Founded in the late 1800s, Emerson Electric (NYSE: EMR) is now an industrial giant. The company has a variety of units that deal with things like network power, industrial management, appliances and tools, and climate technologies. Last year, revenues hit $24.8 billion, with net income of $2.4 billion.

To bolster its position, Emerson is targeting acquisitions, which look especially attractive at current valuations. And, the latest deal came today: the $1.2 billion purchase of Avocent (NASDAQ: AVCT).

MOST NOTEWORTHY: American Capital, Realty Income and KKR Financial were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• Jefferies downgraded American Capital (NASDAQ: ACAS) to Underperform from Hold as they see a disproportionate risk profile in the company's current portfolio when compared to most peers.
  
• Banc of America cut Realty Income (NYSE: O) to Sell from Neutral as they believe the current valuation is not sustainable.
  
• Bear lowered KKR Financial (NYSE: KFN) to Peer Perform from Outperform following the company's announcement that it intends to sell 20M shares in a public offering.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• Goldman cut PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) to Neutral from Buy.
  
• RBC Capital downgraded Avocent (NASDAQ: AVCT) to Sector Perform from Outperform.
  
• JP Morgan removed NICE Systems (NASDAQ: NICE) from its Focus List.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: CyberSource, Century Casinos, Spectrum Pharm and Winnebago were today's noteworthy upgrades:

• JMP Securities upgraded shares of CyberSource (NASDAQ: CYBS) to Market Outperform from Market Perform citing valuation, positive management comments regarding BidPay, and incrementally positive industry checks on its fraud product.
  
• Brean Murray upgraded shares of Century Casinos (NASDAQ: CNTY) to Buy from Hold based on continued progress at recently opened properties, reduced Street expectations, and potential catalysts.
  
• Brean Murray also upgraded Spectrum Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SPPI) to Buy from Hold. The firm is highly confident that Spectrum's ozarelix will demonstrate similar efficacy and safety in the current U.S. Phase IIb trial and expects statistical significant. The firm expects Ph III initiations by year-end 2007 and Ph IIb data to be released on 2Q08.
  
• Winnebago Industries (NYSE: WGO) was upgraded to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital. The firm expects Winnebago to begin to post better earnings from more favorable mix and pricing in the 2008 model year.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• Merrill Lynch upgraded Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) to Buy from Neutral.
  
• Goldman upgraded shares of US Airways (NYSE: LCC) to Buy from Neutral.
  
• Avocent Corporation (NASDAQ: AVCT) was upgraded to Accumulate from Source the Funds at Think Equities.
  
• Collins Stewart raised Cyberonics (NASDAQ: CYBX) to Buy from Market Perform.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: The systems technology sector, Auxilium Pharmaceuticals (AUXL) and BioSante Pharm (BPA) were today's noteworthy initiations:

• In the systems technology sector, JP Morgan initiated coverage on CommVault Systems (NASDAQ: CVLT) and Double-Take Software, Inc (NASDAQ: DBTK) with Overweight ratings, Isilon Systems (NASDAQ: ISLN) and Opsware Inc (NASDAQ: OPSW) with Neutral ratings and Avocent Corp (NASDAQ: AVCT) with an Underweight rating.

• Auxilium Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: AUXL) was initiated with an Outperform rating at Cowen, which said AUXL's lead candidate, AA4500, is in pivotal testing for Dupuytren's contracture, which could be a $400M+ revenue opportunity.

• BioSante Pharmaceuticals (AMEX: BPA) was initiated with a Positive rating at Susquehanna, as the firm is positive on BPA's growth prospects for the transdermal estrogen market, upside potential from the female dysfunction market, and valuation.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Morgan Stanley initiated shares of Lamar Advertising (NASDAQ: LAMR) with an Overweight rating and $77 target.

• SunTrust Robinson Humphrey initiated shares of Texas Roadhouse (NASDAQ: TXRH) with a Neutral rating.

• Morgan Joseph initiated shares of Metalico (AMEX: MEA) with a Hold rating.

• Stifel Nicolaus initiated shares of Tenet Healthcare (NYSE: THC) with a Sell rating and a $5 target.

Analyst summaries provided by TheFlyOnTheWall.com (subscription required).

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Gap Inc (GPS), World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc (WWE), AstraZeneca plc (AZN), and Nike, Inc (NKE) top today's list of noteworthy upgrades:

• Wachovia upgraded shares of Gap Inc (NYSE: GPS) to Outperform from Market Perform citing increased visibility on the turnaround and execution given modest merchandising improvements at Old Navy and GapKids, potential cost-cutting by late Spring and Summer and potential improved products at Gap adult by the holiday season into Spring 2008.

• Susquehanna upgraded shares of World Wrestling Entertainment inc (NYSE: WWE) to Positive from Neutral.

• Bernstein upgraded AstraZeneca plc (NYSE: AZN) to Market Perform from Underperform citing valuation and more realistic expectations.

• Off The Record Research changed their view to Positive on Nike Inc (NYSE: NKE) shares given the company's lack of discounting, share gains at Foot Locker (FL) and momentum in Europe.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• Lehman Brothers upgraded LG Phillips LCD Co, Ltd (NYSE: LPL) to Overweight from Equal Weight citing a fundamentals turnaround in display and structural changes occurring now rather than in the second-half of 2007.

• Friedman Billings believes TD AmeriTrade Holding Corp (NASDAQ: AMTD) has compelling risk/reward and upgraded shares to Outperform from Market Perform given significant free cash flow and an attractive valuation that increases the likelihood that the company could become a takeover target.

• Goldman Sachs upgraded The Mosaic Co (NYSE: MOS) to Buy from Neutral on valuation.

• Matrix USA upgraded Avocent Corp (NASDAQ: AVCT) to Buy from Hold on valuation.

• AG Edwards upgraded American Home Mortgage nvestment Corp (NYSE: AHM) to Buy from Hold and believes the market has over-reacted, pulling shares down with it.

Analyst summaries provided by TheFlyOnTheWall.com (subscription required).