Analyst Upgrades

• Alcatel-Lucent (ALU) to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Nvidia (NVDA) to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.
• Verizon (VZ), AT&T (T), Leap Wireless (LEAP) and MetroPCS (PCS) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Illumina (ILMN) to buy from hold at Auriga.
• Sun Bancorp (SNBC) to neutral from sell at Janney Capital.
• American Tower (AMT), SBA Communications (SBAC) and Freeport McMoRan (FCX) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.

Over the past few months, as election rhetoric heated up and the economy has cooled, one of Barack Obama's recurring themes has been that the secret to America's future will be the development of an alternative-energy economy. To a populace that has grown increasingly weary of the lackadaisical government approach to economic disaster, this has been particularly galvanizing, and was undoubtedly a major influence on the election. Now that Obama has won, however, the next question is how he will transform those exciting New Deal-esque words into concrete action.

John Podesta, co-chairman of the Obama/Biden transition team, may provide a useful insight into this question. In his day job, Podesta is president of the Center for American Progress (CAP), a liberal think tank that is based in Washington D.C. CAP has already drafted a green-energy stimulus plan; with several programs that are ready to go, it would create 2 million jobs, and would cost a relatively meager $50 billion. While there is no guarantee that CAP's plan will be adopted, given Podesta's proximity to the presidency, it seems likely that at least part of it will become reality within the next year. For a savvy investor, this could be a blueprint for industries that are, potentially, poised to explode with a massive influx of new funds.

Green Autos: Obama has made it very clear that he intends to directly tie any automotive bailout to the development of green technologies. CAP's plan calls for a 4% per year increase in fuel-efficiency standards, as well as investment in new battery technology for plug-in hybrids. With this in mind, it's worth seriously considering which automakers are best poised to go forth with more fuel-efficient models. Furthermore, programs like CAP's "Cash for Clunkers" could be a major boon for companies that process or deal in recycled metals.

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

• America's Car-Mart Inc. (NASDAQ: CRMT) beat estimates by closing underperforming branches.
• Aristotle Corp. (NASDAQ: ARTL) fourth-quarter revenue edged up while earnings slipped.
• Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) fourth-quarter profit plunged on bond insurance related write-downs.
• Boston Beer Co. Inc. (NYSE: SAM) fourth-quarter profit more than doubled as drinkers switch to craft beers.
• CAI International Inc. (NYSE: CAP) beat expectations fourth quarter and raised its guidance.
• Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) offered encouraging guidance for the full year and long term.
• Consolidated Communications Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSL) beat estimates for the fourth quarter.
• Flow International Corp. (NASDAQ: FLOW) beat expectations, sending shares up sharply.
• Gehl Co. (NASDAQ: GEHL) fourth-quarter profit fell but beat expectations due to international growth.
• J. Crew Group Inc. (NYSE: JCG) raised its full-year outlook, sending shares higher.
• Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) beat fourth-quarter expectations though profit slumped due to inflation.
• Maidenform Brands Inc. (NYSE: MFB) beat fourth quarter estimates due to sourcing initiatives.
• Smart Balance Inc. (NASDAQ: SMBL) nearly doubled its fourth-quarter loss despite strong revenue growth.
• Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO) posted a narrower-than-expected first-quarter loss.
• WellPoint Inc. (NYSE: WLP) cut its first-quarter and full-year forecasts on higher expenses.

CAI International (NYSE: CAP) is a leading manager and lessor of intermodal freight containers. The company operates a worldwide fleet of 754,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit containers, through ten offices in the US, Europe and Asia. It offers term and finance (rent-purchase) leases and contracts to repair, reposition and store containers. CAI focuses on managing units owned by container investors.

The company pleased investors last week, when it reported Q4 EPS of 36 cents and revenues of $18.9 million. Analysts had been looking for 31 cents and $18.2 million. Management also guided FY08 EPS to $1.30-$1.35, versus $1.27 consensus. The CEO noted that there had been no decline in demand resulting from the U.S. economic slowdown. Trading lanes to Europe and within Asia were said to have remained strong.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: CAI International (CAP), ATS Corp (ATCT), Logitech International (LOGI) and Wireless Ronin (RNIN) were today's more noteworthy initiations:

• Piper Jaffray started CAI International (NYSE: CAP) with an Outperform rating and $18 target, believing the company is well positioned to capitalize on global trade growth. Jefferies started CAI Int'l with a Buy rating and $17 target.

• CRT Capital believes ATS Corp's (NASDAQ: ATCT) risks are offset by positive long-term fundamentals of the federal IT services sector and the company's experienced management team and started shares with a Buy rating and $5 target.

• Pacific Crest started Logitech International (NASDAQ: LOGI) with a Sector Perform rating based on valuation.

• ThinkEquity believes that Wireless Ronin Technologies (NASDAQ: RNIN) is exposed to one of the biggest open-ended growth opportunities in digital media today with its RoninCast application and started shares with a Buy rating...

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Leerink Swann started Insulet Corp (NASDAQ: PODD) with an Outperform rating.

• Goldman started Essex Property Trust (NYSE: ESS) with a Neutral.

• Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan started Continental Resources (NYSE: CLR) with an Overweight rating, while Merrill Lynch started Continental Resources with a Buy rating.

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

Wal-Mart employs nearly as many people as the U.S. government, and its 1.3 million "associates" are so often the source of pity to the nation's economists. They make so little, it's said, they often can't afford to shop in their own low-priced employer's stores.

That makes news that starting pay will rise at about a third of Wal-Mart's U.S. stores, big. Wal-Mart says the range of starting hourly wages will increase an average of 6% but gave no details such as example starting pay. Additionally, the retail chain is instituting new wage caps on each type of job.

Interestingly, the Wal-Mart spokesperson responsible for this news spun the caps as a positive (paraphrase thanks to the AP): "the wage caps give current associates an incentive to move up to higher positions if they want to make more money." Umm... sure. Now employees must get more responsibility if they want more money, I suppose. In the abstract, it's a good thing, but having managed lots of people I've learned that not everyone is cut out for responsibility; the new caps will limit the lifetime earnings potential of thousands upon thousands of employees.