Analyst Upgrades

• Medicis (MRX) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray, to outperform from market perform at Bernstein, to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital and to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Wellpoint (WLP) to buy from neutral at Davenport.
• Humana (HUM) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Frontier Oil (FTO) to equal weight from underweight and Resources Connection (RECN) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.

Analyst Upgrades

• RBC Capital upgraded FMC Technologies (FMC) to outperform from sector perform. The firm upgraded shares based on expectations that subsea order flow and backlog will be significantly higher than previous forecasts. The firm has a $70 target on shares.
• Citigroup upgraded ONEOK Partners LP (OKS) to buy from hold due to valuation and maintains a $65 price target on the stock.
• Needham upgraded Autodesk (ADSK) to buy from hold following the Q4 report and guidance. The firm has a $31 target on the stock.
• Morgan Stanley upgraded Under Armour (UA) to equal weight from underweight, citing valuation. The firm raised its target to $27 from $23.
• EOG Resources (EOG) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• FPL Group (FPL) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Novo Nordisk (NVO) was upgraded to buy from hold at Jefferies.

Analyst upgrades:

• Citigroup upgraded Lubrizol (NYSE: LZ) to Buy from Hold on valuation as they believe economic weakness is already priced into the stock. Despite upgrading, Citigroup lowered their target price to $32 from $36.
  
• UBS believes AT&T (NYSE: T) consensus estimates are beatable and that the 7.1% dividend yield is safe. Additionally, the firm said a strike is possible when the unionized wireline employee contract expires on April 4th but expects the company to succeed in lowering healthcare benefits. Shares were upgraded to Buy from Neutral.
  
• Friedman Billings upgraded Adobe (NASDAQ: ADBE) to Market Perform from Underperform as they believe guidance appropriately reset expectations and that the risk/reward is neutral at current levels. The firm lowered their target price to $16 from $17. Shares were also upgraded to Buy from Hold at Jefferies after the Q1 results to reflect better-than-expected cost cuts and an attractive risk/reward at current levels.
• Lousiana Pacific (NYSE: LPX) was raised to Sector Outperformer from Sector Performer at CIBC.
  
• OmniVision (NASDAQ: OVTI) was upgraded at Baird to Neutral from Underperform.

After the turn of the calendar page, quarterly reporting resumes this week. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are expecting to see strong earnings growth from fertilizer producer Mosaic Co. (NYSE: MOS), biotech giant Monsanto Co. (NYSE: MON), and Neogen Corp. (NASDAQ: NEOG), which produces food safety and animal health products. Mosaic's estimated earnings per share of $1.43 for the fiscal second quarter would be 41.9% higher than a year ago, and its revenue estimate of $3.0 billion is 36.7% higher. Monsanto's $0.59 per share projection for the fiscal first quarter is 22.0% higher and sales of $2.4 billion are up 14.9%. And Neogen's second-quarter $0.25 per share would be 12.0% higher, while its sales of $32.3 million are up 18.6%. All three have tended to beat expectations in recent quarters, and all three have buy recommendations from a consensus of analysts. Mosaic and Monsanto have recently announced dividends, and their share prices have fallen 62.3% and 39.0%, respectively, from a year ago. The share price of Neogen, which recently announced share buybacks, is only 0.8% lower.

Other companies expected to post modest earnings gains when they report this week include education company Apollo Group Inc. (NASDAQ: APOL), WD-40 Co. (NASDAQ: WDFC), and wine and spirits maker Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE: STZ).

Even if the national headlines weren't already providing enough focus on the economy, plenty of economic data is due out as the month and the quarter wind down. U.S. economic data scheduled to be released this week include:

• Personal income (Aug. 2008): Monday 8:30 AM
• Consumer confidence index (Sept, 2008): Tuesday 10:00 AM
• Challenger job cut announcement (Sept, 2008): Wednesday 7:30 AM
• ISM manufacturing survey (Sept. 2008): Wednesday 10:00 AM
• Construction spending (Aug. 2008): Wednesday 10:00 AM
• New motor vehicle sales (Sept. 2008): Wednesday 4:00 PM
• Monster employment index (Sept. 2008): Thursday 6:00 AM
• Factory orders (Aug. 2008): Thursday 10:00 AM
• Employment situation (Sept. 2008): Friday 8:30 AM
• ISM nonmanufacturing survey (Sept. 2008): Friday 10:00 AM

Other economic events scheduled for this week include:

• Fed's Hoenig speaks on "The Economy and Monetary Policy": Monday 9:45 PM
• Fed's Lockhart speaks on the economic outlook: Tuesday 1:00 PM
• Ford Motor Co. September 2008 Sales Conference Call: Wednesday 1:00 PM
• AMETEK Inc. at Oppenheimer Industrials Conference: Thursday 8:00 AM
• DuPont at Citigroup Ethanol on the Cob Conference: Thursday 12:50 PM
• Fed's Evans speaks at Agricultural Markets and Food Price Inflation conference: Thursday 1:00 PM
• Fed's Bullard speaks at Indiana University Department of Economics: Thursday 7:00 PM
• Fed's Hoenig speaks on "The Economy and Monetary Policy": Thursday 9:45 PM
• National Association for Business Economics 50th Annual Meeting to address Future Economic Challenges: Friday 9:00 PM

Analyst upgrades:

• Oppenheimer upgraded Inter Parfums (NASDAQ: IPAR) to Outperform from Perform on valuation and increased comfort with the company's outlook after meeting with management.
  
• Deutsche Bank raised Covidien (NYSE: COV) to Buy from Hold on the company's solid execution and ongoing restructuring, which they believe will drive EPS higher. The firm raised its target to $63 from $51.
• Regions Financial (NYSE: RF) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Keefe Bruyette.
• American Eagle (NYSE: AEO) was lifted to Buy from Neutral at Banc of America.
  
• Goldman raised Healthways (NASDAQ: HWAY) to Neutral from Sell.

Analyst downgrades:

Resources Connection (NASDAQ: RECN) provides professional services to corporations, in support of client-led projects and initiatives. Areas of expertise include finance, accounting, risk management, internal auditing, information technology, human resources, supply chain management, and legal matters. The firm serves 2,400 companies from more than 80 offices around the world. The client list includes Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) and Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC).

Resources Connection pleased investors last week, when it reported fiscal Q4 EPS of 35 cents and revenues of $236.7 million. Analysts had been expecting 28 cents and $228.0 million. During the quarter, the company repurchased about 1.1 million RECN shares. Deutsche Securities subsequently reiterated its "buy" rating on the issue.

Monday, June 9

• The Pediatric Ethics Subcommittee of the Pediatric Advisory Committee will meet at 8:30 am to discuss the application of 21 CFR 50.52 (Clinical investigations involving greater than minimal risk but presenting the prospect of direct benefit to individual subjects) to FDA-regulated research. The discussion will be illustrated with hypothetical case examples of research involving HIV vaccines in adolescents and controlled trials of inhaled corticosteroids in children with asthma.
• Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) to give mid-quarter update at 5:00 pm.

Tuesday, June 10

• The Pediatric Ethics Subcommittee will meet at 8:00 am to discuss the application of 21 CFR 50.52 to FDA-regulated research illustrated with a hypothetical case example of research using stem cells for treating periventricular white matter injury in children.
• Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) to hold conference call at 11:00 am to discuss business video innovation.
• Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) to hold mid-year review meeting at 12:00 pm.

MOST NOTEWORTHY UPGRADES:

• Potash Corp. (NYSE: POT) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman based on the company's unprecedented sustainable pricing power.

MOST NOTEWORTHY DOWNGRADES:

• Resources Connection (NASDAQ: RECN) was downgraded to Equal Weight from Overweight at Morgan Stanley.

MOST NOTEWORTHY INITIATIONS:

• Credit Suisse believes Willbros Group Inc. (NYSE: WG) is well-positioned to capitalize on increased pipeline construction. The firm started shares with an Outperform rating and $46 target.
  
• CIBC, which said Rubicon Tech (NASDAQ: RBCN) is the leading sapphire supplier with the most advanced and highest quality substrate, views the company as uniquely positioned to leverage fast ramping LED volumes as new applications drive demand. CIBC initiated Rubicon with a Sector Outperformer rating and $23 target.
• Citigroup initiated El Paso Pipeline (NYSE: EPB) with a Buy rating and $28 target.
  
• Keefe Bruyette initiated Mercer Insurance (NASDAQ: MIGP) with a Market Perform rating and $19 target.
  
• Internet Brands (NASDAQ: INET) was initiated with an Overweight rating and $14 target at Thomas Weisel.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Sprint Nextel, Tesoro, VeriSign, Healthcare Property and Resources Connection were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• Goldman downgraded shares of Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE: S) to Neutral from Buy to reflect continuing turnaround delays, macro headwinds and competition.
  
• Tesoro Corporation (NYSE: TSO) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform at Credit Suisse, citing increased concerns regarding West Coast margins.
  
• The firm also lowered VeriSign Inc (NASDAQ: VRSN) to Neutral from Outperform, as they believe the company's reorganization could require more time than investors anticipate.
  
• Friedman Billings downgraded Healthcare Property (NYSE: HCP) to Market Perform from Outperform on valuation. Shares were also downgraded to Neutral from Buy at UBS.
  
• Resources Connection (NASDAQ: RECN) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Stifel, to Market Perform from Outperform at JMP Securities and to Peer Perform from Outperform at Bear following its Q1 report.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• Walgreen (NYSE: WAG) was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at JMP Securities.
  
• JP Morgan downgraded Staples Inc (NASDAQ: SPLS) to Underweight from Neutral.
  
• UBS downgraded Under Armour Inc (NYSE: UA) to Neutral from Buy.
  
• Bear downgraded CNOOC Ltd (NYSE: CEO) to Underperform from Peer Perform.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Rudolph Technologies, Inc (RTEC), DirecTV Group, Inc (DTV), EchoStar Communications (DISH) and Legacy Reserves LP (LGCY) were today's more noteworthy initiations:

• AG Edwards started Rudolph Technologies, Inc (NASDAQ: RTEC) with a Buy rating, believing Rudolph's acquisition of August Technologies created additional market opportunities and recommends investors to build positions at these levels to participate in future growth.

• Stifel initiated DirecTV Group, Inc (NYSE: DTV) with a Buy rating and $28 target and EchoStar Communications (NASDAQ: DISH) with a Hold rating and $45 target. The firm prefers DirectTV to EchoStar given DirectTV's faster growing Latin America division, coming HD advantage, and greater likelihood of buybacks and views a merger between DISH & DTV as possible longer-term.

• Legacy Reserves (NASDAQ: LGCY) was started with a Buy rating at Oppenheimer, expecting Legacy to grow through acquisitions.
  

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• CIBC initiated FTI Consulting, Inc (NYSE: FCN) and Advisory Board Co (NASDAQ: ABCO) with Sector Outperformer ratings, and a $45 target and $62 target, respectively, and Resources Connection, Inc (NASDAQ: RECN) and Corporate Executive Board Co (NASDAQ: EXBD) with Sector Performer ratings.

• Chiquita Brands International, Inc (NYSE: CQB) was initiated with a Buy rating at Morgan Joseph.

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