Analyst Upgrades

• Deutsche Bank upgraded Varian Semi (VARI) to buy from hold following the company's Q2 results and raised its target for shares to $42 from $27.
• Baird upgraded CommScope (CTV) to outperform from neutral following the Q1 report, citing improved visibility and growth. The firm raised its price target to $39 from $28.
• Needham upgraded Build-A-Bear Workshop (BBW) to strong buy from buy. The firm is more positive on the stock following the company's Q1 results and keeps a $13 price target.
• Spirit AeroSystems (SPR) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Wynn Resorts (WYNN) was upgraded to neutral from underperform at Macquarie.
• UBS (UBS) was upgraded to market perform from underperform at FBR Capital.

Analyst Upgrades

• Barrington upgraded Lincoln Electric (LECO) to outperform from market perform to reflect its positive 2010-2012 outlook for the global welding sector. The firm has a $60 price target on shares.
• Merriman upgraded Akamai (AKAM) to buy from neutral as it believes the company's market share losses have stemmed and traffic volume growth should outpace pricing declines.
• Oppenheimer upgraded Blackstone Group (BX) to outperform from perform, citing improving fundamentals and disclosure. The firm set a $20.50 price target on the stock.
  
• Freeport McMoRan (FCX) was upgraded to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• Charles River Labs (CRL) was upgraded to equal weight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.
  

Analyst upgrades:

• Citigroup upgraded Vistaprint (VPRT) to buy from hold on valuation following the recent pullback in shares. The firm also raised its price target on the stock to $62 from $55.
• Fox-Pitt upgraded Eaton Vance (EV) to outperform from in line citing strong fundamentals. The firm raised its target to $36 from $34.
• Stifel Nicolaus upgraded Hospitality Properties (HPT) to buy from hold citing valuation and expected cash dividend in 2010. The firm has a $22 target on the stock.
• The Advisory Board (ABCO) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at First Analysis.
• Technip (TKPPY) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Jefferies upgraded Energy XXI (EXXI) to hold from underperform and raised its target to $2 from $1.

Analyst upgrades:

• Jefferies upgraded Abiomed (NASDAQ: ABMD) to Hold from Underperform on valuation as it believes concerns over the company's Impella heart pump are priced in at current levels. The firm lowered its target price to $7 from $8.
  
• Suntrust upgraded Somanetics (NASDAQ: SMTS) to Neutral from Reduce. The firm believes most of the risk is out of Somanetics shares and that the Q1 report could be a positive catalyst.
  
• Banc of America/Merrill upgraded shares of Telecom Italia (NYSE: TI) to Buy from Neutral on valuation and believes the company's revenue trends are improving.
• China Petroleum & Chemical (NYSE: SNP) was raised to Buy from Neutral at UBS.
• Hexcel (NYSE: HXL) and Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) were upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: ComScore (SCOR), Lowe's (LOW) and Home Depot (HD) were today's noteworthy initiations:

• ComScore (NASDAQ: SCOR) was initiated with an Outperform rating and $35 target at Oppenheimer. The firm said SCOR operates in a high growth sector with a sustainable competitive advantage and attractive valuation.
  
• Jefferies assumed coverage of Lowe's (NYSE: LOW) and Home Depot (NYSE: HD) with Hold ratings and a $24-$26 target and $25-$27 target, respectively. The firm expects further downward EPS revisions as the housing recession extends.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Jefferies initiated Energy XXI (NASDAQ: EXXI) with a Buy rating and $7 target.
  
• Select Comfort (NASDAQ: SCSS) was initiated with a Market Perform rating at Raymond James.
  
• Oppenheimer started Omniture (NASDAQ: OMTR) with an Outperform rating and $34 target.