MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Jefferies upgraded shares of WuXi Pharma (NYSE: WX) to Buy from Hold as they believe the risk/reward is much improved following the recent weakness. They think the company's 2008 guidance is achievable.
  
• Credit Suisse raised ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) to Outperform from Neutral as they believe the rise in crude oil means analyst estimates are too low.
  
• Goldman sees upside to hospital stocks given low valuations and expectations. The firm upgraded LifePoint Hospitals (NASDAQ: LPNT) to Buy from Neutral and named it a top pick along with previous top pick Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH).

• Goldman added NDS Group (NASDAQ: NNDS) to their Conviction Buy List and upgraded shares to Buy from Neutral.
  
• Morgan Stanley raised Boeing (NYSE: BA) to Overweight from Equal Weight.
  
• JP Morgan added Sherwin-Williams (NYSE: SHW) to the Focus List.

Analyst upgrades: WX, XOM and LPNT originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• B. Riley believes NDS Group (NASDAQ: NNDS) is in an attractive space with 42M digital TV subscribers, increasing competition between TV service providers and declining digital deployment costs, starting shares with a Buy rating and $66.50 target.
• KeyBanc McDonald initiated shares of Payless ShoeSource Inc (NYSE: PSS) with a Buy rating and $42 target.
• Calyon started Southern Union Co (NYSE: SUG) with a Buy rating and $38 target and sees positive catalysts over the next 12-18 months, including a potential takeover or monetization and the formal creation of an MLP.
• Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ: TTWO) was started with a Hold rating at Needham. The firm finds it unlikely that shares will outperform until new management sets forth their new plan, which is expected to take 3-6 months.

• Credit Suisse imitated Akamai Technologies, Inc (NASDAQ: AKAM) with an Outperform rating and $65 target.
• American Technology believes Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc's (NASDAQ: CADX) two late-stage products fill an important, unmet medical need and started the company with a Buy rating and $24 target.
• UBS started shares of NuStar GP Holdings, LLC (NYSE: NSH) with a Neutral rating and $30 target.
• TeleTech Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: TTEC) was initiated with a Buy rating at Merrill Lynch.

Analyst initiations 4-09-07: Akamai Tech & Take-Two Interactive initiated today originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 09 Apr 2007 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.