MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Merriman believes GSI Technology Inc (NASDAQ: GSIT) is positioned to benefit as growing bandwidth demand and increasingly complex protocols drive the need for faster and higher density memory in networking equipment. The firm started shares with a Buy rating.
• Array Biopharma Inc (NASDAQ: ARRY) was assumed with an Outperform rating at William Blair. The firm thinks the company's pipeline contains significant value, which will be catalyzed over the next 12-18 months by continued clinical progress and potential partnerships.
• Continental Resources Inc (NYSE: CLR) was initiated with a Buy rating and $30 target at Jefferies, and points to the company's double-digit growth and strong reserve growth potential.

• Lehman initiated Ventas Inc (NYSE: VTR) with an Equal Weight rating $46 target and HCP Inc (NYSE: HCP) with an Overweight rating.
• The Boston Beer Company Inc (NYSE: SAM) was assumed with an Overweight rating and $43 target at HSBC.

Analyst initiations: GSIT, ARRY and CLR originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 07 Feb 2008 10:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Boston Beer

Boston Beer (SAM) posts frothy earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 07 Aug 2007 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Following FiServ's (NASDAQ: FISV) acquisition of CheckFree, Raymond James cut CKFR shares to Market Perform from Strong Buy and Baird downgraded shares to Neutral from Outperform.

• Talbots (NYSE: TLB) was cut to Sell from Hold at Citigroup based on valuation, continued earnings disappointments, and a lack of earnings visibility.

• Cowen downgraded shares of SPSS Inc (NASDAQ: SPSS) to Underperform from Neutral citing decelerating growth and poor earnings quality.

• Bear Stearns cut Network Appliance (NASDAQ: NTAP) to Underperform from Peer Perform on the negative Q1 pre-announcement. Pacific Crest downgraded shares to Sector Perform from Outperform.

• After Pozen (NASDAQ: POZN) received a second approvable letter for Trexima, shares were downgraded by three firms:
  
• To Neutral from Strong Buy at First Albany
  
• To Hold from Buy at Jefferies and Lazard...

• Oppenheimer downgraded Applebee's (NASDAQ: APPB) to Neutral from Buy.

• Gabelli downgraded Boston Beer (NYSE: SAM) to Hold from Buy.

• Lehman downgraded Luxottica (NYSE: LUX) and Clorox (NYSE: CLX) to Equal Weight from Overweight.

• Thomas Weisel downgraded Nortel Networks (NYSE: NT) to Market Weight from Overweight.

Analyst downgrades: APPB, NT, NTAP and SAM originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 03 Aug 2007 10:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• JP Morgan upgraded Qualcomm, Inc (NASDAQ: QCOM) to Neutral from Underweight, to reflect the company's re-accelerating business fundamentals and positive pre-announcement on Tuesday.

• Friedman Billings upgraded shares of Countrywide Financial Corp (NYSE: CFC) to Outperform from Market Perform as they believe the company remains among the premiere mortgage originators and will be the ultimate beneficiary of the mortgage market shakeout.

• Susquehanna upgraded shares of American Eagle Outfitters Inc (NYSE: AEO) to Positive from Neutral based on a strong spring assortment and long-term earnings power from new brand concepts aerie and MARTIN+OSA.

• Deutsche Bank upgraded shares of Chevron Corp (NYSE: CVX) to Hold from Sell based a backlog of resources that keeps growing and increased pressure on the need for delivery.

• Lehman upgraded Darden Restaurants, Inc (NYSE: DRI) to Equal-Weight from Underweight to reflect the company's strong management team and what they believe to be "very achievable" guidance.

• Cadbury Schweppes plc (NYSE: CSG) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Goldman Sachs as they believe the company may break up Nelson Peltz acquired a stake in the company.

• AG Edwards upgraded El Paso Corp (NYSE: EP) to Buy from Hold with a $16 target.

• Gladstone Capital Corp (NASDAQ: GLAD) was upgraded to Market Perform from Underperform at Wachovia.

• Gabelli upgraded shares of Boston Beer Company (NYSE: SAM) to Buy from Hold following the strong fourth quarter report.

• Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE: LUV) and JetBlue Airways Corp (NASDAQ: JBLU) were upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at HSBC.

Analyst upgrades 3-14:07: Southwest gets some LUV, raise your glass to Boston Beer Co originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 14 Mar 2007 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Apple was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Citigroup, citing valuation and the unlikely introduction of the new video iPod before the holiday season.
• First Data was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at J.P. Morgan based on valuation and expectations of a Q3 miss.
• CIBC downgraded ASM International to Sector Performer from Sector Outperform based on checks that indicated Intel (INTC) is pushing out adoption of ASMI's atomic layer disposition tool for high-k at 45mn. They note a delay would be positive for Applied Materials (AMAT).

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• Due to the change in management and lowered guidance, both Credit Suisse and KeyBanc/McDonald downgraded IT service provider Keane (KEA).
• ThinkEquity downgraded CryptoLogic (CRYP) to Source of Funds from Accumulate based on the ratification of the Internet gambling bill that will impact earnings.
• Boston Beer (SAM) was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight on valuation.
• USA Truck (USAK) was downgraded by Stephens to Underweight from Equal Weight, citing a less certain 2007 trucking environment and the recent stock offering.

Ratings summary provided courtesy of TheFlyOnTheWall.com.

Analyst downgrades 10/02/06: Apple gets sliced originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 02 Oct 2006 10:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.