Analyst Upgrades

• Siemens (SI) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Diamond Offshore (DO) to market perform from underperform at FBR Capital.
• MeadWestvaco (MWV) to conviction buy from neutral at Goldman.
• TD AmeriTrade (AMTD) and Cabot Oil & Gas (COG) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Janus Capital (JNS) to hold from sell at Citigroup.
• Motorola Mobility (MMI) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Frontier Communications (FTR) to neutral from underperform at Macquarie.
• Humana (HUM) to buy from hold at Argus.

Analyst Upgrades

• Medicis (MRX) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray, to outperform from market perform at Bernstein, to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital and to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Wellpoint (WLP) to buy from neutral at Davenport.
• Humana (HUM) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Frontier Oil (FTO) to equal weight from underweight and Resources Connection (RECN) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.

Analyst Upgrades

• Credit Suisse upgraded Netflix (NFLX) to neutral from underperform and raised its price target to $140 from $90. The firm's survey work indicates Netflix's streaming offering is compelling and will continue to grow as it acquires additional streaming content.
• Barclays upgraded Ford (F) to overweight from equal weight, citing the company's earnings power, reduced cost base, expectations for a return to prior peak margins and valuation. The firm raised its target to $16 from $15.
• Merriman upgraded OpenTable (OPEN) to buy from neutral based on increased visibility into international expansion from the toptable.com acquisition and upside from its Spotlight product.
• Siemens (SI) was upgraded to conviction buy from buy at Goldman.
• Medicis (MRX) was upgraded to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• IDEX (IEX) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Baird.

Analyst Upgrades

• Soleil upgraded Hologic (HOLX) to buy from hold on expectations the company's next-generation breast tomosynthesis instrument is likely to receive FDA approval. The firm raised its target price for shares to $20 from $16.
• ING Group upgraded Total (TOT) to buy from hold.
• BofA/Merrill raised Medicis (MRX) to neutral from underperform.
• CPFL Energia (CPL) was upgraded to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.

Analyst Upgrades

• UBS upgraded UPS (UPS) and FedEx (FDX) to buy from hold based on recent weakness and leverage to a recovery. The firm raised its price target on UPS to $74 from $72 and on FedEx to $100 from $97.
• Bernstein upgraded Medicis (MRX) to outperform from market perform based on valuation and said the company has been executing well over the past few months. The firm has a $28 price target on the stock.
• Citigroup upgraded Weingarten Realty (WRI) to buy from hold, citing valuation and the company's improved balance sheet. The firm maintains a $24 price target for shares.
• Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's (LOW) were upgraded to market perform from underperform at BMO Capital.
• NextEra Energy (NEE) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Baird.
• Nokia (NOK) was upgraded to neutral from reduce at WestLB.

Analyst upgrades:

• Barclays upgraded Exxon (XOM) to overweight from equal weight based on a higher production growth outlook. The firm, which raised its target to $92 from $90, expects Exxon to have organic growth of more than 3% in 2010 and an average growth rate of 2.6% between 2009 and 2013.
• Kaufman Bros. upgraded Palm (PALM) to buy from hold citing the recent pullback in shares and indications that Verizon (VZ) will carry webOS phones as early as 1H10. The firm has a $16 target on the stock.
• Piper Jaffray raised Medicis (MRX) to neutral from underweight and raised its target to $20 from $16. Following a management meeting, Piper said they have increased confidence in Soldyn risk and LipoSonix's safety profile.
• Illinois Tool Works (ITW) was upgraded to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Devon Energy (DVN) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• Carmike Cinemas (CKEC) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Merriman.

Analyst initiations:

• Allegheny (NYSE: AYE) was initiated with a buy at Citigroup as attractive at current levels. Target is $33.
• PPL Corp. (NYSE: PPL) was initiated with a buy at Citigroup. Citi believes PPL's earnings power from the Pennsylvania regulated utility market is being underappreciated. Target is $35.
• FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) was initiated with a Buy at Citigroup who believes the company's current valuation doesn't reflect its transition to full market-based rates in 2011. Target is $56.
• Waste Management (NYSE: WM) coverage resumed with a Neutral at Goldman.
• Exxon (NYSE: XOM) initiated with a Buy at Soleil. Target is $90.
• Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) was initiated with a Buy at ING Group.

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

• Aeropostale Inc. (NYSE: ARO) strong Q3 results beat estimates despite the dismal retail environment.
• Alpha Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE: ANR) lowered its full-year forecast due to lower demand for coal.
• America's Car-Mart Inc. (NASDAQ: CRMT) reported higher Q2 earnings and higher same-store sales.
• Beazer Homes USA Inc. (NYSE: BZH) losses in Q4 more than tripled as revenue declined.
• Collective Brands Inc. (NYSE: PSS) Q3 profits were in line with estimates, enough to send shares higher.
• General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) cut its Q4 earnings forecast, which now falls in line with estimates.
• Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) warned that it may see its first quarterly loss ever in Q4.
• Guess? Inc. (NYSE: GES) strong Q3 results beat estimates but offered a conservative outlook.
• Infineon Technologies AG (NYSE: IFX) posted a wider Q4 loss on restructuring and warned of further losses.
• Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) 2009 earnings are expected to be diluted by an acquisition.
• Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: MRVL) reported strong Q3 numbers, sending shares higher.
• Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. (NYSE: MRX) earnings prospects after a settlement led to an analyst's upgrade.
• Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK) lowered its 2009 earnings guidance below analysts' expectations.
• Palm Inc. (NASDAQ: PALM) said that it expects Q2 revenues to come in below analysts' estimates.

Analyst upgrades:

• Citigroup upgraded shares of Cadbury (NYSE: CBY) to Hold from Sell on the company's pricing initiatives and their expectations for margin expansion.
  
• Jefferies upgraded shares of Medicis (NYSE: MRX) to Buy from Hold and raised its target to $16 from $12.50 as they believe the company's settlement with Impax should lift valuation and drive higher earnings.
  
• Cowen upgraded Williams-Sonoma (NYSE: WSM) to Neutral from Underperform on valuation. Shares were also upgraded at Merrill Lynch to Buy from Underperform.
• Signet Group (NYSE: SIG) was raised to Neutral from Sell at Goldman.
  
• EMC Corp (NYSE: EMC) was upgraded to Buy from Accumulate at ThinkPanmure.
  
• DSP Group (NASDAQ: DSPG) was upgraded at RBC Capital to Sector Perform from Underperform.

Analyst downgrades:

Allergan Inc. (NYSE: AGN) opened at $123.64. So far today the stock has hit a low of $123.40 and a high of $124.42. As of 12:20, AGN is trading at $124.09, up $0.45 (0.4%).

After a dip that began in late 2006, this stock found support in March and rebounded nicely, climbing to a new all-time high today. Jim Cramer called the Botox maker the "single best baby boomer play there is," shaking off concern that Medicis (NYSE: MRX) will come up with a cheap alternative that will hurt the Botox biz. Cramer believes Allergan's market is strong and will keep the stock going higher. Recent technical indicators for AGN have been bullish and steady, while S&P gives the stock a positive 4 STARS (out of 5) buy rating.

For a bullish hedged play on this stock, I would consider an October bull-put credit spread below the $105 range. AGN hasn't been below $105 since July and has shown support around $117 recently. This trade could be risky if one of the company's products gets in trouble with the FDA, but even if that happens, this position could be protected by the strong historical support around $106.

Brent Archer is an options analyst and writer at Investors Observer. Do you have any deadwood in your portfolio? Check out the 18 Warning Signs That Tell You When To Dump A Stock. DISCLOSURE: Mr. Archer owns and/or controls diversified portfolios of long and short stock and option positions that may include holdings in companies he writes about. At publication time, Brent neither owns nor controls positions in AGN or MRX.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Broadcom Corp (BRCM) and American Medical Systems Holdings (AMMD) were today's notable initiations.

• Merrill Lynch reinstated Broadcom Corp (NASDAQ: BRCM) with a Buy rating and $42 target to reflect the company's secular growth story.

• Thomas Weisel started American Medical Systems Holdings (NASDAQ: AMMD) with an Overweight rating and $16 target; the firm says American Medical is a leader in surgical urology and gynecology and sees upside from the company's full pipeline.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• NaviSite inc (NASDAQ: NAVI) was initiated with a Market Weight rating at Thomas Weisel.

• Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp (NYSE: MRX) was initiated with a Buy rating and $45 target at Jefferies.

• Soleil initiated Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: AMLN) with a Hold rating.

• DA Davidson started Allegheny Technologies Inc (NYSE: ATI) with a Buy rating.

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