Analyst Upgrades

• Intel (INTC) was upgraded to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Wells Fargo upgraded MetroPCS (PCS), Coventry Health (CVH) and Scientific Games (SGMS) to outperform from market perform.
• Estee Lauder (EL) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Simon Property (SPG) was upgraded to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Citigroup upgraded BreitBurn Energy (BBEP) to buy from hold.

Analyst Upgrades

• Citigroup upgraded OpenTable (OPEN) to buy from hold, citing stronger than expected near-term trends and traction for the company's Spotlight offering. Citi upped its price target for shares to $70 from $46.
• Wells Fargo upgraded Werner (WERN) to outperform from market perform, citing valuation, the company's reduction in cost, and its above peer exposure to the pricing cycle.
• Goldman upgraded CarMax (KMX) to neutral from sell based on valuation and higher used car profitability. The firm has a $24 target on the stock.
• Apollo Group (APOL) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.
• Nokia (NOK) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Zions Bancorp (ZION) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Bernstein.

Analyst upgrades:

• Bernstein upgraded Hospira (HSP) to Outperform from market Perform based on valuation, expectations that the company will be able to fix manufacturing issues quickly, and views Propolfol and biosimilars as underappreciated. The firm has a $63 price target on the stock.
• Citigroup upgraded eBay (EBAY) to Buy from Hold citing valuation and improvements to Marketplace. The firm keeps a $28 price target for shares.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded Coca-Cola Femsa (KOF) to Hold from Sell citing lessening acquisition risk and raised its target for shares to $66 from $61.
• Blackstone (BX) and Simon Property (SPG) were upgraded to Conviction Buy from Buy at Goldman.
• BreitBurn Energy (BBEP) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Wells Fargo.
• SL Green Realty (SLG) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at BofA/Merrill.

If you looked at the overseas trading markets versus the US this morning, this was one of those days that could have gone either way. This followed a financial rescue package for Greece, and also followed the biggest gain in US manufacturing in almost six years, that even with a rise in construction spending.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 11,151.83 +143.22 (1.30%)
S&P 500 1,202.26 +15.58 (1.31%)
Nasdaq 2,498.74 +37.55 (1.53%)

Top Analyst Calls

When you're looking for stocks to add to your portfolio, a good thing to ask yourself is "What are those who are 'in the know' buying?" These could be analysts, or they could be top stock advisors. The bottom line is that insider buying is sometimes a key indicator of success.

It's not always true, of course, but it's worth noting. So if you're on the fence about Simon Property Group (SPG), Enterprise Products (EPD), CVS Caremark (CVS), DirecTV (DTV) and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (DPS), you may want to take another look. All have all seen high levels of insider buying lately.

Analyst Upgrades

• Citigroup upgraded Blackrock (BLK) to hold from sell and removed the stock from its Top Picks Live list as a sell. The firm upped its target for shares to $198 from $190.
• Jesup & Lamont upgraded Starbucks (SBUX) to buy from hold following the company's Q2 results. The firm raised its target for shares to $32 from $25.
• CLSA upgraded Nabors Industries (NBR) to outperform from underperform. The firm said the Q1 report was in-line with their estimate and they expect U.S. land drilling to continue to improve. The firm has a $24 price target on the stock.
• Alcoa (AA) was upgraded to neutral from underweight at HSBC.
• Boeing (BA) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) was upgraded to buy from hold at Jefferies.

Earlier this year, General Growth Properties Inc. (GGP) rejected a $10 billion buyout offer from rival Simon Property Group (SPG), but Simon Property is not giving up completely. Wednesday Simon Property announced it would up its offer to $10 per share for GGP in exchange for 25% of the company.

The offer that was quickly rejected a couple of months ago placed a $9 value on GGP stock, and rose some anti-trust concerns.

General Growth Properties (GGWPQ), the mall operator that shuffled into bankruptcy protection last year, says it has applied to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) once again. The company hopes to begin trading on the Big Board as of March 5, using its previous ticker of GGP.

"Trading again on the NYSE will mark an important milestone in GGP's restructuring process," said CEO Adam Metz in a press release. The shares currently trade over the counter.

For alternative asset managers, the financial results can be complex and volatile. Just look at the Blackstone Group's (BX) latest quarterly results. Revenues came to $725.3 million, which compares to negative revenues of $611.3 million in the same period a year ago. Adjusted earnings were $329.4 million, or $0.29 per share, which is up from a loss of $763.8 million, or $0.68 per share.

Of course, these results also reflect the brutal impact of the credit crunch.

Analyst upgrades:

• Keefe Bruyette upgraded Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) to Market Perform from Underperform following the company's in-line quarter and extended buyback. The firm raised its target price on shares to $103 from $98.
• Merriman upgraded Cree (NASDAQ: CREE) to Buy from Neutral after transitioning coverage of the stock as it believes HB-LED chips are gaining momentum and that the company can top its recently raised guidance.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded Glatfelter (NYSE: GLT) to Buy from Hold following the company's Q2 results due to falling net debt levels and valuation. The firm raised its target on shares to $14 from $8.
• Corporate Executive Board (NASDAQ: EXBD) was upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Baird.
• Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
• Unit Corp. (NYSE: UNT) was upgraded to Buy from Sell at Jesup & Lamont.

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says we should closely monitor the situation as more banks raise capital with equity.

What really did happen Friday? I keep thinking about this because, surely, if you saw how well the Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) (Cramer's Take) and Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) (Cramer's Take) deals behaved, didn't you, as a bank player, have to presume that there would be and will be more offerings?

If Wells Fargo went up 6, isn't it reasonable to presume that Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE: BK) (Cramer's Take), KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) (Cramer's Take), Capital One (NYSE: COF) (Cramer's Take), BB&T (NYSE: BBT) (Cramer's Take) and no doubt all of the others, would do the same? Who wouldn't take advantage of this? Fifth Third (NASDAQ: FITB) (Cramer's Take)? Suntrust (NYSE: STI) (Cramer's Take)?

Why did they rally so much?

Several national chains are talking up demands for reduced retail rents at locations across the country, according to a post in BNET.

That can't be good news for strapped mall operators, such as Simon Property Group (NYS: SPG), which have recently seen their fortunes turn upwards on the backs of analyst upgrades and economists calling a bottom to the Great Recession.

Analyst upgrades:

• Citigroup upgraded Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) to Buy from Hold and added the stock to its Top Picks Live List. The firm believes RIMM's outlook is more secure given its unit growth trajectory and stabilizing margins. Citi raised its target on the stock to $100 from $65.
  
• Morgan Stanley upgraded Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) to Overweight from Equal Weight following the company's Q3 results it believes growth is accelerating and expectations are low. The firm raised its target on the stock to $24 from $21.
  
• Deutsche Bank upgraded Huron (NYSE: HURN) to Buy from Hold as it believes bad news is already priced in and FY09 expectations are achievable. The firm keeps a $46 target on the stock.
• Credit Suisse (NYSE: CS) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at UBS.
  
• Quicksilver (NYSE: KWK) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Banc of America/Merrill.
  
• EIG Resources (NYSE: EOG) was lifted at Goldman to Conviction Buy from Neutral.

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

• Accenture Ltd. (NYSE: ACN) said revenues and bookings both declined in the most recent quarter.
• Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE: BBY) reported strong Q4 results in the wake of Circuit City's demise.
• Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) sailed past analysts' Q1 projections, sending shares higher.
• ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE: CAG) Q3 results topped analysts expectations and drove shares higher.
• DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ: DRYS) swung to a larger-than-expected Q4 loss and revenue slipped.
• DSW Inc. (NYSE: DSW) reported a bigger-than-expected Q4 loss as same-store sales declined.

When the largest publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) in the United States speaks, investors listen.

Simon Properties Group (NYSE: SPG) announced in January that it would be paying dividends in stock rather than cash for the current quarter and, presumably, in future quarters. The company's board of directors voted a 90-cent quarterly dividend, with 90% to be paid in stock and the remainder to be paid in cash.

REITs have long been a favorite for dividend savvy investors looking for a tax-advantaged return from the companies in which they invest. The move by Simon Property has stirred unease in the REIT marketplace in general, and for Simon in particular.