Analyst upgrades:

• Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR) was upgraded at Jefferies to Hold from Underperform following Q3 results. The firm believes the Wavecom acquisition integration is progressing better than expected and finds the valuation attractive at current levels. The firm raised its price target to $10 from $5.
• Boston Properties (NYSE: BXP) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank to reflect the company's recapitalization and better-than-expected occupancy. The firm raised its target to $69 from $46.
• Wyndham (NYSE: WYN) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at FBR Capital after the shares sold off following the company's Q3 results. The firm raised its target to $23 from $15.
• Human Genome (NASDAQ: HGSI) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JPMorgan. Target was raised to $25 from $14.
• Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ: URBN) was upgraded to Overweight from Market Weight at Thomas Weisel as they expect a "meaningful sales and earnings improvement in Q4." Target was raised to $39 from $32.
• Methanex (NASDAQ: MEOH) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS, citing improved methanol demand following the Q3 report. Target was raised to $19.50 from $17.
• Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) was upgraded at Raymond to Market Perform from Underperform.

Analyst upgrades:

• Keefe Bruyette upgraded Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) to Outperform from Market Perform on expectations that derivatives trading will increase in the coming quarters.
• NutriSystem (NASDAQ: NTRI) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral by Janney Montgomery, which believes that the company's earnings have hit bottom, while the company could report better-than-expected Q1 results.
• Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG) was upgraded to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital. The firm thinks the company is an early-cycle story that has significant upside potential.
• UBS upgraded Walgreen (NYSE: WAG) to Buy from Neutral citing cost cutting efforts and slowing store growth.
• Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Benchmark Co.
• Safeway (NYSE: SWY) was upgraded to Buy from Hold by BB&T.
• Needham upgraded Targacept (NASDAQ: TRGT) to Buy from Hold.
• Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR) was raised to Buy from Hold at Jesup & Lamont.

Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR) is engaged in the development and marketing of wireless communications modems. Its products permit laptop computers, handheld mobile computing devices and vehicle-based systems to access wireless data and voice communications networks. Sierra's devices are used primarily by businesses and government organizations to enable their employees to connect with the Internet, e-mail, corporate intranets, remote databases, and computer-aided dispatch units. Customers include AT&T (NYSE: T), Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) and Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ).

The firm pleased investors last week, when it reported Q4 EPS of 37 cents and revenues of $135.6 million. Analysts had been expecting 35 cents and $125.7 million. In discussing the solid quarter, the CEO pointed to the successful launch of new products. Management also guided Q1 EPS to 30 cents (28 cent consensus) and Q1 revenues to $136 million ($120.71M consensus). JMP Securities subsequently reiterated its "strong buy" recommendation.

As the nation and international markets move toward a world in which more information is available on mobile devices, look for Sierra Wireless to play an important role.

Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR) develops modems that enable PCs, notebook computers, and vehicles to communicate wirelessly.

Analysts really like Sierra's AirCard line of PC cards, which are designed for networks using the CDMA and GSM/GPRS wireless standards, and account for about 70% of the company's revenue.

Analysts also like the fact that Sierra was selected the most-preferred brand in wireless data cards segment, according to a poll by InfoTech. A solid North American client base adds to the mix. The Reuters F2008/F2009 EPS consensus estimates for SWIR are $1.39/$1.54.

The risks? Analysts are keeping an eye on Sierra's pricing decisions. Given competition, some price reductions could occur, but these must be minor to preserve SWIR's margins.

Stock Analysis: Sierra Wireless is a moderate-risk stock not suitable for low-risk investors. Investors with an investment horizon longer than 2 years should be rewarded from SWIR's shares. Sell / Stop Loss if you were to purchase shares in this company: $8.

Disclosure: Lazzaro has no positions in stocks. In addition to private real estate holdings, he owns corporate and municipal bonds, and cash certificates of deposit.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Sierra Wireless, Navteq, Goldleaf Financial, Infineon and VeriSign were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• Piper downgraded shares of Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR) to Market Perform from Outperform to reflect increasing competition for the company's core businesses and longer term margin concerns. Based on comments from Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM), Piper believes the new Gobi embedded solution is gaining more traction than previously anticipated.
  
• The firm also downgraded Navteq (NYSE: NVT) to Market Perform from Outperform as they believe the Nokia (NYSE: NOK) acquisition will close.
  
• Credit Suisse lowered its rating on Goldleaf Financial (NASDAQ: GFSI) to Market Perform from Outperform following its weak Q3 report and guidance.
  
• ABN Amro downgraded shares of Infineon (NYSE: IFX) to Hold from Buy as they believe the strength of the euro will hurt margins.
  
• VeriSign (NASDAQ: VRSN) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Hambrecht to reflect the uncertainty surrounding the company's numerous divestitures as well as the execution risk.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• JP Morgan removed Pilgrim's Pride (NYSE: PPC) from its Focus List.
  
• Bear Stearns downgraded European Pharmaceuticals to Market Weight from Market Overweight.
  
• Wachovia downgraded AmeriGas Partners (NYSE: APU), Exelon (NYSE: EXC) and FPL Group (NYSE: FPL) to Market Perform from Outperform.

Wireless modems connect people all over the world with mobile broadband networks that keep them in touch, informed, and productive from wherever they need to be. There is an outfit in Richmond, British Columbia that was instrumental in developing early wireless data devices and now its modems ship to some big name clients.

Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR) is engaged in the development and marketing of wireless communications modems. Its products permit laptop computers, handheld mobile computing devices and vehicle-based systems to access wireless data and voice communications networks. Sierra's devices are used primarily by businesses and government organizations to enable their employees to connect with the Internet, e-mail, corporate intranets, remote databases and computer-aided dispatch units. Customers include AT&T (NYSE: T), Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) and Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ).

Wall Street's equity market offers a full schedule this week, with 8 IPOs and 5 Secondaries on the docket.

Those deals tentatively scheduled to price include:

IPOs:

Possible

• Merrion Pharmaceuticals (MERR), a 4M-share IPO for this pharmaceuticals company. Punk Zeigel is the lead manager. Filing range: $10.00-$12.00.

Early Week

• Liberty Acquisition (LIA), an 86.25M-share IPO for this reorganization services company. Citigoup is the lead manager.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: QLogic (QLGC), Cnet Networks (CNET), Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM), Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Anadys Pharma (ANDS) were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• QLogic (NASDAQ: QLGC) was cut by several firms:
  
• QLogic was cut to Neutral from Outperform and removed from JP Morgan's Focus List due to the lack of catalysts to drive shares higher.
  
• Caris cut shares to Average from Above Average and Pacific
  
• Crest downgraded QLogic to Sector Perform from Outperform as the company's profits decline.

• Citigtroup downgraded CNet Networks (NASDAQ: CNET) to Hold from Buy as they no longer expect material revenue growth acceleration and operating leverage in 2H07; First Albany cut shares to Neutral from Buy.

• HSBC downgraded shares of Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE: TSM) to Neutral from Overweight to reflect worse than expected pricing pressures.

• Matrix downgraded shares of Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI) to Hold from Buy on increasing competition and rising costs.

• Piper cut Anadys Pharma (NASDAQ: ANDS) to Underperform from Outperform following the company's announcement that it has discontinued development of ANA975...

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• First Albany cut Zimmer Holdings (NYSE: ZMH) to Buy from Strong Buy.

• Bear Stearns downgraded AutoNation (NYSE: AN) to Peer Perform from Outperform.

• Piper Jaffray downgraded Volcom (NASDAQ: VLCM) and Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR) to Market Perform from Outperform.

• Bernstein downgraded Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE: CCE) to Underperform from Market Perform.

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