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.

Sherwin-Williams (NYSE: SHW) closed at $53.73. SHW is expected to report Q2 EPS on July 21. SHW options were active on 11,569 contracts. SHW July option implied volatility is at 35, August is at 39; below its 26-week average of 43, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Wyndham (NYSE: WYN) closed at $11.02 WYN is expected to report Q2 EPS on July 29. WYN options were active on July 6 with 17,333 contracts trading. WYN July option implied volatility is at 70, August is at 68; below its 26-week average of 98 according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Option Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says you'll miss some great opportunities if you blindly believe all the bad news.

You want a rebuke to the "never-ending woes of commercial and residential real estate mortgage bonds"? You get one every day in this market, and today is no different. Look at what is up big today: Genworth (NYSE: GNW) (Cramer's Take), Lincoln National (NYSE: LNC) (Cramer's Take), Wyndham (NYSE: WYN) (Cramer's Take), Regions Financial (NYSE: RF) (Cramer's Take) and Zions (NASDAQ: ZION) (Cramer's Take). Each in its own way needs the residential or commercial real estate markets to be robust to thrive, and if the myriad articles I read about the horrible state of the mortgage bond market and the dim commercial real estate prospects were true, why would you be making money in Wyndham, a gigantic timeshare company? How could Regions and Zions be rallying? They are among the worst of the worst; unless you consider Genworth and Lincoln National, which are supposed to be roadkill because of all of their mortgage bonds.

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

• Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE: BMY) Q1 profit fell despite strong sales of Plavix and Abilify.
• Check Point Software Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: CHKP) was downgraded based on its guidance.
• Domino's Pizza Inc. (NYSE: DPZ) strong Q1 results were boosted by early debt retirement.
• DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (NYSE: DWA) strong Q1 results were driven by Madagascar 2.
• Endo Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ENDP) Q1 results led to an analyst's downgrade.
• E*Trade Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: ETFC) widened its Q1 loss, sending shares sharply lower.

Early this morning, Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN) released its quarterly earnings, handily surpassing the Street's expectations thanks to a rise in first-quarter results. The hotelier announced first-quarter earnings of 25 cents per share, a penny better than a year ago. However, taking restructuring charges out of the equation, WYN would have earned 41 cents per share, far better than the expected 36 cents per share. These results are in stark contrast to a loss in the previous quarter, thanks to the realignment of the company's vacation ownership business and other cost-cutting measures. Quarterly revenue fell to $901 million.

Looking ahead, WYN forecast adjusted second-quarter earnings of 36 cents to 41 cents per share and $1.61 to $1.85 per share for full fiscal 2009.

This post is one in a series on prominent company nicknames. See all 25, and share your thoughts and memories about HoJo's below in the comments.

Howard Johnson's and its 28 flavors gave mid-20th-century Americans a view of the future: choice. In a time of eight-color boxes of Crayolas and three television stations, the implication of HoJo's abundance fired our imaginations. Though the restaurant chain had been in business since 1925, it took off during the depression when the founder adopted the now-traditional Cape Cod building with an orange roof topped by a weather vane of Simple Simon and the Pieman.

The company was also among the first to franchise, a major contributor to its growing success. With the advent of the national freeway system in the 1950s, Howard Johnson's quickly monopolized the rest stops and exits, making it larger than Micky D's, the King, and the Colonel combined.

Part of its success was in devising better prepackaged foods and a standardized menu, allowing the common Joe to work the grill. By 1954, the chain had grown to 400 restaurants, large enough to support expansion into the motor lodge business, catering to the increasingly mobile American traveler.

In the '60s, HoJos served more food to Americans than anyone except the U.S. Army. By the time the descendants of the founder sold the firm in 1980 to Imperial Group, the chain included 1,000 restaurants and 500 motor lodges.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: HQ Sustainable Maritime, Wyndham and Cathay General Bancorp were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Cowen views HQ Sustainable Maritime (NYSE: HQS) as undervalued and a future winner in the "green economics" game. The firm started shares with an Outperform rating.
  
• JP Morgan initiated Wyndham (NYSE: WYN) with an Overweight rating. The firm finds the valuation attractive given the company's fee-based business model and attractive international growth opportunities.
  
• B. Riley assumed Cathay General Bancorp (NASDAQ: CATY) with a Buy rating and $16 target and believes the company's valuation discount to peers is unwarranted.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• BGC Parnters (NASDAQ: BGCP) was initiated at Deutsche Bank with a Buy rating and $13 target.
  
• Friedman Billings initiated Maiden Holdings (NASDAQ: MHLD) with an Outperform rating and $11.50 target.
  
• Sandler assumed CRM Holdings (NASDAQ: CRMH) with a Buy rating and $6.50 target.

Here are a few highlights of this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) beat estimates on strong sales and higher profit margins.
• Baidu.com Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU) profit soared on strong revenue from online marketing.
• Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) earnings and revenue surged in the fourth quarer.
• Dean Foods Co. (NYSE: DF) missed expectations on rising commodity costs and lower profit margins.
• Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) posted better-than-expected profits as rising grain prices spurred demand.
• Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (NYSE: GT) posted solid results on cost savings and debt reduction.
• Insight Enterprises Inc. (NASDAQ: NSIT) beat expectations and raised its guidance.
• LECG (NASDAQ: XPRT) posted a net loss despite a slight increase in revenue in the fourth quarter.
• Loews Corp. (NYSE: LTR) missed estimates due to profit decline in its CNA Financial (NYSE: CNA) affiliate.
• Marsh & McLennan Inc. (NYSE: MMC) missed estimates on weakness in its insurance services business.
• Playboy Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: PLA) posted disappointing results on weakness in publishing and TV.
• Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) fourth-quarter and full-year results met estimates.
• Sierra Wireless Inc. (NASDAQ: SWIR) beat esimates on the launch of new product s.
• Taser International Inc. (NASDAQ: TASR) profits doubled, which was in line with expectations.
• Visteon Corp. (NYSE: VC) posted a fourth-quarter loss on restructuring costs and write-downs.
• Waste Management Inc. (NYSE: WMI) beat espectations and offered 2008 guidance.
• Wyndham Worldwide Corp. (NYSE: WYN) earnings met expectations and were buoyed by lodging revenue.
• Zoltek Companies Inc. (NASDAQ: ZOLT) missed earnings estimates due to inventory buildup.

Upcoming results to watch for include Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT), Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ), OfficeMax (NYSE: OMX), Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFMI), MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM), JCPenney (NYSE: JCP), and Safeway (NYSE: SWY).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: The biotech sector, WESCO International, Wyndham and Century Casinos were today's noteworthy initiations:

• BMO Capital initiated coverage on Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ARNA) and Gilead Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD) with Outperform ratings and a $16 target and $51 target and Celgene Corp. (NASDAQ: CELG) and Genentech Inc. (NYSE: DNA) with Market Perform ratings and a $69 target and $85 target.
  
• CIBC initiated shares of WESCO International Inc. (NYSE: WCC) with a Sector Outperformer rating and $46 target. The firm believes lower estimates are already priced into shares and that the company's operating initiatives increase the chances for more stable margins in this environment.
  
• Deutsche Bank started shares of Wyndham Worldwide Corp. (NYSE: WYN) with a Buy rating and $41 target. The firm believes stability of the timeshare industry, international expansion and improved transparency will serve as catalysts for shares.
  
• Century Casinos Inc. (NASDAQ: CNTY) was initiated at Nollenberger with a Neutral rating, citing the underperformance of new properties and concerns from the smoking ban in Colorado; however, the firm believes the company is headed in the right direction.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Soleil started shares of Sunoco Inc. (NYSE: SUN) and Valero Energy Corp. (NYSE: VLO) with Buy ratings and targets of $96 and $88, and initiated shares of Tesoro Corp. (NYSE: TSO) with a Hold rating and $55 target.
  
• Rodman & Renshaw started shares of Labopharm Inc. (NASDAQ: DDSS) with a Market Perform rating.
  
• UBS resumed coverage on Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) with a Buy rating and $34 target.

Marriott International Inc. (NYSE: MAR) opened at $48.77. So far today the stock has hit a low of $46.82 and a high of $48.85. As of 10:55, MAR is trading at $47.45, up $2.99 (6.7%).

After hitting a one year high of $52.00 in April, the stock dropped sharply to find support just below $44. Hotels are soaring today after Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) announced plans to purchase Hilton Hotels (NYSE: HLT). Jim Cramer says that some other hotel stocks are deserving of takeovers, and he is tagging Marriott as possible buyout candidate in the aftermath of the HLT deal. Other potential targets mentioned are Starwood Hotels (NYSE: HOT) and Wyndham (NYSE: WYN). Our own Douglas McIntyre sees MAR and HOT as targets as well. Recent technical indicators for MAR have been bearish and steady, while S&P gives the stock a neutral 3 STARS (out of 5) hold rating.

For a bullish hedged play on this stock, I would consider an October bull-put credit spread below the $40 range. MAR hasn't been below $40 since October and has shown support around $43 recently. This trade could be risky if the acquisition buzz surrounding the hotel stocks dies down with little action, but even if that happens, it looks like this stock could find support right near $45, where it bounced a few times in the past two months.

Brent Archer is an options analyst and writer at Investors Observer. DISCLOSURE: Mr. Archer owns and/or controls diversified portfolios of long and short stock and option positions that may include holdings in companies he writes about. At publication time, Brent neither owns nor controls positions in MAR, BX, HOT, HLT, or WYN.

On tonight's MAD MONEY on CNBC, Jim Cramer said to stick with Charter Communications (NASDAQ: CHTR). It has been a big underperformer since he recommended it. He said that Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ: CMCSA) and Insight Media unwound a joint venture and now that Comcast has control in Indiana, Illinois is a big deal for it. Cramer said the value is $4,583.00 in enterprise value per subscriber. Cramer said the value is 12% lower on an enterprise value per subscriber basis. The second show was the huge premium that Comcast paid to acquire Patriot Media in New Jersey on a 50% premium to CHTR enterprise value per subscriber. Cramer said he is no longer worried about this stock because it is cheap. The values of subscribers are up because of the Triple Play. The company is in the circle of a steady debt refinancing. Its 5.4 million subscribers in premium locations may be worth more.

On a side note, Cramer didn't mention that even if a buyout offer came out at a 50% premium that many would probably not go along with the buyout. Sure there is value there, but if it can't be unlocked it doesn't matter that much. The stock closed at $2.84, is up close to $3.00 after-hours, and has a $0.97 to $3.58 trading range for the last 52-weeks. This one was over $5.00 in 2004 and over $8.00 5-years ago. This one is also one that management is going to have a hard time trying to fix.

Cramer also went back over the old Cendant post break-up and said its value is up a combined 32% higher than its break-up last year. There is a laggard there out of the old Cendant companies, and that is Wyndam Worldwide (NYSE: WYN), which owns Ramada and timeshares. Cramer said this is a much better value than it used to be and WYN makes more money than other timeshare companies. Cramer said even with the housing bust that timeshares aren't imploding like they would have before. Cramer thinks this one is the value out of the Cendant break-up. It trades at 17-times forward earnings and every part of the old Cendant is attractive to a buyer. Cramer said you can't call it the same as a Four Seasons value to buy, but it doesn't deserve a multiple less than half of that buyout. He thinks it's too cheap and could be bought.

In a call-in, Cramer said that Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc. (NASDAQ: TRMP) should go higher and he thinks a buyout can come higher than today's prices. We gave our own thoughts to finding values here back on March 13.

Jon Ogg can be reached at jonogg@247wallst.com; he does not own securities in the companies he covers.

Other than an occasional road trip back to the home office in Cincinnati, to which I safely venture in the confines of my own Volvo S-40, I don't have to do a whole lot of business travel. I'm part of a growing minority, however, as more and more female professionals are hitting the jetways and highways for business travel. The increased number of female travelers is having a palpable impact on business travel, from improved hotel rooms to enhanced safety features.

Typical hotel rooms have bettered their creature comforts, supplying better bedding, more palatable room service, and improved closets and work spaces. Improved lighting is helping business travelers of both genders feel more safe. Many attribute these changes to the ramped-up presence of female business travelers, who are more apt to share their experiences with friends and co-workers.