• UBS raised its Global LED demand estimates and upgraded Cree (CREE) to buy from neutral, citing lower margin risk and increased LED lighting growth. The firm raised its target to $92 from $60.
• Wells Fargo upgraded Juniper (JNPR) to outperform from market perform. The firm believes the company is beginning to generate multifaceted growth as a result of increased carrier traffic and impressive products.
• RBC Capital upgraded LHC Group (LHCG) to outperform from sector perform. RBC expects the company to increase 2010 guidance due to the passage of health care reform and raised its target for shares to $39 from $35.
• TransDigm (TDG) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• WebMD (WBMD) was upgraded to neutral from sell at Goldman.
• Houston Wire & Cable (HWCC) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Baird.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AA, AMP, BLUD, CREE, CSC, JNPR, LHGC, MWW, TDG ...

Analyst Calls: AA, AMP, BLUD, CREE, CSC, JNPR, LHGC, MWW, TDG ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Oppenheimer upgraded OceanFreight (NASDAQ:OCNF) to Perform from Underperform on valuation and a lack of negative catalysts following the recent weakness.
  
• UBS raised Micron (NYSE:MU) to Buy from Neutral citing supply cuts which should improve prices. The target remains $5.
  
• Jesup & Lamont upgraded Atlas Air (NASDAQ:AAWW) to Buy from Hold is positive on the company's 20 year blocked space agreement with DHL and expects the stock to continue higher.
• AK Steel (NYSE:AKS) was added to Goldman's Conviction Buy List and upgraded to Buy from Neutral.
  
• Goldman also upgraded Northern Trust (NASDAQ:NTRS) to Buy from Neutral.
  
• Digital River (NASDAQ:DRIV) was upgraded to Hold from Sell at Stanford.

• Stephens downgraded shares of Titan Machinery (NASDAQ:TITN) after their survey of farmers indicated declining sales of agricultural equipment. The firm lowered their target to $19 but believes Titan Machinery's long-term growth story remains intact.
  
• Jefferies downgraded Helen of Troy (NASDAQ:HELE) and Blyth (NYSE:BTH) to Underperform from Hold as they believe the further deterioration in the U.S. consumer macro environment could pressure near-term results. The firm lowered its target on Helen of Troy to $13 from $16.50 and on Blyth to $5.50 from $8.
  
• UBS cut Indevus (NASDAQ:IDEV) to Neutral from Buy and lowered its target to $5.50 from $5 following the acquisition offer by Endo Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ENDP).
• AECOM Tech (NYSE:ACM) was lowered to Equal Weight from Overweight at Morgan Stanley.
  
• Amerisafe (NYSE:AMSF) was downgraded at Oppenheimer to Perform from Outperform.
  
• Tractor Supply (NASDAQ:TSCO) was cut to Neutral from Buy at Piper Jaffray.

• KeyBanc initiated Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ:URBN) with a Buy rating and $22 target. The firm believes the Urban Outfitters and Antropologie divisions are under penetrated and have visible growth.
  
• Kaufman Bros. started SuccessFactors (NASDAQ:SFSF) with a Hold rating and $7 target and believes the current demand backdrop could be worse than reflected in current consensus estimates.
  
• CarMax (NASDAQ:KMX) was initiated at Baird with a Neutral rating and $10 target. The firm is impressed with CarMax's business model but does not see a way around the near-term economic headwinds.
• Manulife Financial (NYSE:MFC) and Sunlife Financial (NYSE:SLF) were assumed with Equal Weight ratings at Morgan Stanley.
  
• Oppenheimer started Pacific Sunwear (NASDAQ:PSUN) with a Perform rating.
  
• Kite Realty Trust (NYSE:KRG) was initiated with a Buy rating at Janney Montgomery.

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: MU, DRIV, HELE, URBN, AKS... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.