Analyst upgrades:

• Citigroup upgraded FPL Group (FPL) to buy from hold on valuation and recommends buying the stock into the staff recommendation. The firm raised its target on shares to $58 from $55.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded Smithfield Foods (SFD) to buy from hold as it believes the company's fundamentals and export demand outlook are improving. The firm raised its target on shares to $20 from $12.
• Credit Suisse upgraded T. Rowe Price (TROW) to outperform from neutral and raised its target to $60 from $55 based on strong net inflows and potential operating leverage.
• Microchip (MCHP) was upgraded to neutral from sell at Goldman.
• Toll Brothers (TOL) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• Ascent Solar (ASTI) was upgraded to hold from underperform at Jefferies.

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

• Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) said its Q3 profit declined despite the popularity of Guitar Hero.
• Blackboard Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBB) said Q3 revenue surged and its offered impressive cash flow numbers.
• Boston Beer Co. Inc. (NYSE: SAM) easily beat Q3 earnings estimates and raised its full-year guidance.
• Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) lower Q1 results topped estimates and sent shares higher.
• Cognizant Technology Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: CTSH) was upgraded following its strong Q3 results.
• Corporate Executive Board (NASDAQ: EXBD) received an analyst's upgrade following the Q3 results.

Analyst upgrades:

• Deutsche Bank upgraded Vale SA (NYSE: VALE) to Buy from Hold on expectations the company will benefit from higher realized prices. The firm raised its target on shares to $30 from $23.
• Soleil upgraded Education Management (NASDAQ: EDMC) to Buy from Gradually Accumulate following the company's Q1 results and raised its target on shares to $34 from $32.
• Credit Suisse upgraded Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) to Outperform from Neutral. The firm also added the stock to its Focus List and raised its target on shares to $49 from $41. Credit Suisse believes Medtronic's base business is stabilizing and the stock's risk/reward is compelling.
• Medivation (NASDAQ: MDVN) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Roth Capital.
• Martha Stewart (NYSE: MSO) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Morgan Joseph.
• Dominion Resources (NYSE: D) was upgraded to Hold from Underperform at Jefferies.

Laureate Education Inc. (NASDAQ:LAUR) is an education company focused on the full-time/working-adult demographic. It operates campus-based and online-based universities offering both undergraduate and degree programs. The company's network includes institutions in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Due to the company's focus on the international markets, which offer faster growth potential than the domestic market, the company has grown very substantially over the last several years. From 2001 to 2005, Laureate increased sales from $485 million to $875 million, and increased profits to $160 million from from $56 million.

In the end of January, the company announced that an "investor group" would purchase Laureate for $60.50 per share. This group is led by the company's chairman and CEO, Douglas Becker. With the stock trading at $60.30, the opportunity certainly doesn't look tremendous. That is, until you read the recent 13D filings on the stock!

Within the last two weeks, two interesting 13D filings have hit the SEC filing page for Laureate. The first filing was released by Select Equity and the second filing was released by T. Rowe Price. Both of these large holders of Laureate's stock are against the management-led buyout because they believe the $60.50 per share being offered to shareholders isn't adequate.