Analyst Upgrades

• Bunge (BG) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Textron (TXT) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• CSX (CSX) to buy from neutral and Pulte Group (PHM) to conviction buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Aol (AOL) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Kohlberg Capital (KCAP) to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.
• Owens Corning (OC) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Jefferies (JEF) to buy from neutral at Ticonderoga.
• Harris (HRS) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.

"There are also people who avoid the doctor's office, not because they're afraid of needles, but because they can't afford it," says growth stock specialist Marc Lichtenfeld.

The contributing editor to Investment U explains, "However, times are changing. The new health care bill will enable millions more people to get their various conditions checked out. As a result, the diagnostics industry should boom.

Analyst upgrades:

• Keefe Bruyette upgraded Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) to Outperform from Market Perform due to valuation and the company's better balance sheet following capital raises. The firm raised its target on shares to $16.50.
  
• Merriman upgraded Blue Coat Systems (NASDAQ:BCSI) to Buy from Neutral to reflect stabilizing demand and merger synergies from the Packeteer acquisition.
  
• Thomas Weisel upgraded Genomic Health (NASDAQ:GHDX) to Overweight from Market Weight based on valuation, a new colon cancer assay expected in 2010, and upside from new sales hires.
• Plexus (NASDAQ:PLXS) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Baird.
  
• Great Plains Energy (NYSE:GXP) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
  
• Ericsson (nASDAQ:ERIC) was upgraded at Societe Generale to Buy from Hold.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Pioneer Natural, Genomic Health and Alphatec were today's noteworthy upgrades:

• Citigroup upgraded shares of Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE: PXD) to Buy from Hold on valuation following the recent weakness.
• Genomic Health Inc (NASDAQ: GHDX) was raised to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital, as they believe momentum for the company's Oncotype Dx test is building based on inclusion in new clinical guidelines and expanded reimbursement.
• Alphatec Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: ATEC) was upgraded to Buy from Source of Funds at Think Equity, citing the new CEO's efforts to overhaul the company, which has positioned it for growth.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• Intercontinental Exchange Inc (NYSE: ICE) was added to JP Morgan's Focus List.
• Banc of America upgraded Sirona Dental Systems Inc (NASDAQ: SIRO) to Buy from Neutral.
• Baird upgraded CommVault Systems Inc (NASDAQ: CVLT) to Outperform from Neutral.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Thornburg Mortgage, Expedia and Perot Systems were today's noteworthy upgrades:

• Jefferies upgraded shares of Thornburg Mortgage Inc Corp (NYSE: TMA) to Buy from Hold as they believe the stock is at an inflection point, characterized by accelerated earnings and dividend growth.
• Expedia Inc (NASDAQ: EXPE) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse, as they believe the company is well-positioned to benefit from global e-travel and media opportunities, strong free cash flow, and attractive valuation.
• Perot Systems Corporation (NYSE: PER) was upgraded to Sector Perform from Underperform at RBC Capital following its Q4 report.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• HSBC raised Swiss Reinsurance Company (OTC: SWCEY) to Overweight from Neutral.
• The Estee Lauder Companies Inc (NYSE: EL) was upgraded to Equal Weight from Underweight at Lehman.
• Cantor upgraded Genomic Health Inc (NASDAQ: GHDX) to Buy from Hold.

For 25 years, Steven Halpern, editor of TheStockAdvisors.com, has surveyed the leading financial newsletter advisors asking for their favorite stocks for the coming year. This article is one of 100+ ideas in the Best Stocks for 2008 report.

"The era of personalized medicine is arriving and Genomic Health (NASDAQ: GHDX) is one of the first companies to provide both a successful product and an investment opportunity," says Dave Dyer in his Dave Dyer's Newsletter, referring to his more speculative favorite for 2008.

"The company's genetic test provides a way to determine whether women with early stage breast cancer would benefit from chemotherapy. For 70% of people with early stage breast cancer, minimally invasive surgery and radiation is all that is needed.

"The other 30% have a more aggressive type of cancer and would benefit from also receiving chemotherapy. An objective, quantifiable test based on the genetic characteristics of a specific patient can determine with very high probability which group a patient belongs to.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Roo Group (RGRP) Best Buy (BBY), Circuit City Stores (CC) and several healthcare companies were today's noteworthy initiations:

• ROO Group (OTCBB: RGRP) was initiated with a Buy rating and $3.50 target at Cantor. The firm believes the company is one of the few pure-play online video public investment opportunities for investors today.
• Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) and Circuit City Stores (NYSE: CC) were initiated at FTN Midwest with a Buy rating and Neutral rating, respectively.
• LifePoint Hospitals (NASDAQ: LPNT), Community Health Systems (NYSE: CYH), Tenet Healthcare (NYSE: THC) and MedCath Corp. (NASDAQ: MDTH) were all initiated with Hold ratings at AG Edwards. AG Edwards also initiated shares of Universal Health Services (NYSE: UHS) with a Buy rating and $72 target, citing the company's strong patient volume growth and favorable reimbursement trends.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• Famous Dave's of America (NASDAQ: DAVE) was initiated with a Buy rating at Feltl & Co.
• Needham initiated shares of RadiSys Corp. (NASDAQ: RSYS) with a Buy rating and $17 target, as it expects the company to benefit from the development of standards-based embedded solutions.
• Atmel Corp. (NASDAQ: ATML) was initiated with a Buy rating and $7.50 target at American Technology.
• Genomic Health (NASDAQ: GHDX) was initiated with an Outperform rating at Leerink Swann.
• Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) was initiated with a Buy rating and $24 target at Soleil.
• Banc of America initiated shares of Hertz Global Holdings (NYSE: HTZ) with a Buy rating and $27 target.

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

MOST NOTEWORTHY: In addition to Genomic Health (GHDX) and Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG), airliners Continental Airlines (CAL) and ExpressJet Holdings (XTJ) were some of today's most notable initiations:

• RBC Capital Markets started Genomic Health Inc (NASDAQ: GHDX) with an Underperform rating, with a $17 target. The firm views shares as fairly valued and believes competitive noise and FDA concerns will weigh on shares.

• HSBC started Intercontinental Hotels (NYSE: IHG) with an Overweight rating, believing asset sales and stronger than expected room growth could prove near-term positive catalysts.

• Soliel started both Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) and ExpressJet Holdings Inc (NYSE: XJT) with Sell ratings.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• William Blair started Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALXN) with an Outperform rating. They believe Alexion's lead compound, Soliris, is the key driver of shareholder value, and they believe the company is well positioned to receive final FDA approval.

• Bear Stearns initiated Baldor Electric Company (NYSE: BEZ) with an Outperform rating.

• RBC initiated Hologic, Inc (NASDAQ: HOLX) with an Outperform rating.

• Citigroup started GMarket Inc (NASDAQ: GMKT) with a Sell rating and $18 target, citing valuation.

• Drew Industries, Inc (NYSE: DW) was initiated with a Buy rating and $35 target at Ferris Baker Watts.

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