Analyst Upgrades

• Wells Fargo upgraded Universal Health (UHS) to outperform from market perform to reflect the company's potential acquisition of Psychiatric Solutions (PSYS). The firm sees a 60% chance of Universal Health acquiring Psychiatric Solutions and estimates the deal would be accretive.
• Oppenheimer upgraded Lamar Advertising (LAMR) to outperform from perform following the company's Q1 results and Q2 guidance as it expects growth to pick up in Q3. The firm has a $44 price target for shares.
• UBS upgraded Las Vegas Sands (LVS) to buy from neutral based on valuation and Singapore outlook. The firm raised its price target to $28 from $24.
• Priceline.com (PCLN) was upgraded to buy from hold at ThinkEquity.
• Alcoa (AA) Was upgraded to outperform from market perform at BMO Capital.
• Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.

Analyst upgrades:

• Thomas Weisel upgraded SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK) to Overweight from Market Weight due to accelerating manufacturing cost declines, potential NAND flash sourcing upside at Toshiba (OTC: TOSBF) and Samsung and an increase in 2H09 demand.
  
• Oppenheimer upgraded Quality Systems (NASDAQ: QSII) to Perform from Underperform to reflect potential benefits from the stimulus package and channel checks that indicated IT budgets are stabilizing. The firm raised its target price on shares to $54 from $40.
  
• RBC Capital upgraded OSI Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: OSIP) to Outperform from Sector Perform following positive Tarceva survey results and cites valuation.
• Marriott (NYSE: MAR) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at JMP Securities.
  
• Grainger (NYSE: GWW) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at BofA/Merrill.
  
• Duncan Energy Partners (NASDAQ: DEP) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS.

Dow Chemical (NYSE: DOW - option chain) shares are headed higher today after the company closed its acquisition of Rohm & Haas. This allows DOW to announce today it plans to sell Morton Salt to German company K+S Aktiengesellschaft for nearly $1.7 billion. This will help DOW stabilize its finances, which were left in a lurch when Kuwaiti financing on the Rohm & Haas deal fell through. Left out in the cold in this deal is Compass Minerals International (NYSE: CMP), a salt company that had been expected to get a bid from K+S. If you think that DOW won't fall by too much in the coming months, then now could be a good time to look at a bullish hedged trade on that stock.

DOW opened this morning at $9.46. So far today the stock has hit a low of $9.25 and a high of $9.75. As of 12:05, DOW is trading at $9.69, up 88 cents (10.0%). The chart for DOW looks neutral and S&P gives DOW a 3 STARS (out of 5) hold ranking.

Analyst upgrades:

• KeyBanc upgraded Greenbrier (NYSE: GBX) to Buy from Hold as it believes the company has options to forestall covenant violations or bankruptcy, event if conditions deteriorate further.
  
• Friedman Billings upgraded Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFMI) to Market Perform from Underperform citing low expectations, favorable FTC settlement, progress on cost cutting, and valuation.
  
• JP Morgan believes First Merit (NASDAQ: FMER) is one of the best positioned Midwest banks to weather the storm and notes its compelling valuation and capital levels. The firm upgraded shares to Overweight from Neutral.
• Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE: CCE) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
  
• Newell Rubbermaid (NYSE: NWL) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Banc of America/Merrill.
  
• Compass Minerals (NYSE: CMP) was lifted to Outperform from Perform at Oppenheimer.

Analyst upgrades:

• Baird upgraded Western Digital (NYSE: WDC) and Seagate (NASDAQ: NSTX) to Outperform from Neutral citing better than expected industry conditions. The firm believes supply has tightened, resulting in price increases in certain market segments.
  
• RBC Capital upgraded XTO Energy (NYSE: XTO) to Outperform from Sector Perform citing free cash flow and stable growth.
  
• Goldman upgraded Manpower (NYSE: MAN) to Neutral from Sell and raised its target to $29 from $20 based on balanced risk/reward.
• Energy Conversion (NASDAQ: ENER) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Piper Jaffray.
  
• Infineon (NYSE: IFX) was raised to Hold from Sell at RBS.
  
• NetSuite (NYSE: N) was upgraded to Acummulate from Source of Funds at ThinkEquity.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Some of today's notable downgrades were National City Corp (NCC), Aeroflex Inc (ARXX) and Compass Minerals International (CMP):

• Morgan Stanley cut National City Corp (NYSE: NCC) to Underweight from Equal-Weight with and $35 target to reflect increased losses on the company's remaining subprime loans and slower growth in the Midwest.

• AG Edwards downgraded Aeroflex Inc (NASDAQ: ARXX) to Sell from Buy to reflect the company's acquisition agreement.

• Matrix USA cut Compass Minerals Int'l (NYSE: CMP) to Strong Sell from Buy to reflect weak demand for deicing products.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• CIBC downgraded Pathmark Stores Inc (NASDAQ: PTMK) to Sector Perform from Outperformer based on the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co (NYSE: GAP) acquisition.

• UBS cut Apria Healthcare Group Inc (NYSE: AHG) to Reduce from Neutral on valuation.

• Goldman Sachs downgraded Progressive Gaming International Corp (NASDAQ: PGIC) and Strategic Hotels & Resorts Inc (NYSE: BEE) to Sell from Neutral.

• Brean Murray cut Youbet.com (NASDAQ: UBET) to Hold from Buy based on increased competition concerns.

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