Analyst Upgrades

• Aetna (AET) to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Kellogg (K) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• PetSmart (PETM) to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.
• NetApp (NTAP) and Scripps Networks (SNI) to buy from hold at Wunderlich.
• Thoratec (THOR) to buy from hold at Auriga.
• ArcelorMittal (MT) to overweight from neutral at HSBC.
• Bristol-Myers (BMY) to outperform from neutral at Cowen.
• Eaton Vance (EV) to neutral from sell at Ticonderoga.
• Adtran (ADTN) to buy from underperform at BofA/Merrill.

Analyst Calls

• Medtronic (MDT) to buy from neutral and 1-800-Flowers.com (FLWS) to neutral from sell at Goldman.
• CarMax (KMX) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Points International (PTSEF) to buy from neutral at Merriman.
• Nokia (NOK) to market perform from underperform at Morgan Keegan.
• Amdocs (DOX) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Western Alliance (WAL) to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• Carbo Ceramics (CRR) to outperform from market perform at BMO Capital.
• Rackspace (RAX) to buy from hold at Benchmark Co.
• Brinker (EAT) to equal weight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.

Analyst Upgrades

• Thoratec (THOR) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• TW Telecom (TWTC) to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• TAL Education (XRS) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray.
• Amedisys (AMED) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.

Analyst Downgrades

• Navigators (NAVG) to neutral from outperform at Macquarie.
• El Paso Electric (EE) to hold from buy at Jefferies.
• Hancock Holding (HBHC) to hold from buy at Wunderlich.
• California Water Service (CWT) and American States Water (AWR) to neutral from buy at Janney Capital.
• Mednax (MD) to hold from buy at Deutsche Bank.

Analyst Upgrades

• DuPont (DD) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• UBS upgraded Deere (DE) to buy from neutral and AGCO (AGCO) to neutral from sell.
• Canadian Solar (CSIQ) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.
• Thoratec (THOR) and DTE Energy (DTE) were upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• NICE Systems (NICE) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at HSBC.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded Copa Holdings (CPA) to buy from hold.
• BofA/Merrill upgraded Nu Skin (NUS) to buy from neutral.
• Continental Resources (CLR) was upgraded to buy from hold at Jefferies.

Analyst Upgrades

• Intel (INTC) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight and Autodesk (ADSK) to equal weight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.
• Citigroup upgraded Blackrock (BLK) to buy from hold.
• 99c Only Stores (NDN) was upgraded to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• PetSmart (PETM) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Piper Jaffray upgraded Ruth's Hospitality (RUTH) and Morton's Restaurant (MRT) to overweight from neutral.
• BioMed Realty (BMR) was upgraded to market perform from underperform at FBR Capital.
• Wells Fargo upgraded Piedmont (PDM) to market perform from underperform.

The Walt Disney Company (DIS) will report fiscal fourth-quarter earnings after the bell on Thursday, November 11. This company is a big long-term holding for me, and if you've read anything I've ever written on the media conglomerate, you'll know that I haven't been too happy with it. Over the years, the stock just hasn't done as well as I thought it would do, not only in terms of capital appreciation, but also as it relates to dividend growth. On both counts, I'm thoroughly disappointed, but I'm particularly displeased with the dividend aspect. Sure, the shares have been a good trade at times, but when you've been an owner since 1998, like I have, the overall picture isn't one to be looked at with admiration.

So, I come up to yet another quarterly report. I enjoy reading them, but I'm not always satisfied with the reaction of the stock once the release has come and gone. What am I hoping for this time around? Please, Wall Street, buy this stock and push it past the 52-week high of 37.98! Is that too much to ask?

Disney (DIS) management has decided to hire a new marketing person to sell Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, a movie that will hit theaters in May 2011, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This move should make Disney shareholders at least a little concerned. Apparently, the current marketing chief, M.T Carney, may not have all that it takes to maximize the financial potential of the assumed blockbuster.

The movie division over at the Mouse is extremely important to the company's ability to create value. It's also going to play a big role over the next year in terms of stock performance.

Analyst Upgrades

• RBC Capital upgraded Brookfield Infrastructure (BIP) to outperform from sector perform with a $20 target. The firm thinks the units' valuation is compelling, while the company's proposed acquisition of assets is positive.
• Stifel upgraded First Horizon (FHN) to buy from hold based on valuation and its path towards normalized profitability. The firm has a $15 price target on the stock.
• KeyBanc upgraded Isle of Capri (ISLE) to buy from hold based on improved earnings growth and valuation. The firm has a $13 target on the stock.
• ATA Inc. (ATAI) was upgraded to neutral from underweight at Piper Jaffray.
• Buckeye Partners (BPL) was upgraded to neutral from sell at Goldman.
• Sinopec (SNP) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at HSBC.

Analyst Upgrades

• Baird upgraded Visa (V) to outperform from neutral and raised its target to $100 from $88, citing valuation and an improvement in key trends that include transactions, volume and international travel.
• FBR Capital upgraded Illinois Tool Works (ITW) to outperform from market perform to reflect valuation and expectations for earnings upside in the first half of 2010. The firm raised its target on shares to $58 from $55.
• Goldman added Brookdale Senior Living (BKD) to its conviction buy list based on a bottom in fundamentals and positive senior housing trends. The firm raised its target to $22 from $20.
• Exxon Mobil (XOM) was upgraded to buy from hold at Societe Generale.
• Newfield Exploration (NFX) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• PPD (PPDI) was upgraded to buy from hold at Jefferies.

Analyst upgrades:

• Collins Stewart upgraded General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) to Buy from Hold as it finds the valuation compelling at current levels and sees potential upside from a better economy and better-than-expected defense budgets.
• SunTrust views the sell-off in shares of Cabot Oil (NYSE: COG) as a buying opportunity and expects the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection order to be resolved quickly. The firm upgraded Cabot to Buy from Neutral.
• Barclays upgraded Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) to Overweight from Equal Weight based on expectations for improved carrier demand, continued U.S. momentum, and an improved Europe.
• Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Citigroup.
• Stericycle (NASDAQ: SRCL) was upgraded to Gradually Accumulate from Hold at Soleil.
• Grupo Televisa (NYSE: TV) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Goldman.

I keep watching Marvel Entertainment (NYSE: MVL), waiting (or maybe "hoping" would be the better term) for a great pullback to get in on the action. I never seem to get it. Who knows, maybe it'll happen later today. But as of Tuesday's close, Marvel was still above $40 per share after dropping less than 1%. And that was after the traders digested the company's Q2 earnings report. That, in my opinion, is telling.

Marvel has always been the kind of stock that can throw you for a loop. I know, because I've owned it before. Is it me, or is the market getting increasingly comfortable with the company's business model of taking risk in the movie industry? Maybe it's too early to tell. At any rate, according to the press release, Marvel saw big decreases in both sales and per-share income. The top line dropped 26%, while the bottom line fell 37% to 37 cents per share. Marvel beat earnings estimates by 6 cents per share according to Reuters.

Analyst upgrades:

• Thomas Weisel upgraded SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK) to Overweight from Market Weight due to accelerating manufacturing cost declines, potential NAND flash sourcing upside at Toshiba (OTC: TOSBF) and Samsung and an increase in 2H09 demand.
  
• Oppenheimer upgraded Quality Systems (NASDAQ: QSII) to Perform from Underperform to reflect potential benefits from the stimulus package and channel checks that indicated IT budgets are stabilizing. The firm raised its target price on shares to $54 from $40.
  
• RBC Capital upgraded OSI Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: OSIP) to Outperform from Sector Perform following positive Tarceva survey results and cites valuation.
• Marriott (NYSE: MAR) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at JMP Securities.
  
• Grainger (NYSE: GWW) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at BofA/Merrill.
  
• Duncan Energy Partners (NASDAQ: DEP) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS.

Thoratec (NASDAQ: THOR), known for its ventricular assist devices (VADs) for patients suffering late-stage heart failure, recently bought Australia's HeartWare. Investors responded positively to this move because it brings new technology to Thoratec and expands the company's already significant market share.

THOR currently has 85% of the U.S. heart pump market and 65% of Europe's, and this new technology could ensure THOR stays on the top of this market for at least the next five to 10 years. The Thoratec-HeartWare partnership has the potential to grow into a multibillion-dollar business, which will translate to big sales and earnings growth.

Small-cap stocks are a GREAT place to start if you're serious about rebuilding your wealth and securing your financial future.

But what makes small-cap stocks so spectacular?

The bear market stripped analysts from small stocks -- hardly anyone is covering them anymore. This creates wonderful pricing anomalies and gives the individual investor a significant edge.

Marvel Entertainment (NYSE: MVL), whose colleagues include Sony (NYSE: SNE), News Corp. (NASDAQ: NWS), and Viacom (NYSE: VIA), issued its first-quarter report on Tuesday.

The market liked what it saw. That's because the comic-book concern beat analyst estimates by a pretty significant margin. Hey, what else would you expect from the company that brought you Iron Man?

Marvel delivered 57 cents per share in income. According to analysts, Wall Street was hoping for 37 cents per share. Quite a surprise.