• Jefferies downgraded shares of Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) to Hold from Buy, as they believe the company's fundamentals are weakening given the worse than anticipated share losses in the wireless segment. Shares were also lowered to Neutral from Overweight at JP Morgan, to Equal Weight from Overweight at Lehman, to Neutral from Outperform at Credit Suisse, and to Neutral from Buy at UBS to reflect the slowdown in the company's wireless growth.
  
• Check Point Software (NASDAQ: CHKP) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Jefferies on valuation and highlights the difficult spending environment in 1H08 as well as the company's tough comps.
  
• Deutsche Bank downgraded shares of Mobile Mini (NASDAQ: MINI) to Hold from Buy following the company's negative preannouncement.
  
• Oppenheimer lowered Vineyard National Bancorp (NASDAQ: VNBC) to Neutral from Buy to reflect slower pace of balance sheet growth and lower gain-on-sale income estimates.
  
• JMP Securities downgraded TorreyPines (NASDAQ: TPTX) to Market Outperform from Strong Buy and said Tezampanel's lack of dose response and statistically significant pain free response will keep the stock in the "show me" category.

• JP Morgan downgraded ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) to Underweight from Neutral and Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE: MRO) to Neutral from Overweight.
  
• UBS downgraded Zions Bancorporation (NASDAQ: ZION) to Neutral from Buy.
  
• Citigroup downgraded Kellogg Company (NYSE: K) to Hold from Buy.
  
• ThinkEquity downgraded ValueClick (NASDAQ: VCLK) to Source of Funds from Buy.

Analyst downgrade: TXN, CHKP, MINI, VNBC and TPTX originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• With customers wanting an alternative to Microsoft (MSFT), Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM) is making an attempt to be that alternative. It is rumored that management is in talks with Google (GOOG) about the two companies working together, a move that could include offering Google Apps via the AppExchange and integrating more closely those apps with Salesforce.com. Baird initiated shares of Salesforce.com with a Neutral rating and $49 target.

• Banc of America sees major headwinds from declining construction and slower consumer spending on housing and started shares of Black & Decker Corp (NYSE: BDK) with a Sell rating and $85 target.

• Merriman sees upside from strong mid- and late-stage clinical programs, key collaborations and potential for revenue generation, starting shares of GenVec (NASDAQ: GNVC) with a Buy rating.

• Baird finds Rightnow Technology (NASDAQ: RNOW) to be well-positioned within the customer service segment of the CRM market with above average L-T prospects and views the recent uncertainty as a buying opportunity. Baird started shares of RightNow with an Outperform rating and $19 target...

• Jefferies initiated RadNet Inc (NASDAQ: RDNT) with a Buy rating.

• Lehman started Mobile Mini, Inc (NASDAQ: MINI) with an Equal Weight rating.

• Northwest Airlines Corp (OTC: NWACQ) was initiated with a Neutral rating at Goldman.

• Pacific Growth started shares of Javelin Pharmaceuticals Inc (AMEX: JAV) with a Buy rating.

Analyst initiations 5-22-07: BDK, CRM, NWACQ and RNOW originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 May 2007 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.