• Banc of America/Merrill upgraded Gymboree (NASDAQ:GYMB) to Buy from Underperform and raised their target to $33 from $15 following the company's Q1 comparable store sales guidance.
  
• Oppenheimer upgraded Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) to Outperform from Perform after channel checks indicated the company's shipments are gaining momentum. The firm raised their price target on the stock to $35 from $20.
  
• Owens & Minor (NYSE:OMI) was raised to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse. The firm upgraded shares but lowered their target to $45 from $46 citing underappreciated earnings growth and valuation.
• Albermarle (NYSE:ALB) was upgraded to Conviction Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
  
• Protective Life (NYSE:PL) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at UBS.
  
• Maxim (NASDAQ:MXIM) was lifted to Buy from Hold at Canaccord.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: GYMB, BP, CVX, COP, TOL

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: GYMB, BP, CVX, COP, TOL originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Keefe Bruyette upgraded JP Morgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) to Outperform from Market Perform based on valuation and superior execution.

• Symantec Corp (NASDAQ: SYMC) was raised to Outperform from Neutral at Baird as they believe integration issues from Veritas (CGV) are behind the company and expectations that shares will benefit from investments made during the past two years.

• Stifel upgraded Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) to Short-Term Trading Buy from Neutral and recommends buying shares of AMD ahead of the Q2 report given market stabilization, the seasonally stronger 2H, and any positive commentary during the call that may be enough to encourage renewed investor interest.

• Lehman upgraded Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) to Overweight from Equal Weight citing checks that indicate a strong product cycles & shares gains in notebooks, improving seasonal demand, and new product traction.

• Citigroup upgraded shares of SVB Financial (NASDAQ: SIVB) to Hold from Sell to reflect less earnings volatility due to more later-stage customers and growing funds management...

• Matrix USA raised Panera Bread (NASDAQ: PNRA) to Buy from Hold on valuation.

• Citigroup upgraded MBIA Inc (NYSE: MBI) to Buy from Hold.

• Banc of America upgraded Sybase (NYSE: SY) to Buy from Neutral.

• Interline Brands (NYSE: IBI) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform.

• Lehman raised Swisscom (NYSE: SCM) to Overweight from Equal Weight.

Analyst upgrades 6-21-07: AMD, JPM, NVDA, PNRA and SYMC originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 21 Jun 2007 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• UBS started shares of Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE: DAL) with a Reduce rating and $17 target on valuation and management's overly optimistic outlook.

• Deutsche Bank prefers to wait of a better entry point for Goodrich Corp (NYSE: GR) and initiated shares with a Hold rating.

• Opnext Inc (NASDAQ: OPXT) was initiated at JP Morgan with a Neutral rating citing concerns regarding new transceiver margins.

• Prudential believes Terex Corp (NYSE: TEX) is well positioned to take advantage of strong sustainable growth in the global infrastructure and mining markets over at least the rest of the decade, starting shares with an Overweight rating.

• RBC Capital started Aruba Networks (NASDAQ: ARUN) with a Sector Perform rating while Lehman Bros initiated Aruba with an Overweight rating.

• Deutsche Bank started Delta Petroleum Corp (NASDAQ: DPTR) with a Buy rating and $27 target.

• JMP Securities started Hersha Hospitality Trust (AMEX: HT) with an Outperform rating and $14 target.

• Credit Suisse assumed coverage of Interline Brands, Inc (NYSE: IBI) with an Outperform rating and $34 target.

• Credit Suisse reinstated Brooks Automation, Inc (NASDAQ: BRKS) with a Neutral rating.

• Goldman Sachs started CenturyTel, Inc (NYSE: CTL) with a Sell rating and $42 target on valuation.

• B. Riley initiated Insteel Industries, Inc (NASDAQ: IIIN) with a Buy rating and $24 target.

Analyst initiations 5-07-07: BRKS, DAL and GR originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 May 2007 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.