• Baird upgraded Optimer Pharm (NASDAQ: OPTR) to Outperform from Neutral and raised its target to $13 from $8 citing the decidedly positive data from the OPT-80 trial.
  
• Banc of America upgraded Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX) to Buy from Neutral on valuation and believes management has set expectations well.
  
• Credit Suisse views Jacobs Engineering (NYSE: JEC) as a high quality name given the quality of management, execution track record, and relationship business model. Shares were upgraded to Outperform from Neutral.
• Horizon Lines (NYSE: HRZ) was upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Stephens.
  
• Bancolombia SA (NYSE: CIB) was raised to Buy from Neutral.
  
• Great Lakes Dredge (NASDAQ: GLDD) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Morgan Joseph.

Continue reading Analyst calls: OPTR, JEC, KFN, CAR, DISH, TSN, VMW, INFY, URBN, DKS

Analyst calls: OPTR, JEC, KFN, CAR, DISH, TSN, VMW, INFY, URBN, DKS originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Stanford believes shares of Encore Energy Partners LP (NYSE: ENP) are reasonably valued, and started shares with a Hold rating and $20.50 target.
• The Corporate Executive Board Company (NASDAQ: EXBD) was initiated with a Neutral at Baird, as they have concerns regarding the slowing economy near-term.
• Baird also started shares of FTI Consulting Inc (NYSE: FCN) with an Outperform rating and a $64 target, as they believe the company is well-positioned for continued strong growth driven by positive macro demand and specific company drivers.
• Banc of America initiated Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Corporation (NASDAQ: GLDD) with a Neutral rating and $10 target. The firm believes near-term visibility is closed by an unsettled Army Corps/domestic funding policy and is looking for a more attractive valuation.

• Jefferies initiated Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE: WMT) and BJ's Wholesale Club Inc (NYSE: BJ) with Buy ratings and a $58 target and $46 target and shares of Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) and Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST) with Hold ratings and a $62-$65 target and $66-$69 target, respectively.
• Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ: CSCO) was initiated with an Outperform rating at Wachovia.

Analyst initiations: ENP, EXBD, FCN and GLDD originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Oct 2007 11:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Amedica (AMCA), a 4.65M-share IPO for this artificial joints company. Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and Lehman Brothers are the lead managers. Filing range: $13.00-$15.00.
• Concho Resources (CXO), a 21.2M-share IPO for this oil and gas company. JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America and Lehman Brothers are the lead managers. Filing range: $14.00-$16.00.
• Dolan Media (DM), a 10.5M-share IPO for this media services company. Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch are the lead managers. Filing range: $13.50-$15.50.
• Genpact (G), a 35.3M-share IPO for this information technology services company. Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, and JP Morgan Chase are the lead managers. Filing range: $16.00-$18.00.
• NanoDynamics (NDMX), a 6.6M-share IPO for this specialty chemicals company. Jefferies is the lead manager. Filing range: $12.00-$14.00.
• Sucampo Pharmaceuticals (SCMP), a 3.75M-share IPO for this pharmaceutical company. Cowen is the lead manager. Filing range: $14.00-$16.00.
• Virtusa (VRTU), a 4.4M-share IPO for this information technology services company. JP Morgan Chase is the lead manager. Filing range: $14.00-$16.00.

Continue reading IPO & secondary preview -- Week of July 30, 2007

IPO & secondary preview -- Week of July 30, 2007 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 30 Jul 2007 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.