Analyst Upgrades

• Bristol-Myers (BMY) to hold from underperform at Jefferies.
• Pep Boys (PBY) to buy from hold at Stifel Nicolaus.
• Tesla Motors (TSLA) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.
• Emerson (EMR) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• ARM Holdings (ARMH) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• NetLogic (NETL) and Cavium Networks (CAVM) to buy from hold at Auriga.
• Aimco (AIV) to hold from sell at Citigroup.
• Ceragon Networks (CRNT) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.

Analyst Upgrades

• Tiffany (TIF) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Kellogg (K) to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• Citizens Republic (CRBC) to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• Research in Motion (RIMM) to equal weight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.
• MWI Veterinary Supply (MWIV) and Elster (ELT) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray.
• Paetec Holding (PAET) and Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN) to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• New Gold (NGD) to outperform from market perform at BMO Capital.
• Aviat Networks (AVNW) to buy from hold at Needham.
• Abiomed (ABMD) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Animal Health (AHII) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• PNM Resources (PNM) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.

Analyst Upgrades

• inContact (SAAS) to buy from neutral at Roth Capital.

Analyst Downgrades

• Ericsson (ERIC) to neutral from buy at Goldman.
• Hovnanian (HOV) to underperform from buy at BofA/Merrill.
• PrivateBancorp (PVTB) to market perform from outperform at BMO Capital.
• Logitech (LOGI) to neutral from outperform at Exane BNP Paribas.

Analyst Upgrades

• Sapient (SAPE) to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• Kroger (KR) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Harman (HAR) to overweight from neutral and Deutsche Bank (DB) to neutral from underweight at JPMorgan.
• Savient (SVNT) to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.
• LabCorp (LH) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Optimer Pharm (OPTR) and Landstar System (LSTR) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Essex Property Trust (ESS) to buy from neutral at Janney Capital.
• Tyson Foods (TSN) to neutral from sell at Goldman.
• Host Hotels (HST) to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• SPX Corp. (SPW) to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.

Analyst Upgrades

• Wells Fargo upgraded MasterCard (MA) to outperform from market perform on valuation as it views the sell-off in shares following the company's Q4 results as unwarranted.
• Janney Montgomery upgraded Best Buy (BBY) to buy from neutral on valuation as it believes sentiment has gotten overly negative on the stock. The firm raised its target on shares to $44 from $42.
• Citigroup upgraded Gap (GPS) to buy from hold on valuation following the recent pullback in shares and the company's sales results. The firm raised its price target for the stock to $24 from $23.
• Starwood Hotels (HOT) was upgraded to neutral from underperform at Baird.
• Murphy Oil (MUR) was upgraded to hold from sell at Collins Stewart.
• Motorola (MOT) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.

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

• ADC Telecommunications Inc. (ADCT) posted a surprise net loss for Q4 and predicted a loss in Q1.
• BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. (BJ) shares fell after Q3 earnings met expectations and offered guidance for FY.
• Dell Inc. (DELL) posted lower-than-expected Q3 earnings, prompting a sell-off of shares.
• Foot Locker Inc. (FL) said Q3 earnings slumped more than analysts' forecast, sending shares lower.
• Gap Inc. (GPS) reported growth of EPS and revenue in Q3 and announced a share buyback program.

Perhaps a bit of the shine is wearing off of solar stocks. Solar panel company ReneSola (SOL) turned in a third-quarter loss of $10.2 million, or seven cents per share, compared to earnings of 23 cents per share ($32.4 million) a year ago. Quarterly revenue fell to $141 million from $216 million a year ago. Expectations called for a loss of eight cents per share on revenue of $135.5 million.

The company stated, "We witnessed a strong rebound in customer demand for our quality products in the third quarter of 2009 and reached a corporate landmark as ReneSola achieved the highest quarterly shipments of solar products in its history." I'm not buying it. SOL saw earnings and revenue walk off a cliff when compared to a year ago ... so let's make sure that we talk about great customer demand. Of course, customer demand wasn't good enough to help you swing to a third-quarter profit.

Analyst upgrades:

• Thomas Weisel upgraded PerkinElmer (NYSE: PKI) to Overweight from Market Weight on valuation as it sees limited downside to consensus estimates. The firm raised its target on shares to $20 from $18.
• Jefferies upgraded WuXi PharmaTech (NYSE: WX) to Hold from Underperform following the Q2 results as it believes the company's cross-selling strategy is paying off. The firm raised its target on shares to $12 from $5.
• FBR Capital upgraded J. Crew (NYSE: JCG) to Outperform from Market Perform to reflect the company's trend-right product, inventory control, unit growth, and strong management. The firm raised its target on shares to $36 from $25.
• Popular (NASDAQ: BPOP) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at B. Riley.
• Pan American Silver (NASDAQ: PAAS) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS.
• HearUSA (AMEX: EAR) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Roth Capital.

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

• American International Group Inc. (NYS: AIG) posted a record loss even as it asks for more taxpayer funds.
• AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (NYSE: ANN) shares sank after it missed Q4 expectations by a wide margin.
• AutoZone Inc. (NYSE: AZO) reported strong Q2 results, sending shares upward toward its 52-week high.
• Big Lots Inc. (NYSE: BIG) shares soared after it reported better-than-expected numbers for Q4.
• Chico's FAS Inc. (NYSE: CHS) Q4 loss widened on impairment charges and severance costs.

Chinese solar concern ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE: SOL) is trading sharply higher today after the company reported that fourth-quarter revenue will exceed analysts' expectations. SOL expects to rake in revenue of $157 million to $159 million, compared to the Street's consensus estimate of $154 million.

However, the rest of ReneSola's forecast wasn't quite as sunny. The alternative energy firm warned that it will swing to a fourth-quarter net loss of $125 million to $130 million, prompted by "significant downward pressure" on average selling prices and margins. ReneSola predicted quarterly writedowns of $130 million to $140 million, due to the rapid deterioration in the price and value of materials.

Analyst upgrades:

• JP Morgan upgraded Astoria Financial (NYSE: AF) to Neutral from Underweight on valuation as it finds the stock fairly valued at current levels.
• Seagate Technology (NASDAQ: STX) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at American Technology.

Analyst downgrades:

• Soleil downgraded Sunoco (NYSE: SUN) to Hold from Buy on valuation following the recent rally and is concerned about rising distillate inventories on the East Coast.
• Deutsche Bank downgraded MedCath (NASDAQ: MDTH) to Hold from Buy and lowered its target to $12.50 from $14 as it believes FY09 consensus estimates remain too high.
• Piper Jaffray downgraded ReneSola (NYSE: SOL) to Neutral from Buy and Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ) to Sell from Neutral.
• LHC Group (NASDAQ: LHCG) was cut to Hold from Buy at Deutsche Bank.

Last week, JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: JASO) posted a quarterly loss and lowered its guidance. But as interest in alternative energy continues to grow, analysts polled by Thomson Financial are still looking for good things from solar energy concerns scheduled to report earnings this week.

Strong growth at Trina Solar Ltd. (NYSE: TSL) in the third quarter prompted it to lift its guidance back in October. Analysts expect the Chinese company to post profits that are 76.3% higher than a year ago, or $1.18 per share on revenues of $268.4 million (+225.0%). Though Trina Solar missed estimates in the second quarter, analysts on average recommend buying TSL. Shares are down 81.4% from a year ago and trading near an all-time low.

Earnings of rival LDK Solar Co. Ltd. (NYSE: LDK) are expect to have risen 47.9% to $0.71 per share on revenues of $486.7 million (+206.6%). Also based in China, LDK has not missed estimates in recent quarters; in fact, it blew past expectations in the second quarter. Yet the consensus recommendation is to hold LDK. Like Trina Solar, LDK's shares are trading near an all-time low; the share price has fallen 50.0% in the past year.

Analysts anticipate third-quarter earnings for Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) to be a whopping 96.3% higher than a year ago, or $0.54 per share on revenues of $248.0 million (+154.5%). The company easily topped estimates in the previous quarter. ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE: SOL) and Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (NYSE: STP) are also expected to report earnings growth of 29.7% ($0.37 per share) and 23.8% ($0.42 per share), respectively. All three of these stocks reached 52-week lows last week, and all are considered buys.

Rival home improvement chains Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD) and Lowe's Companies Inc. (NYSE: LOW) are scheduled to report quarterly results this week. Not surprisingly, given the ongoing housing slump, analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial on average expect both companies to post earnings lower than in the same period a year ago. For Home Depot, that's 61 cents per share, down 20.8%, and for Lowe's, 56 cents per share, down 16.4%. Meanwhile, cabinet maker American Woodmark Corp. (NASDAQ: AMWD), for whom Home Depot and Lowe's are major distributors, is also expected to report lower earnings: 11 cents per share, down 67.6%.

The presidential campaigns have prompted much discussion of energy policy and alternative energy sources. Some solar-energy-related concerns are scheduled to report this week, and expectations seem to be high. Trina Solar Ltd. (NYSE: TSL) is expected to report 81 cents per share earnings, up 67.9%; ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE: SOL) is expected to post earnings of 32 cents per share, up 62.5%; and Suntech Power Holdings Co. (NYSE: STP) is expected to have earnings of 32 cents per share, up 21.9%. Even China Sunergy Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: CSUN) is expected to have swung to a profit of 3 cents per share, from a per-share loss of 14 cents a year ago.

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.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• 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.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Weyerhaeuser, Infineon and Intuit were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• Deutsche Bank downgraded shares of Weyerhaeuser (NYSE: WY) to Hold from Buy following the company's investor day, as they were disappointed that no REIT conversion will occur before 2010. Deutsche lowered their target price to $65 from $95.
  
• Citigroup assumed coverage of IFX (NYSE: IFX) and downgraded the stock to Hold from Buy on valuation following the recent rally.
  
• Merrill Lynch cut Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU) to Underperform from Neutral. The rating changes reflect Merrill's new rating system based on relative recommendations within the sector.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• Morgan Stanley lowered ReneSola (NYSE: SOL) to Underweight from Equal Weight.
  
• RBC Capital downgraded Canadian Pacific (NYSE: CP) to Sector Perform from Outperform.
  
• Praxair (NYSE: PX) was downgraded at HSBC to Neutral from Overweight.