Analyst Upgrades

• Brinker (EAT) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Starbucks (SBUX) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.
• Paccar (PCAR) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• CA Technologies (CA) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• PPL Corp. (PPL) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• ConocoPhillips (COP) to hold from sell at Citigroup.
• First Defiance (FDEF) to outperform from market perform at Keefe Bruyette.
• MasTec (MTZ) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Amdocs (DOX) to neutral from underperform at BofA/Merrill.

Superior utility PPL Corp. (PPL), first discussed here on May 26, 2009, at a price of $30.56, continues to meander near $26, but just look on that delay as an opportunity to scoop up shares of a superior utility.

PPL provides electricity to 1.4 million U.S. customers in eastern and central Pennsylvania, and also has 19.0 megawatts (mw) of power generation capacity. The company also operates power distribution companies in the United Kingdom, which serve about 2.6 million customers. PPL Energy Plus also markets power to customers in Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Analyst Upgrades

• General Growth (GGP) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• PPL Corp. (PPL) to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• Hudson City Bancorp (HCBK) to neutral from reduce at Nomura.
• Hologic (HOLX) to conviction buy from buy at Goldman.
• Cognex (CGNX) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray.
• Buckeye Partners (BPL) to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• Ericsson (ERIC) and Health Care REIT (HCN) to buy from neutral and Olin (OLN) to neutral from sell at UBS.
• Nalco (NLC) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Watts Water (WTS) to buy from hold at BB&T.
• McDermott (MDR) to buy from neutral at Pritchard.

Utility gem PPL Corp. (PPL), first discussed here on May 26, 2009, at a price of $30.56, has retreated about 10% since September, to about $26, but just look on that dip as an opportunity to scoop-up shares of a superior utility.

PPL provides electricity to 1.4 million U.S. customers in eastern and central Pennsylvania, and has 19.0 megawatts (mw) of power generation capacity. The company also operates two power distribution companies in the United Kingdom, which serve about 2.6 million customers. PPL Energy Plus also markets power to customers in Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Analyst Upgrades

• Deutsche Bank upgraded Ford (F) to buy from hold and raised its price target to $19.50 from $14.50, citing positive demand trends, sustainable market share gains and strong cash flow.
• BMO Capital upgraded MGM Resorts (MGM) to outperform from market perform with an $18 target, citing stabilizing metrics in Las Vegas.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded TRW Automotive (TRW) to buy from hold, citing better-than-expected production trends, and raised its price target for shares to $52 from $39.
• Dr. Reddy's Labs (RDY) was upgraded to buy from underperform at BofA/Merrill.
• Pulte Group (PHM) was upgraded to neutral from sell at UBS and $8.50 price target.
• Vodafone (VOD) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Nomura.

Analyst Upgrades

• Piper Jaffray upgraded Edwards Lifesciences (EW) to overweight from neutral and raised its target price for shares to $77 from $53 after The New England Journal of Medicine reported the company's PARTNER Trial met primary endpoints.
• UBS upgraded Endo Pharmaceuticals (ENDP) to buy from neutral and raised its price target to $36 from $25. UBS is positive on Endo's creative strategic deals and believes the switch to Opana TRF from Opana ER will be easy. Additionally, the analyst believes pipeline expectations are very low.
• BMO Capital upgraded Nvidia (NVDA) to outperform from market perform based on expectations that share loss in the core GPU business will stop, Tegra momentum and valuation. The firm raised its price target to $16 from $9.
• FirstEnergy (FE) and Allegheny Energy (AYE) were upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Mylan (MYL) was upgraded to conviction buy from buy at Goldman. Warner
• Chilcott (WCRX) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.

The shares of utility PPL Corp. (PPL), first recommended on May 26, 2009, at a price of $30.56, appear to have put in a bottom at/near $25.

In late April, PPL's shares fell significantly after it announced its purchase of Kentucky-based utilities Louisville Gas & Electric and Kentucky Utilities for $7.625 billion, contingent on approvals. The consensus is that the deals will be (at best) modestly dilutive for the first year, and PPL's shares fell roughly $4 to about $24.60 on the news. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2010.

Since early summer, PPL's have trended up slightly, including a push back above the key, 50-day moving average.

Analyst Upgrades

• JMP Securities upgraded Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) to outperform from market perform based on valuation and checks that indicate strength in enterprise PCs, high growth geographies and light laptops. The firm has a $50 target on the stock.
• RBC Capital upgraded Rio Tinto (RTP) to outperform from sector perform, citing the company's improving growth plans and attractive risk profile.
• Goldman upgraded FormFactor (FORM) to neutral from sell, but lowered its price target to $6 from $10. The firm cites valuation for the upgrade.
• MCG Capital (MCGC) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• CRH (CRH) was upgraded to neutral from underweight at JPMorgan.
• Melco Crown (MPEL) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.

Stocks paying dividends are in favor on Wall Street right now as investors look to insulate themselves from the recent market volatility. But what happens when these stocks actually end up losing you cash instead of protecting your portfolio?

If you're losing a significant amount of money as the share prices of your high yield dividend stocks dive, then it may be time to pull the trigger and sell these dividend duds. After all there are a host of income friendly stocks out there, so why should you settle for one that offsets your quarterly dividends with regular losses in share price?

The shares of utility PPL Corporation (PPL), which I first wrote about on May 26, 2009, at a price of $32.15, have totally misbehaved, and it's probably best to stand-aside at this juncture, pending additional performance data in the quarter ahead. If you own the shares, I'd hold them, but I wouldn't add to a position at this time.

In late April, PPL Corp's shares fell significantly after it announced its purchase of Kentucky-based utilities Louisville Gas & Electric and Kentucky Utilities for $7.625 billion, contingent on approvals. The consensus is that the deal will be (at best) modestly dilutive for the first year, and PPL's shares fell about $4 on the news.

Utility PPL Corp. (PPL), first written about on May 26, 2009 at a price of $32.15, is a utility I still like, for several reasons.

First and foremost, PPL's business model remains solid: steady, if unspectacular growth in its regulated Pennsylvania power market (1.4 million customer), coupled with stronger growth in unregulated (though more risky) power markets. PPL hopes the increased use of power supply contracts of varying duration will lessen that risk.

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.

Analyst upgrades:

• Keefe Bruyette upgraded Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) to Market Perform from Underperform following the company's in-line quarter and extended buyback. The firm raised its target price on shares to $103 from $98.
• Merriman upgraded Cree (NASDAQ: CREE) to Buy from Neutral after transitioning coverage of the stock as it believes HB-LED chips are gaining momentum and that the company can top its recently raised guidance.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded Glatfelter (NYSE: GLT) to Buy from Hold following the company's Q2 results due to falling net debt levels and valuation. The firm raised its target on shares to $14 from $8.
• Corporate Executive Board (NASDAQ: EXBD) was upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Baird.
• Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
• Unit Corp. (NYSE: UNT) was upgraded to Buy from Sell at Jesup & Lamont.

Readers of this space know that one of the preferred sectors is the electric power generation sector.

And it's preferred for a reason that may not be obvious to all. Electricity via wind, solar, and nuclear generation is likely to play a large role in energy as climate change reduction, then elimination, becomes a societal goal. Electricity also remains a potential propulsion source for cars, particularly once oil resumes its inevitable climb. And with the above in mind, electric power generator PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) is worth a review.

Analyst upgrades:

• Wachovia upgraded shares of Exelon (NYSE: EXC) to Outperform from Market Perform to reflect the company's attractive nuclear fleets and strong operational track record.
  
• Jesup & Lamont upgraded Ormat Technologies Inc. (NYSE: ORA) to Buy from Hold on valuation and increasing visibility on near-term Products revenue.
  
• RBC Capital upgraded Memc Electronic (NYSE: WFR) to Outperform from Sector Perform on expectations of improved demand growth following the likely eight-year extension of the US solar tax credit program.
• AmBev (NYSE: ABV) was raised to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse.
  
• AmerisourceBergen (NYSE: ABC) was upgraded at Merrill Lynch to Buy from Neutral.
  
• Piper upgraded Anadys Pharma (NASDAQ: ANDS) to Neutral from Sell.

Analyst downgrades: