Analyst upgrades:

• Baird upgraded Tenet Healthcare (NYSE: THC) to Outperform from Neutral and raised its target to $6 from $5 based on cost trends, valuation, and expectations the company can beat expectations over the next six months.
• Oppenheimer upgraded E-House (NYSE: EJ) to Outperform from Perform following the company's better-than-expected Q2 results. The firm has a price target of $27 on shares.
• JPMorgan upgraded Avery Dennison (NYSE: AVY) to Overweight from Neutral and has a $33 target on the stock. The firm cites valuation for the upgrade following the recent underperformance and expects the company's margins to expand as demand rebounds.
• Citigroup (NYSE: C) was upgraded to Buy from Underperform at BofA/Merrill.
• Taubman Centers (NYSE: TCO) was upgraded to Conviction Buy from Buy at Goldman.
• First Niagara (NASDAQ: FNFG) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Janney Montgomery.

• JMP Securities upgraded CB Richard Ellis (NYSE: CBG) to Outperform from Market Perform. The analyst believes the new Public-Private Investment Program will create liquidity, which will result in some degree of activity. Shares were also upgraded at JP Morgan to Overweight from Neutral.
  
• Thomas Weisel upgraded Linear Tech (NASDAQ: LLTC) to Overweight from Market Weight due to stabilizing business and favorable end market exposure.
  
• UBS upgraded PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) to Buy from Neutral and raised its target to $60 from $57 due to moderating input costs, earnings and investment flexibility, improving U.S. beverage business, and leverage from its market share in food.
• Tibco (NASDAQ: TIBX) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
  
• Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG) was upgraded at ING Group to Buy from Hold.
  
• Hospira (NYSE: HSP) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Leerink.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Mako Surgical, ArcSight and ICU Medical were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Mako Surgical (NASDAQ: MAKO) was initiated with an Overweight rating at JP Morgan. The firm believes Mako has the most compelling system for navigated, robotic assisted orthopedic surgery to date.
  
• After ArcSight (NASDAQ: ARST) reported better-than-expected results for its Q3 and guidance for Q4 that Wachovia views as positive, the firm, which initiated shares with an Outperform rating, expects that regulatory compliance initiatives such as SOX will help protect the company from the slowdown, and help result in upward revisions to Wachovia's estimates in the future, as well as margin expansion.
  
• Soleil believes ICU Medical's (NASDAQ: ICUI) close distributor relationship with Hospira (NYSE: HSP) will drive its CLAVE/Custom IV franchises. The firm started shares with a Buy rating and $33 target.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Bear initiated Journal Comm (NYSE: JRN) with an Outperform rating and $10.25 target.
  
• Royal KPN (NYSE: KPN) was initiated at Societe Generale with a Sell rating.
  
• Broadpoint assumed Nuance Comm (NASDAQ: NUAN) with a Buy rating and $22 target.

The accidental transmission of infections is a big day-to-day problem for hospital personnel. There is an outfit in San Clemente, California that makes devices designed to avoid one of the major sources of the problem.

ICU Medical (NASDAQ: ICUI) provides disposable medical connection systems for use in intravenous (IV) therapy applications. Its products prevent accidental IV disconnects, protect patients from catheter related bloodstream infections and guard healthcare workers from exposure to infectious diseases through accidental needle sticks. The firm also manufactures various critical care products, including pressure monitoring devices, blood sampling systems, cardiac monitoring systems and angiography kits, under an agreement with Hospira (NYSE: HSP). Baxter International (NYSE: BAX) is a major competitor.

The company pleased investors last week, when it reported Q1 EPS of 63 cents. Analysts had been expecting 44 cents. Revenues rose 0.2 percent (yr/yr) to $48.8 million. Management also guided FY07 EPS to $1.97 ($1.79 consensus) and FY07 revenues to $206.0 million ($205.9M consensus). Gross margins rose to 39%, from 33% in Q4. ICUI shares popped above 200-day moving average support on the news and are now forming a bullish "flag" consolidation pattern. Prices frequently exit flags moving in the same direction they were traveling when they entered them. In this case, that would be to the upside.

The proper administration of medication is among the most critical of all medical procedures. There is a firm in Lake Forest, Illinois that helps care-givers maintain the best possible standards of safety and precision in the administration of over 130 injectable drugs, in over 600 dosages and formulations.

Hospira Inc. (NYSE:HSP) is a specialty pharmaceutical and medication delivery company. Its portfolio includes a broad line of generic acute-care and oncology injectables, anesthetics and diagnostic imaging agents. The firm also makes pre-filled syringes and intravenous delivery systems for quick and accurate administration by health-care providers. In acquiring Australia-based rival Mayne Pharma last month, Hospira doubled its international sales to nearly 30% of total sales.

Hospira surprised investors last week when it announced Q4 EPS of 43 cents and revenues of $706.5 million. Analysts had been expecting 38 cents and $673.7 million. Management also guided FY07 EPS to $2.11-$2.16 ($2.08 consensus) and FY07 revenues to $3.4-$3.48 billion ($3.44B consensus). Banc of America subsequently reiterated its "buy" rating on the issue and boosted its price target to $44. HSP shares popped through 200-day moving average resistance on the news and have since been consolidating the gain in a bullish "pennant" pattern. Equities frequently exit pennants moving in the same direction they were traveling when they entered them. In this case, that would be to the upside.

Altogether, brokers now recommend the shares with three "strong buys," two "buys" and one "hold." Analysts see a 17% growth rate through the next year. The HSP P/E ratio (26.40), Price to Sales ratio (2.27), Price to Book ratio (4.48), Price to Cash Flow ratio (15.45), Price to Free Cash Flow ratio (35.69), EPS Growth rate (34.38%), Return on Assets (8.43%), Return on Investment (10.72%) and Return on Equity (17.68%) compare favorably with industry and sector averages.

Institutions hold about 72% of the outstanding shares. The stock is one of those used to calculate the S&P 500 Index. Over the past twelve months, it has traded between $31.15 and $45.25. A stop-loss of $33.85 looks good here.

Larry Schutts is a contributing editor for Theflyonthewall.com and the Vice-President of Stockwinners.com.