Analyst upgrades:

• Janney Montgomery upgraded Aqua America (NYSE: WTR) to Buy from Neutral on valuation, viewing the recent weakness as a buying opportunity. The firm has a $19 target on the stock.
• UBS upgraded Gildan Activewear (NYSE: GIL) to Buy from Neutral due to customer Broder's improved liquidity and the improved outlook for margins.
• RBC Capital upgraded State Street (NYSE: STT) to Top Pick from Outperform and raised its target to $55 from $40. The analyst said the $2B capital raise addresses TCE ratio concerns and large unrealized losses in the investment portfolio.
• Sherwin-Williams (NYSE: SHW) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan.
• Advance Auto Parts (NYSE: AAP) was upgraded to Buy from Underperform at Banc of America/Merrill.
• M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Bernstein.

In The Oberweis Report, growth expert Jim Oberweis. Jr. sees upside for risk-oriented investors in two diagnostics firms: Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ: MYGN) and Thoratec (NASDAQ: THOR).

"Myriad develops molecular diagnostic products focused in the area of predictive caner diagnostics. It currently sells five genetic tests (and just recently announced the launch of a 6th test in December) focused on cancer and women's health.

"The bulk of their revenues currently come from their BRACAnalysis test for breast cancer. This test is the only one of its kind available to detect a faulty version of BRAC genes in women, which has been linked to significantly increased chances of developing breast and ovarian cancers.

Health care has long been considered a recession-resistant business. Given the current economic challenges, it's little surprise that in our survey of favorite stocks for the coming year, a number of leading advisors turned to this classic defensive sector.

In this year's Top Stock Picks from 75 advisors report, we found an intriguing group of medical-related stocks, from speculation in emerging biotech to well-established pharmaceutical firms, and from medical products makers to medical services firms focused on increasing health care efficiency and early disease detection.

Mike Cintolo, editor of The Cabot Market Letter, thinks Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ: MYGN) could be a "big winner in 2009," The company is a lead in the new field of cancer predisposition testing. For Mike's full report, read Top Stock Picks '09: Myriad Genetics.

Chuck Carlson, editor of The DRIP Investor, sees both quality and potential in Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY). For Chuck's full report, read Top Stock Picks '09: Bristol-Myers Squibb.

This post is part of a special annual report -- Top Stock Picks '09 -- in which TheStockAdvisors.com asked 75 leading newsletter advisors to select their favorite investment for the new year.

"My top idea for 2009 is Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ: MYGN)," says Mike Cintolo. In The Cabot Market Letter, he looks at "the leader in the new field of cancer predisposition testing."

"Myriad Genetics five tests on the market (covering colon, breast, ovarian, and skin cancer) that tell a patient if his genes make it more likely that he'll get various types of cancer.

"During the past few quarters, revenues from these tests have risen at a 50% annual clip, and there's no sign of that slowing down.

"The company also has a pharmaceutical division, but it's going to spin that off sometime in 2009. That should be a big positive, as the drug development division carries good potential, but also big-time costs. Once the cancer predisposition testing division is on its own, much of that revenue growth is going to fall to the bottom line.

Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ:MYGN) is recently down $5.48 to $42.25 in pre-open trading. MYGN's Flurizan, a treatment for Alzheimer's diseases, had negative Phase 3 results. RBC Capital has a 12-month forward target of $37 on MYGN. MYGN July option implied volatility of 102 was above its 26-week average of 71 according to Track Data, suggesting larger July price movement.

Option Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ: MYGN) is recently up $1.52 to $48.15.

MYGN's Flurizan, a treatment for Alzheimer's diseases is expected release top-line results in late soon.

MYGN call option volume of 8,246 contracts compares to put volume of 3,437 contracts. MYGN July option implied volatility is at 118; August is at 92; above its 26-week average of 68 according to Track Data, suggesting larger July price movement.

Option Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

MOST NOTEWORTHY: The Small Cap BioTech sector top today's small list of initiations.

• The Bank of America initiated five companies within the Small Cap BioTech sector:
• Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYGN), Array BioPharma, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARRY), Nuvelo, Inc. (NASDAQ:NUVO) and Keryx BioPharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:KERX) with Buy ratings
• and Dendreon Corp (NASDAQ:DNDN) with a Neutral rating.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ:FISV) was resumed with a Market Perform at Wachovia on valuation
• and Century Casinos, Inc. (NASDAQ:CNTY) was initiated with a Hold at Morgan Joseph on valuation.

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