• 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:

• Cowen views HQ Sustainable Maritime (NYSE: HQS) as undervalued and a future winner in the "green economics" game. The firm started shares with an Outperform rating.
  
• JP Morgan initiated Wyndham (NYSE: WYN) with an Overweight rating. The firm finds the valuation attractive given the company's fee-based business model and attractive international growth opportunities.
  
• B. Riley assumed Cathay General Bancorp (NASDAQ: CATY) with a Buy rating and $16 target and believes the company's valuation discount to peers is unwarranted.

• BGC Parnters (NASDAQ: BGCP) was initiated at Deutsche Bank with a Buy rating and $13 target.
  
• Friedman Billings initiated Maiden Holdings (NASDAQ: MHLD) with an Outperform rating and $11.50 target.
  
• Sandler assumed CRM Holdings (NASDAQ: CRMH) with a Buy rating and $6.50 target.

Analyst initiations: HQS, WYN and CATY originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.