MOST NOTEWORTHY: NDS Group plc (NNDS), Payless ShoeSource, Inc (PSS), Southern Union Co (SUG) and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc (TTWO) were today's noteworthy initiations:

• B. Riley believes NDS Group (NASDAQ: NNDS) is in an attractive space with 42M digital TV subscribers, increasing competition between TV service providers and declining digital deployment costs, starting shares with a Buy rating and $66.50 target.
• KeyBanc McDonald initiated shares of Payless ShoeSource Inc (NYSE: PSS) with a Buy rating and $42 target.
• Calyon started Southern Union Co (NYSE: SUG) with a Buy rating and $38 target and sees positive catalysts over the next 12-18 months, including a potential takeover or monetization and the formal creation of an MLP.
• Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ: TTWO) was started with a Hold rating at Needham. The firm finds it unlikely that shares will outperform until new management sets forth their new plan, which is expected to take 3-6 months.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Credit Suisse imitated Akamai Technologies, Inc (NASDAQ: AKAM) with an Outperform rating and $65 target.
• American Technology believes Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc's (NASDAQ: CADX) two late-stage products fill an important, unmet medical need and started the company with a Buy rating and $24 target.
• UBS started shares of NuStar GP Holdings, LLC (NYSE: NSH) with a Neutral rating and $30 target.
• TeleTech Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: TTEC) was initiated with a Buy rating at Merrill Lynch.

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

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Adobe Systems Inc (ADBE), CA Inc (CA) and DSW Inc (DSW) were today's most notable initiations:

• Adobe Systems Inc (NASDAQ: ADBE) was initiated with an Outperform rating and $47 target at Credit Suisse. The firm said Adobe is one of the best-positioned large-cap software companies given its leading position in digital media and growing presence in enterprise mobile and Web 2.0 markets.

• CA Inc (NYSE: CA) was initiated with a Hold rating and $27 target at Jefferies. While CA is being looked at by private-equity players, Jefferies believes shares are richly valued.

• DSW Inc (NYSE: DSW) was initiated with a Sell rating and $30 target at Wedbush, as they believe the consensus' 3-5 year annual EPS growth rate of 20% to be too high.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Credit Suisse started Southern Union Co (NYSE: SUG) with an Outperform rating and $33 target.

• Needham assumed coverage of Ikanos Communications Inc (NASDAQ: IKAN) with a Hold rating, as the firm believes a rebound of VDSL spending is unlikely until the second-half of 2007.

• Morgan Joseph is positive on Denny's Corp (NASDAQ: DENN) improving operations and started the food retailer with a Buy rating and $7 target.

• Jefferies started HMS Holdings Corp (NASDAQ: HMSY) with a Buy rating and $25 target. The firm believes HMS Holdings is positioned to serve the needs of government healthcare programs.

• Credit Suisse initiated WebEx Communications Inc (NASDAQ: WEBX) with a Neutral rating at $50 target based on valuation.

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

MOST NOTEWORTHY: United Parcel Service (UPS) and FedEx Corp (FDX) top today's modest list of initiations.

• United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) was initiated with a Buy rating and $85 target at Citigroup. The firm said more upside is seen given the expectation for double-digit EPS growth over the next few years.
• FedEx Corp. (NYSE:FDX) was initiated with a Buy rating and $132 target at Citigroup. The firm said FedEx has a favorable risk/reward given the expectation for 13% EPS growth over the next few years.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Level 3 Communication (NASDAQ:LVLT) was initiated with a Market Perform rating and $5 target at Janco.
• Morgan Stanley initiated Southern Union (NYSE:SUG) with an Underweight rating.

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