.

For additional coverage of today's research calls at 24/7 Wall St, click here.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: At the top of today's list of initiations is Netflix (NFLX).

• Cantor, who initiated Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) with a Buy rating and $39 target, said the company has competitive advantages that are likely to drive business for several years.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Lehman Brothers started Pantry, Inc. (NASDAQ:PTRY) with an Overweight rating and $58 target and said that Pantry has favorable supply agreements, expertise in acquisition integration and could improve merchandise offerings.
• Piper Jaffray started Biogen Idec, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIIB) with a Market Perform and $50 target, citing the slow re-launch of Tysabri.
• Finally, Credit Suisse assumed coverage of Deere & Co. (NYSE:DE) with an Outperform rating.

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