Analyst upgrades:

• Jefferies upgraded shares of Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF) to Hold from Underperform on valuation. The stock has gone down 40% since they initiated coverage on September 19. The firm maintains a $29 target.
  
• Citigroup upgraded EOG Resources (NYSE: EOG), Quicksilver (NYSE: KWK) and Southwestern Energy (NYSE: SWN) to Buy from Hold on their belief U.S. natural gas-focused E&P companies have near-term upside.
  
• Barclays upgraded Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFMI) to Equal Weight from Underweight citing the $425M private equity investment, which reduces liquidity risk, and its reduced cost structure.
• Brandywine Realty (NYSE: BDN) and AvalonBay (NYSE: AVB) were upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Merrill Lynch.
  
• tw telecom (NASDAQ: TWTC) was upgraded to Neutral from Underweight at JP Morgan.
  
• AmeriCredit (NYSE: ACF) was upgraded to Market Perform from Underperform at Friedman Billings.

Analyst downgrades:

• Jefferies downgraded Macquarie Infrastructure (NYSE: MIC) to Hold from Buy to reflect the company's sensitivity to the economic slowdown and funding risk. The firm lowered their target to $9 from $40 after the company announced a dividend reduction.
  
• Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE: SNY) was cut to Sell from Neutral at UBS due to the company's exposure to potential generic competition and a lack of new products.
  
• Friedman Billings downgraded Cleveland Cliffs (NYSE: CLF) to Market Perform from Outperform and lowered their target to $42 from $50 to reflect the risk of further production cuts.
• Credit Suisse lowered Acme Packet (NASDAQ: APKT) to Neutral from Outperform.
  
• Delta Petroleum (NASDAQ: DPTR) was downgraded at Deutsche Bank to Sell from Hold.
  
• Siemens (NYSE: SI) was downgraded to Sell from Buy at UBS.

Analyst initiations:

• Goldman initiated Bristol-Myers (NYSE: BMY) with a Buy rating and $27 target as they believe it is making progress in becoming a mid-sized specialty biopharmaceutical company. The firm expects the company to be active in M&A and to spin-off or divest its slow-growth or fast-growing assets, such as virology and oncology.
  
• Goldman believes Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) needs a "radical transformation" and restructuring that includes a break up, spin and merger in order to outperform over the next several years. Shares were assumed with a Sell rating and $19 target.
  
• Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) was initiated with a Neutral rating and $65 target at Banc of America. The firm prefers to be on the sidelines given uncertainties surrounding 2009 revenue growth and the potential for negative rhetoric out of Washington on pharma costs.
• Acorda (NASDAQ: ACOR) was started at RBC Capital with an Outperform rating and $30 target.
  
• Cavium Networks (NASDAQ: CAVM) and NetLogic (NASDAQ: NETL) were initiated with Neutral ratings at Cowen.
  
• Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE: EW) was assumed with a Buy rating and $61 target at Piper Jaffray.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Omnicare, Coca-Cola and OptionXpress were today's noteworthy upgrades:

• Oppenheimer upgraded Omnicare (NYSE: OCR) to Outperform from Perform citing their analysis that indicates the Rx market is stronger than expected in the LTC channel, which is largely overlooked by investors due to the legacy focus on beds. The firm expects solid Q2 results will increase confidence in the company's ability to achieve mid-point or better EPS guidance.
  
• Deutsche upgraded Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) to Buy from Hold based on favorable currency impact, international growth, and valuation.
  
• OptionXpress (NASDAQ: OXPS) was raised at Merriman to Neutral from Sell as they see little downside to risk estimates, following several rounds of cuts, and valuation.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• Fresh Del Monte (NYSE: FDP) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Wachovia.
  
• JP Morgan upgraded Kellogg (NYSE: K) to Overweight from Neutral.
  
• Delta Petroleum (NASDAQ: DPTR) and St. Mary Land & Exploration (NYSE: SM) were upgraded at Merrill to Buy from Underperform.

Add Kirk Kerkorian to the list of legendary investors making big bets on energy. Kerkorian's trading vehicle Tracinda has purchased a 35% stake in Delta Petroleum (NASDAQ: DPTR) for $684 million, sending shares of Delta up more than 20%.

The deal will give Delta a direct capital infusion, since Kerkorian is acquiring the stake from the company, rather than buying shares on the open market as most investors. Delta will use the cash to invest in its drilling activities in the Piceance and Paradox Basins.

Delta also got a fair price from Kerkorian, extracting $19 per share from the investor. That Delta got a premium of more than 20% in the private placement indicates that there was strong interest in the company; often private placements are at substantial discounts to the market price, as was the case with Countrywide Financial (NYSE: CFC) which received a cash infusion from Bank of America (NYSE: BAC).

Kerkorian will be able to control one-third of the company's board of directors as part of the agreement.

That's it, today is the last trading day and time has all but run up on anyone wanting to still impact their portfolio for 2007. Stock futures were higher this morning, indicating U.S. stocks could open on a positive note on 2007's last trading day. And how fitting that today, the latest reading on the ailing housing market -- a subject that was key to 2007 -- will be released.

Judging from the last holiday week, trading will continue to be thin and while stock markets are open regular hours, bond markets will close early at 2 p.m. EST.


No doubt, many recaps and summaries will be done today, but the year isn't over yet and at 10:00 a.m. EST, the National Association of Realtors is due to report November existing home sales. After already setting a record low last month with an annual rate of 4.97 million, economists are looking for annual growth ranging between 4.7 million to 5.15 million according to Bloomberg, pointing to continued housing recession in 2008 that will continue to weigh heavily on the economy.

Delta Petro (NASDAQ: DPTR), an oil & gas exploration and development company, is recently down 68 cents to $17.60. DPTR is holding an analyst meeting in Colorado on December 13. WTI Crude futures are up 2.06% to $89.67, according to Bloomberg. DPTR December 20 calls have traded 143 times on transaction volume of 6,372 contracts, above its open interest of 2,368 contracts. DPTT December 17.5 straddle is $2.70. DPTR January option implied volatility of 87 is above its 26-week average of 56 according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price fluctuations.

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

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Knot Inc (KNOT), Cablevision (CVC), Chesapeake Energy Corp (CHK), Green Mountain Coffee (GMCR) and Intermec (IN) were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• Merriman downgraded shares of Knot Inc (NASDAQ: KNOT) to Neutral from Buy following the company's mixed outlook to reflect poor visibility.

• Cablevision (NYSE: CVC) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Wachovia following its disappointing Q2 report and guidance. The firm does not expect a higher Dolan bid.

• Wachovia also downgraded shares of Chesapeake Energy Corp (NYSE: CHK) to Market Perform from Outperform. The firm said management expects an equity offering in the next 6-9 months, which is in contrast to recent comments regarding capital discipline and funding plans.

• Green Mountain Coffee (NASDAQ: GMRC) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Piper Jaffray on valuation and tough year/year comparisons.

• Bear Stearns downgraded Intermec (NYSE: IN) to Underperform from Peer Perform on valuation.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• Lehman downgraded Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) to Equal Weight from Overweight.

• Davenport downgraded Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co (NYSE: WWY) to Neutral from Buy on valuation.

• Delta Petroleum (NASDAQ: DPTR) was downgraded at Merrill Lynch to Sell from Neutral.

• JMP Securities lowered Kenexa (NASDAQ: KNXA) to Market Perform from Outperform.

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

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Delta Air Lines, Inc (DAL), Goodrich Corp (GR), Opnext, Inc (OPXT), Terex Corp (TEX) and Aruba Networks (ARUN) topped today's most noteworthy initiations list:

• UBS started shares of Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE: DAL) with a Reduce rating and $17 target on valuation and management's overly optimistic outlook.

• Deutsche Bank prefers to wait of a better entry point for Goodrich Corp (NYSE: GR) and initiated shares with a Hold rating.

• Opnext Inc (NASDAQ: OPXT) was initiated at JP Morgan with a Neutral rating citing concerns regarding new transceiver margins.

• Prudential believes Terex Corp (NYSE: TEX) is well positioned to take advantage of strong sustainable growth in the global infrastructure and mining markets over at least the rest of the decade, starting shares with an Overweight rating.

• RBC Capital started Aruba Networks (NASDAQ: ARUN) with a Sector Perform rating while Lehman Bros initiated Aruba with an Overweight rating.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Deutsche Bank started Delta Petroleum Corp (NASDAQ: DPTR) with a Buy rating and $27 target.

• JMP Securities started Hersha Hospitality Trust (AMEX: HT) with an Outperform rating and $14 target.

• Credit Suisse assumed coverage of Interline Brands, Inc (NYSE: IBI) with an Outperform rating and $34 target.

• Credit Suisse reinstated Brooks Automation, Inc (NASDAQ: BRKS) with a Neutral rating.

• Goldman Sachs started CenturyTel, Inc (NYSE: CTL) with a Sell rating and $42 target on valuation.

• B. Riley initiated Insteel Industries, Inc (NASDAQ: IIIN) with a Buy rating and $24 target.

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