MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Obagi Medical Products (NASDAQ: OMPI) was initiated with a Positive rating at Susquehanna, as they like Obagi's growth opportunity in the aesthetics-dermatology market and views the company as an interesting take-out target for a larger specialty pharmaceutical company.
  
• Montgomery believes Microsemi Corporation's (NASDAQ: MSCC) core business is on track and gaining momentum based on leverage in both high-reliability and high-performance analog. The firm started shares with a Buy rating and $34 target.
  
• Goldman initiated Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE: MRO) with a Buy rating and $72 target, as they view Marathon as most favorably leveraged refining company and would use seasonal weakness in refining margins as a buying opportunity.
  
• RBC Capital sees a large opportunity for Encore Energy Parners (NYSE: ENP) to grow its reserves from internal negotiated transactions from its parent, Encore Acquisition Companies (NYSE: EAC), starting shares off with an Outperform rating and $26 target.

• BMO Capital initiated DCT Industrial Trust (NYSE: DCT) with a Market Perform rating.
  
• Lehman started shares of Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI) with an Overweight rating and $52 target.
  
• The firm also reinstated Radian Group (NYSE: RDN) and MGIC Investment Corporation (NYSE: MTG) with Underweight ratings.

Analyst initiations: OMPI, MSCC, MRO and ENP originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.