Analyst Upgrades

• JPMorgan upgraded Smith Micro (SMSI) to overweight from neutral and raised its price target to $15 from $9, citing the release of a WiFi iPad with MiFi from Verizon and Apple.
• Jefferies upgraded Whole Foods (WFMI) to buy from hold and raised its price target to $45 from $36, citing checks that indicate sales are accelerating and the company has been focused on expense control.
• Wells Fargo upgraded Ensco (ESV) and raised its price target to $54 to $56 from $46 to $47, citing valuation, the lifted deepwater drilling ban and higher oil prices.
• Gran Tierra Energy (GTE) was upgraded to buy from hold at Wunderlich, citing the company's Moqueta oil discovery as well as other near-term exploration opportunities, and raised its price target to $12.50 from $7.00.
• Chico's FAS (CHS) was upgraded to buy from hold at KeyBanc and set a $13 price target.
• UR-Energy (URE) was upgraded to buy from hold at KeyBanc.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMSC, CBOE, ERTS, ESV, JCP, PDE, SMSI, TTWO, UAL, WFMI ...

Analyst Calls: AMSC, CBOE, ERTS, ESV, JCP, PDE, SMSI, TTWO, UAL, WFMI ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Merrill downgraded Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) to Sell from Neutral citing expectations of margin erosion.

• Brean Murray cut Coldwater Creek (NASDAQ: CWTR) to Hold from Buy following their disappointing Q2 report and outlook.

• Select Comfort (NASDAQ: SCSS) was cut to Strong Sell from Hold at Matrix based on weak performance and high risk characteristics.

• Anadys Pharma (NASDAQ: ANDS) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform at Cowen, citing pipeline setbacks over the last 12 months, and lack of near-term catalysts...

• Collective Brands (NYSE: PSS) was cut to Hold from Aggressive Buy.

• Sigma Designs (NASDAQ: SIGM) was cut to Hold from Buy at Needham.

Analyst downgrades 8-30-07: CWTR, SIGM and WMT originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 30 Aug 2007 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• QLogic (NASDAQ: QLGC) was cut by several firms:
  
• QLogic was cut to Neutral from Outperform and removed from JP Morgan's Focus List due to the lack of catalysts to drive shares higher.
  
• Caris cut shares to Average from Above Average and Pacific
  
• Crest downgraded QLogic to Sector Perform from Outperform as the company's profits decline.

• Citigtroup downgraded CNet Networks (NASDAQ: CNET) to Hold from Buy as they no longer expect material revenue growth acceleration and operating leverage in 2H07; First Albany cut shares to Neutral from Buy.

• HSBC downgraded shares of Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE: TSM) to Neutral from Overweight to reflect worse than expected pricing pressures.

• Matrix downgraded shares of Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI) to Hold from Buy on increasing competition and rising costs.

• Piper cut Anadys Pharma (NASDAQ: ANDS) to Underperform from Outperform following the company's announcement that it has discontinued development of ANA975...

• First Albany cut Zimmer Holdings (NYSE: ZMH) to Buy from Strong Buy.

• Bear Stearns downgraded AutoNation (NYSE: AN) to Peer Perform from Outperform.

• Piper Jaffray downgraded Volcom (NASDAQ: VLCM) and Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR) to Market Perform from Outperform.

• Bernstein downgraded Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE: CCE) to Underperform from Market Perform.

Analyst downgrades 7-27-07: AN, CCE, DRI and TSM originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 27 Jul 2007 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.