MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Spectra Energy (NYSE: SEP) was initiated with a Buy rating and $32.50 target at Citigroup, with an Overweight rating and $32 target at Lehman Brothers and with an Overweight rating at Wachovia. Citigroup believes SEP provides investors above-average distribution growth driven by stable cash flows with little or no direct exposure to commodity prices. Wachovia is positive on SEP given its multi-year growth profile and high quality assets.

• ComScore (NASDAQ: SCOR) was initiated with an Outperform rating and $28 target at FBRC on valuation. The company was also initiated at Jefferies with a Hold rating and $25 target, citing valuation, although the firm believes the company is well positioned to benefit from the market demand for Web traffic data/analytics. Deutsche Bank initiated shares of ComScore with a Buy rating and $28 target.

• Data Domain (NASDAQ: DDUP) was started at Pacific Crest with an Outperform rating and $30 target and the firm expects growth to exceed 50% annually for at least the next two years.

• ThinkEquity started shares of Altair Nanotechnologies (NASDAQ: ALTI) with a Buy rating and $6 target.

• ThinkEquity transferred coverage of Blue Coat Systems (NASDAQ: BCSI) with a Buy rating and raised its target to $63 from $51.

• Stifel started shares of ICT Group (NASDAQ: ICTG) with a Buy rating and $20 target.

• B. Riley started shares of Charles & Colvard (NASDAQ: CTHR) with a Buy rating and $8 target.

Analyst initiations: ALTI, BSCI and SCOR originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 06 Aug 2007 10:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Halozyme (NASDAQ: HALO) was initiated with a Buy rating and $14 target at Oppenheimer. The firm is positive on Halozyme's prospects for signing additional multi-product Enhanze deals in the next 12 months and the company's expanding internal pipeline.

• Oppenheimer also initiated shares of Rosetta Genomics (NASDAQ: ROSG) with a Buy rating and $11 target, as the firm is positive on Rosetta's intellectual property position in the emerging microRNA field related to the development and commercialization of research, diagnostic and therapeutic products, and other applications.

• Goldman Sachs resumed coverage of U.S. Steel Group (NYSE: X) with a Neutral rating.

• BioFuel Energy (NASDAQ: BIOF) was initiated with a Neutral rating at Cowen, as the firm sees a lack of catalysts until the company's plants under construction come on line in Q108...

• Brightpoint (NASDAQ: CELL) was initiated with an Outperform rating and $18 target at Credit Suisse.

• MasterCard (NYSE: MA) was initiated with a Market Perform rating at Wachovia on valuation.

• Citigroup initiated shares of Signature Bank (NASDAQ: SBNY) with a Buy rating and $39 target and shares of Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) with a Sell rating and $24 target.

• Pacific Growth Equities started shares of Altair Nanotechnologies (NASDAQ: ALTI) with a Neutral rating.

Analyst initiations 7-24-07: CELL, DFS, MA and X originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Jul 2007 11:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• The Financial Times reported that Warren Buffett has criticized hedge funds, calling their fee arrangements "grotesque."
• In other news relating to Warren Buffett, the New York Times wrote that Buffett said in his annual Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) shareholder letter that he is looking for a candidate to become chief investment officer when he steps down.

• BusinessWeek's "Inside Wall Street" section focused on Tyco International Ltd (NYSE: TYC), Altair Nanotechnologies Inc (NASDAQ: ALTI) and Supergen Inc (NASDAQ: SUPG).
• About Tyco, the column said the planned de-conglomeration of the company has not produced a lot of excitement, but some pros are buying shares, as they believe Tyco splitting in three will cause a jump in the stock.
• About Altair, the column said Alcoa (AA) and Eli Lilly (LLY) have taken an interest in Altair's rapid-charge, high-power NanoSafe battery packs, which could mean a rise in 2007 orders creating a profit for the company.
• About Supergen, the column said that biotech's like Supergen are gaining traction, noting that Supergen inked a pact with Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) to market its Food & Drug Administration-approved drug Dacogen.
• Investor's Business Daily's "New America" column focused on Hurco Companies Inc (NASDAQ: HURC), a machine tool maker that has ad success by downsizing in the U.S. and shifting production to Taiwan.

Newspaper wrap-up 3-2-07: Warren Buffett seeking successor originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Mar 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.