Analyst Upgrades

• Procter & Gamble (PG) upgraded to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Capital One (COF) upgraded to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• Airgas (ARG) upgraded to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Broadcom (BRCM) upgraded to positive from neutral at Susquehanna.
• Lululemon (LULU) upgraded to hold from underperform at Jefferies.
• DryShips (DRYS) upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.

Analyst Upgrades

• JPMorgan upgraded Vivus (VVUS) to overweight from neutral.
• Citigroup upgraded Corn Products (CPO) to buy from hold.
• Maxim Integrated (MXIM) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• Cardinal Health (CAH) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Citigroup upgraded Monster Worldwide (MWW) and EchoStar (SATS) to buy from hold, as well as Las Vegas Sands (LVS) to buy from sell.
• BMO Capital upgraded Potash (POT) and Barrick Gold (ABX) to outperform from market perform.

Few sectors contained more promise during the recent global GDP expansion than drillers and oil servicers. However, few sectors became more oversold than the aforementioned, as well, during the oil bust in 2008.

Further, while one should not expect oil to return to the $140-range anytime soon, the notion that oil will remain in the $40-50 range for a long time is equally slim. And that makes the case for Oceaneering International (NYSE: OII).

"We see smooth seas ahead for deepsea driller Oceaneering International (NYSE: OII)," says Richard Moroney.

The editor of the blue chip advisory, Dow Theory Forecasts, explains, "Most of the world's untapped oil reserves lie under the ocean floor, and oil producers are spending an increasing portion of their capital budgets on deepwater drilling."

"While oil prices don't directly affect Oceaneering International's profits and cash flows, they do move the stock. Oil prices fell by two-thirds in the second half of 2008, pushing Oceaneering shares under $20 for the first time since July 2005.

With the national average of unleaded regular gasoline above $3.15 and oil's recent price surge not fully felt by refiners yet, there's a good chance gasoline will hit $4 per gallon this summer in the United States, particularly if driving patterns mirror previous summers.

Moreover, gasoline is already above $4 in certain high-cost zones in California and in Hawaii, the Associated Press reported Friday.

What's a good way to cope with the above? Turn it your advantage, to the extent possible, at both ends. Accordingly, here are a few tactics for investors and consumers in the $4 gasoline era.

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says that as oil goes higher, these stocks will have even more room to run.

Name me three tech stocks that have increased more than 100% in the last year that are still cheap.

Try it! Think you can't?

I have some news for you. I have three that are still selling well under twice their growth rate that have more room to run and simply aren't done, as crazy as that seems: Oceaneering International Inc. (NYSE: OII) (Cramer's Take), FMC Technologies (NYSE: FTI) (Cramer's Take) and Core Labs (NYSE: CLB) (Cramer's Take).

I know. These are oil companies. They are not semis or software or hardware. They are technical services companies that allow companies to recoup marginal oil.

They are the ultimate tech plays on $80 oil. They are worth their weight in black gold.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Bear Stearns (BSC), Citigroup (C), Lehman (LEH), Chicago Bridge & Iron (CBI) and Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• Merrill downgraded Bear Stearns (NYSE: BSC), Citigroup (NYSE: C) and Lehman Brothers (NYSE: LEH) to Neutral from Buy to reflect greater earnings risk stemming from the slowdown in securitization and mortgage. Merrill also finds it "inevitable" that revenue from underwriting and advising on takeovers will slow.

• Stanford downgraded shares of Chicago Bridge & Iron (NYSE: CBI) to Sell from Hold as they believe the premium valuation is unjustified given the Lummus acquisition.

• Merrill Lynch cut Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY) to Sell from Neutral based on slowing secular growth...

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• Goldman downgraded Zale (NYSE: ZLC) to Sell from Neutral.

• PrivateBancorp (NASDAQ: PVTB) was cut from JP Morgan's Focus List.

• Banc of America downgraded Maxim Integrated (NASDAQ: MXIM) to Neutral from Buy.

• Stanford cut Oceaneering Int'l (NYSE: OII) to Hold from Buy.

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