Analyst Upgrades

• SINA (SINA) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray.
• Texas Instruments (TXN), ON Semiconductor (ONNN), Xilinx (XLNX) and Valassis (VCI) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Salesforce.com (CRM) to buy from hold at Canaccord.
• Peet's Coffee (PEET) to buy from neutral at Janney Capital.
• Invesco Mortgage (IVR) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• BTU International (BTUI) to buy from hold at Wunderlich.
• Coca-Cola Femsa (KOF) to overweight from neutral at HSBC.
• Chipotle (CMG) to market perform from underperform at Morgan Keegan.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) Q2 profits declined on a glut of flash memory chips.
• Bally Technologies Inc. (NYSE: BYI) beat Q3 expectations and offered full-year guidance.
• Barclay's (NYSE: BCS) reported a big Q1 loss on credit-related write-downs.
• Constant Contact Inc. (NASDAQ: CTCT) saw big increases in Q1 revenues and in its customer base.
• Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) Q2 profits rose on international demand, but results just missed estimates.
• Fluor Corp.'s (NYSE: FLR) strong Q1 results are a signal for the energy sector, says Jim Cramer.
• Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) Q1 loss widened on the housing slump, but not as much as forecast.
• IndyMac Bancorp Inc. (NYSE: IMB) narrowed its loss but predicted it wouldn't see a profit in 2008.
• LDK Solar Co. Ltd. (NYSE: LDK) Q1 earnings topped forecasts and it raised its outlook.
• MBIA Inc. (NYSE: MBI) reported a larger-than-expected Q1 loss due to write-downs.
• Mindray Medical International Ltd. (NYSE: MR) beat Q1 expectations and raised its full-year guidance.
• Nuance Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) Q2 earnings were in line with analysts' expectations.
• ON Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ: ONNN) beat Q1 expectations and raised its Q2 revenue forecast.
• RealNetworks Inc. (NASDAQ: RNWK) beat Q1 estimates and announced share buybacks and a spin off.
• Salary.com Inc. (NASDAQ: SLRY) missed Q1 forecasts, leading to analysts' downgrades.
• Sykes Enterprises Inc. (NASDAQ: SYKE) beat Q1 estimates and raised its Q2 and full-year forecast.
• Syniverse Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SVR) beat Q1 expectations on strength in "messaging and mobil data."
• Toll Brothers Inc. (NYSE: TOL) warned of lower Q2 profits and more "challenging times" ahead.
• Website Pros Inc. (NASDAQ: WSPI) reported flat earnings despite soaring revenues and operating income.

ON Semiconductor (NASDAQ: ONNN) designs and manufactures a wide variety of power and data management semiconductors for customers in the automotive, communications, computer, medical, industrial and military/aerospace markets. It operates a network of manufacturing facilities, sales offices and design centers in key markets throughout North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. Top clients include Nokia (NYSE: NOK) and Sony (NYSE: SNE). Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) is a major competitor.

The firm pleased investors last week, when it reported Q1 EPS of 21 cents and revenues of $421.9 million. Analysts had been looking for 14 cents and $386.9 million. Management also guided Q2 revenues to $545-$560 million ($400.6M consensus). Canaccord Adams subsequently upgraded the shares to "buy". Kaufman Brothers, Lehman Brothers and Wedbush Morgan reiterated their "buy" ratings.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: 1-800-Flowers.com, Ctrip.com International, 51job and Choice Hotels were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Nollenberger started shares of 1-800-Flowers.com (NASDAQ: FLWS) with a Buy rating and $14 target and believes shares are undervalued at current levels given the company's compelling growth prospects, strong cash flow generation, and solid balance sheet.
  
• Bear believes Ctrip.com (NASDAQ: CTRP) is the best positioned online travel company ahead of structural changes and consolidation in China's fragmented travel agency industry. The firm initiated shares with an Outperform rating and $80 target.
  
• Bear expects 51job (NASDAQ: JOBS) to benefit from China's increasing Internet user base due to the internet's broadening reach among job seekers, resuming coverage with an Outperform rating and $28 target.
  
• Goldman started Choice Hotels (NYSE: CHH) with a Buy rating and $45 target, as they are positive on the stock given unit growth and minimal capital needs, among other reasons.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Thomas Weisel initiated On Semiconductor (NASDAQ: ONNN) with an Overweight rating and $15 target.
  
• Broadpoint initiated Ariba (NASDAQ: ARBA) with a Buy rating and $15 target and Ultimate Software (NASDAQ: ULTI) with a Neutral rating.
  
• Merrill started shares of Savient Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SVNT) with a Neutral rating.