MOST NOTEWORTHY: Horace Mann, Sonus Networks and Mellanox were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Keefe Bruyette views Horace Mann (NYSE: HMN) as fairly valued and expects the competitive personal lines environment and deteriorating loss trends to act as strong headwinds. Shares were assumed with a Market Perform rating and $19 target.
  
• Thomas Weisel initiated Sonus Networks (NASDAQ: SONS) with a Market Weight rating and $3.50 target and believes management's expectation for 20% FY08 revenue growth is too aggressive.
  
• Susquehanna expects Mellanox (NASDAQ: MLNX) to benefit from the growing end markets for InfiniBand technology, and started shares with a Positive rating and $20 target.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Jefferies initiated McKesson (NYSE: MCK) with a Buy rating and $67 target.
  
• Philip Morris (NYSE: PM) was initiated at JP Morgan with an Overweight rating and $62 target, and added to the firm's Analyst Focus List.
  
• Baird started Pharmasset (NASDAQ: VRUS) with a Neutral rating and $21 target.
  

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Vodafone, AstraZeneca and Forest Oil were today's noteworthy upgrades:

• Bear Stearns upgraded shares of Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) to Outperform from Peer Perform on valuation, as they believe the stock trades at a discount to peers.
  
• AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) was raised to Buy from Hold at Citigroup to reflect the potential for higher sales of the company's Crestor cholesterol pill.
  
• Jefferies upgraded shares of Forest Oil (NYSE: FST) to Buy from Hold and raised their target to $63 from $50 following the company's "bullish" analyst conference.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• Pharmasset (NASDAQ: VRUS) was raised to Buy from Neutral at UBS.
  
• Deutsche Bank upgraded China Mobile (NYSE: CHL) to Buy from Hold.
  
• Morgan Keegan upgraded RadNet (NASDAQ: RDNT) to Outperform from Market Perform.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Dreamworks Animation, Pharmasset and Vertex Pharmaceuticals were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Jefferies initiated Dreamworks Animation (NYSE: DWA) with a Hold rating and $25 target. The firm believes the company needs stronger-than-expected box office performance to drive material share appreciation, which they view as a risky bet given recent non-Shrek film performance, slower DVD sales and a tough economy.
  
• Merriman assumed coverage of Pharmasset (NASDAQ: VRUS) with a Buy rating, as they believe the current share price does not adequately reflect the company's strong clinical data, potential for clinical milestones, or potential for revenue generation. They believe shares could trade to a fair value range of $20-24 in the next 12 months.
  
• Merriman initiated shares of Vertex Pharmaceutials (NASDAQ: VRTX) with a Neutral rating, and recommends investors hold pending a greater understanding of clinical timelines and results for other HCV drug candidates.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Merrill Lynch initiated Time Warner Telecom (NASDAQ: TWTC) with a Neutral rating.
  
• UBS initiated Protalix (AMEX: PLX) with a Buy rating and $6 target.
  
• Pacific Growth assumed United Online (NASDAQ: UNTD) and Internet Brands (NASDAQ: INET) with Buy ratings.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: The environmental services sector, the machinery and capital goods sector and several bank holding companies were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Credit Suisse initiated shares of Allied Waste Industries Inc (NYSE: AW), Republic Services Inc (NYSE: RSG) and Waste Management Inc (NYSE: WMI) with Outperform ratings and a $16 target, $35 target and $45 target, respectively.
• Bernstein initiated the machinery and capital goods sector, initiating shares of Caterpillar Inc (NYSE: CAT) and Illinois Tool Works Inc (NYSE: ITW) with Outperform ratings and a $100 target and $68 target, respectively and Deere & Company (NYSE: DE), Eaton Corporation (NYSE: ETN), Ingersoll-Rand Company Ltd (NYSE: IR) and Parker-Hannifin Corporation (NYSE: PH) with Market Perform ratings.
• Sandler initiated shares of Preferred Bank Los Angeles CA (NASDAQ: PFBC) and UCBH Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: UCBH) with Buy ratings and shares of Cathay General Bancorp (NASDAQ: CATY) and East West Bancorp, Inc (NASDAQ: EWBC) with Hold ratings.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Golfsmith International Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: GOLF) was initiated at Wedbush with a Buy rating and $8.75 target, as the firm believes the company is an attractive growth story and buyout candidate.
• Pharmasset Inc (NASDAQ: VRUS) was initiated with a Buy rating and $12 target at Banc of America, as the firm believes Clevudine has the potential to be best in class for the treatment of the hepatitis B virus.
• Ciena Corporation (NASDAQ: CIEN) was initiated with an Outperform rating and $40 target at Piper Jaffray.