Analyst upgrades:

• FBR Capital upgraded M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB) to Market Perform from Underperform following the Q3 results to reflect the company's improved earnings outlook and better credit trends. The firm has a $70 price target on shares.
• Kaufman Bros. upgraded Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) to Buy from Hold as it believes a bottom has been reached in the manufacturing and construction industries. The firm raised its target on shares to $30 from $26.
• Goldman upgraded Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) to Neutral from Sell and raised its target to $64 from $48 citing improved cost controls and construction outlook.
• Pentair (NYSE: PNR) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at KeyBanc.
• Lexmark (NYSE: LXK) was upgraded to Neutral from Underweight at JPMorgan.
• Stryker (NYSE: SYK) was upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at BofA/Merrill.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: iRobot, Felcor Lodging and Office Max were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Stanford initiated iRobot (NASDAQ: IRBT) with a Buy rating and $18 target and believes better-than-expected military robot sales will allow the company to beat 2008 consensus estimates.
  
• Felcor Lodging (NYSE: FCH) was initiated at Keefe Bruyette with a Market Perform rating and $12.50 target. The firm believes material upside is unlikely given the company's above average suburban and airport exposure.
  
• Soleil assumed Office Max (NYSE: OMX) with a Hold rating and $17 target, as they believe macroeconomic challenges and heightened competition will limit near-term upside in the stock.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Broadcom (NASDAQ: BRCM), Marvell Tech (NASDAQ: MRVL) and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) were initiated with Outperform ratings at Cowen.
  
• Knot Inc. (NASDAQ: KNOT) was started with an Outperform rating at William Blair.
  
• Deutsche Bank initiated Cardtronics (NASDAQ: CATM) with a Buy rating and $13 target.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: NuVasive, Buffalo Wild Wings and Invesco were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Merriman believes NuVasive's (NASDAQ:NUVA) expanding product and distribution should continue to drive growth and feels the recent pullback provides a good entry point into shares. Merriman started NuVasive with a Buy rating.
  
• Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ:BWLD) was initiated at Jefferies with a Hold rating and $30 target as they believe consensus estimates are aggressive and that shares are approaching fair valuation.
  
• William Blair believes Invesco's (NYSE:IVZ) investment capabilities and diversified client base are key differentiators that will drive superior relative growth over the long term; shares were assumed with an Outperform rating.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Baird initiated XenoPort (NASDAQ:XNPT) with an Outperform rating and $74 target.
  
• KeyBanc assumed Felcor Lodging (NYSE:FCH) with a Buy rating and $14 target.
  
• Trimble Navigation (NASDAQ:TRMB) was initiated at Thomas Weisel with a Market Weight rating and $30 target.