Analyst upgrades:

• Piper Jaffray upgraded PetMed Express (NASDAQ: PETS) to Overweight from Neutral following the better-than-expected Q1 results. The firm raised its target on shares to $22 from $19.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded International Paper (NYSE: IP) and Packaging Corp. (NYSE: PKG) to Buy from Hold to reflect stabilization in the containerboard industry. The firm raised its target price on Packaging Corp. to $24 from $14, and on International Paper to $24 from $16.
• Bernstein upgraded Human Genome Sciences (NASDAQ: HGSI) to Outperform from Market Perform following the positive Phase III data for Benlysta in lupus.
• IBM (NYSE: IBM) was upgraded to Hold from Sell at Societe Generale.
• British Airways (OTC: BAIRY) was upgraded to Buy from Sell at Goldman.
• Continental AG (OTC: CTTAY) was upgraded to Hold from Sell at Citigroup.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: CIEN, DLTR, EXPE, IBM, ZION ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: CIEN, DLTR, EXPE, IBM, ZION ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Wachovia upgraded shares of The Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE: GS) to Outperform from Market Perform on expectations for greater pricing power given Goldman's position as the largest remaining independent securities firm.
• Keefe Bruyette upgraded Investment Technology Group Inc (NYSE: ITG) to Outperform from Market Perform as they believe the company will take market share with the reshaping of the large wire-house brokerage community. The company's target was raised to $37 from $33.
• Broadpoint raised Hoku Scientific Inc (NASDAQ: HOKU) to Buy from Neutral as they believe the contract with Tianwei New Energy reduces financing risk.
• ACE Ltd (NYSE: ACE) and The Travelers Companies Inc (NYSE: TRV) were upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
• Axcelis Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: ACLS) was upgraded to Buy from Hold and Evergreen Solar Inc (NASDAQ: ESLR) was lifted to Hold from Sell at Citigroup.

Analyst downgrades:

Continue reading Analyst calls: GS, ITG, HOKU, CME, QSII, TUP, ABFS, PSE, RAX

Analyst calls: GS, ITG, HOKU, CME, QSII, TUP, ABFS, PSE, RAX originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Hotels, Continental AG and VNUS Medical were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• Oppenheimer downgraded shares of Marriott International (NYSE: MAR), Intercontinental Hotels (NYSE: IHG) and Choice Hotels (NYSE: CHH) to Perform from Outperform to reflect recent weakness in the leisure segment and expectations for weakening transient business travel.
  
• Societe Generale downgraded shares of Continental AG (OTC: CTTAY) to Sell from Buy on valuation, as they recommend taking profits following the recent rally.
  
• Piper downgraded shares of VNUS Medical (NASDAQ: VNUS) to Neutral from Buy on valuation following the company's patent victory.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• Goldman removed China Netcom (NYSE: CN) from the Conviction Buy List.
  
• RBC Capital downgraded Crown Castle (NYSE: CCI) and American Tower (NYSE: AMT) to Sector Perform from Outperform.
  
• Trimble Navigation (NASDAQ: TRMB) was cut to Neutral from Overweight at JP Morgan.

Analyst downgrades: Hotels, Continental AG, VNUS Medical originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Bernstein upgraded Patterson-UTI Energy Inc (NASDAQ: PTEN) and Nabors Industries Limited (NYSE: NBR) to Outperform from Market Perform citing valuations and secular growth trends.
• Citigroup upgraded US Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) to Buy from Hold and raised their target to $118 to reflect operating catalysts and their expectations for domestic steel markets to improve in Q4 and 2008.
• Cooper Companies Inc (NYSE: COO) was also upgraded to Buy from Hold at Citigroup despite the lowered guidance as they believe the company's products are improving and earnings upside is possible.
• WestLB upgraded Continental AG (OTC: CTTAY) to Buy from Hold after the tire marker announced plans to reorganize its company structure into six divisions following the purchase of Siemens AG's (NYSE: SI) VDO automotive unit.

• Tempur Pedic International (NYSE: TPX) was upped to Sector Outperformer from Sector Performer at CIBC World Markets.
• Friedman Billings upgraded shares of Stone Energy Corporation (NYSE: SGY) to Outperform from Market Perform.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded shares of Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: OXY) to Buy from Hold.
• Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ: FITB) was raised to Market Perform from Underperform at Bernstein.

Analyst upgrades 9-7-07: PTEN, NBR, X, COO and CTTAY originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 07 Sep 2007 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.