MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Jefferies started UnitedHealth Group inc NYSE: UNH) with a Hold rating and $48 target and said near-term risk is still present due to unfavorable reserve adjustments to the company's commercial risk business and high expectations for improvement in the company's commercial medical care ratio.

• Aetna Inc (NYSE: AET) was also initiated by Jefferies with a Hold rating based on valuation.

• Credit Suisse started Hercules Inc (NYSE: HPC) with an Outperform rating and $24 target.

• Matrix USA initiated Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) with a Hold rating on valuation...

• Cowen is positive on MIPS Technologies, Inc (NASDAQ: MIPS), starting the company with an Outperform rating, and expects a deal with Microchip Technology Inc (MCHP) to be announced soon.

• JP Morgan initiated shares of Headwaters Inc (NYSE: HW) with a Neutral rating.

• Needham assumed coverage of Harris Interactive Inc (NASDAQ: HPOL) with a Hold rating.

• ThinkEquity started Aruba Networks, Inc (NASDQ: ARUN) with an Accumulate rating and $15 target.

• Lazard initiated shares of Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: CYCC) with a Buy rating and $11 target.

Analyst initiations 4-23-07: AET, ALU and UNH initiated today originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 23 Apr 2007 11:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Shares of Baldor Electric Co (NYSE: BEZ) were initiated by Baird with an Outperform rating and $42 target. The firm believes that Baldor's already-premium market position is strengthened by their acquisition of Rockwell's Power Systems. The firm believes that as the company starts to realize integration synergies, management's initial earnings accretion forecast of $0.10 in 2007 is conservative, earnings surprises will be likely and the company should be able to sustain their current valuation.

• Harris Interactive Inc (NASDAQ: HPOL) was initiated with a Buy rating and $7 target at Roth Capital. The firm believes Harris Interactive is positioned to take market share in market research as the company operates one of the largest online survey panels with more than 6 million members.

Analyst initiations 2-05-07: Baldor Electric started with an Outperform originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 Feb 2007 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.