- Citigroup upgraded Brightpoint (NASDAQ: CELL) to Buy from Hold on expectations global handset units will trough in 2009, leading to a higher multiple for the stock. Citi raised its target on shares to $9 from $6.50.
- FBR Capital upgraded Rosetta Resources (NASDAQ: ROSE) to Outperform from Market Perform on valuation and believes drilling results in Q3 and Q4 should serve as near-term catalysts. The firm raised its target on shares to $15.
- Piper Jaffray upgraded Echelon (NASDAQ: ELON) to Neutral from Underweight following the company's contract announcement with Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK). The firm raised its target on shares to $10 from $6.
- Smith & Nephew (NYSE: SNN) was upgraded to Equal Weight from Underweight at Morgan Stanley.
- Schawk (NYSE: SGK) was upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Baird.
- Alpha Natural (NYSE: ANR) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at BMO Capital.
RSOL posts
FeedAnalyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AMGN, KR, ROSE, SWY, YUM ...
Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AMGN, KR, ROSE, SWY, YUM ...
Analyst initiations: BSY, SOL and CHRD
MOST NOTEWORTHY: British Sky Broadcasting, ReneSola and Chordiant Software were today's noteworthy initiations:- Jefferies believes British Sky Broadcasting's (NYSE:BSY) exposure to discretionary household expenditure seems more dangerous than it is. Shares were initiated with a Buy rating.
- Oppenheimer assumed ReneSola (NYSE: SOL) with a Perform rating and said it is waiting for margins to re-accelerate before becoming more constructive on shares.
- Chordiant Software (NASDAQ: CHRD) was initiated at B. Riley with a Buy rating and $7 target and believes the recent sell-off is overdone.
- JMP Securities initiated American Capital (NASDAQ:AGNC) with an Outperform rating and $23 target.
- UBS assumed Omnicom Group (NASDAQ: OMC) and Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) with Neutral ratings and targets of $50 and $9.50, respectively.
- Real Goods Solar (NASDAQ: RSOL) was assumed at Broadpoint with a Buy rating and $10 target.
Analyst initiations: Pioneer Southwest, Art Technology, Real Goods Solar
MOST NOTEWORTHY: Pioneer Southwest, Art Technology and Real Goods Solar were today's noteworthy initiations:
- Friedman Billings initiated Pioneer Southwest (NYSE: PSE) with an Outperform rating and $25 target. The firm believes the current valuation does not reflect potential upside from the upstream drop-downs, which would result in higher distributions.
- ThinkPanmure believes Art Technology (NASDAQ: ARTG) is well-positioned to benefit from a strong replatforming cycle. Shares were initiated with a Buy rating and $4.50 target.
- Broadpoint said Real Goods Solar (NASDAQ: RSOL) has a disciplined operational model leading to profitable growth, and started shares with a Buy rating and $10 target. ThinkPanmure also initiated Real Goods Solar with a Buy rating and $10 target and said the company is well-positioned given strong underlying trends that include higher retail electricity costs, legislative renewable energy standards and incentives, declining solar photovoltaic systems costs, and "green momentum."
OTHER INITIATIONS:
- Credit Suisse assumed Telmex International (NYSE: TII) with a Neutral rating and $18 target.
- Athenahealth (NASDAQ: ATHN) was initiated with a Hold rating at BB&T Capital.
- Western Gas Partners (NYSE: WES) was started at Citigroup with a Hold rating and $18.50 target.




