MOST NOTEWORTHY: GlaxoSmithKline, FreeSeas and SINA Corp were today's noteworthy initiations:

• ING believes GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) should benefit from the appointment of Andrew Witty as CEO and see limited downside risks. The firm initiated shares with a Buy rating.
  
• FreeSeas (NASDAQ: FREE) was started at Oppenheimer with an Outperform rating and $8 target, as they view FREE as an early stage growth company in the smaller dry-bulk vessel segment and finds the valuation attractive at current levels.
  
• Kaufman Bros. initiated SINA Corp (NASDAQ: SINA) with a Buy rating and $4.50 target, and believes China represents a compelling long-term growth opportunity.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Level 3 Comm (NASDAQ: LVLT) was initiated with a Underperform rating at Wachovia.
  
• Jefferies assumed Savient Pharma (NASDAQ: SVNT) with a Buy rating and $30 target.
  
• Lehman initiated Brown & Brown (NYSE: BRO) with an Underweight rating.

Hess Corp. (NYSE:HES): HES keeps rising with the price of oil. The stock was up to $86.46 against a 52-week low of $45.96.

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ:BMRN): BioMarin is now able to charge more for new drug Kuvan than expected. Shares were up to $37.17 compared to 52-week low of $15.53.

Savient Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:SVNT): Strong results from its new gout drug kept shares up second day in a row. It hit $19.40 against 52-week low of $10.58.

Rigel Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:RIGL): An upgrade from Lehman came after strong results from drug trials. Shares spiked to $31 in contrast to 52-week low of $6.64.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

Savient Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SVNT) stock is surging on news that in two late-stage studies, its drug Puricase effectively treated patients with gout who had no success with other treatments. As I posted two weeks ago, this blockbuster drug has a potential to produce over $600 million in sales for Savient. Puricase, which treats gout, a painful inflammation of the joints caused by having too much uric acid built up in the blood, is a large and untapped market, as 3 million patients await their first new therapy in more than 30 years.

Savient plans to file a biologics licenses application with the Food and Drug Administration in 2008 based on the results from the trials. If the treatment gets regulatory approval, it will be the only treatment for unsuccessfully treated patients.

This is both great news for gout sufferers, who hopefully will be provided some well-deserved relief, as well as investors in Savient who look to profit over the long run.

Aaron Katsman is the lead Portfolio Manager and Managing Director of America Israel Investment Associates, LLC. and Senior Editor of IsraelNewsletter.com. Disclosure: Writer owns stock and is long SVNT as of 12/13/07.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: 1-800-Flowers.com, Ctrip.com International, 51job and Choice Hotels were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Nollenberger started shares of 1-800-Flowers.com (NASDAQ: FLWS) with a Buy rating and $14 target and believes shares are undervalued at current levels given the company's compelling growth prospects, strong cash flow generation, and solid balance sheet.
  
• Bear believes Ctrip.com (NASDAQ: CTRP) is the best positioned online travel company ahead of structural changes and consolidation in China's fragmented travel agency industry. The firm initiated shares with an Outperform rating and $80 target.
  
• Bear expects 51job (NASDAQ: JOBS) to benefit from China's increasing Internet user base due to the internet's broadening reach among job seekers, resuming coverage with an Outperform rating and $28 target.
  
• Goldman started Choice Hotels (NYSE: CHH) with a Buy rating and $45 target, as they are positive on the stock given unit growth and minimal capital needs, among other reasons.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Thomas Weisel initiated On Semiconductor (NASDAQ: ONNN) with an Overweight rating and $15 target.
  
• Broadpoint initiated Ariba (NASDAQ: ARBA) with a Buy rating and $15 target and Ultimate Software (NASDAQ: ULTI) with a Neutral rating.
  
• Merrill started shares of Savient Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SVNT) with a Neutral rating.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Genentech, HSBC Holdings, Suntech Power, SunPower and Force Protection were today's noteworthy initiations:

• UBS is positive on Genentech Inc's (NYSE: DNA) leading industry franchises and potential upside from development projects and started shares with a Buy rating and $101 target.
  
• HSBC Holdings (NYSE: HBC) was assumed with a Reduce rating at WestLB, as the firm believes subprime concerns may hold back shares in the near-term.
  
• Jefferies initiated shares of SunTech Power Holdings (NYSE: STP) with a Buy rating and $45 target. The firm believes the company is positioned to beat 2007 and 2008 expectations by ramping manufacturing capacity and production faster than expected.
  
• Jefferies also resumed coverage of SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWR) with a Hold rating and $90 target, citing valuation, but believes the stock's higher multiple is justified given the company's superior growth potential.
  
• Force Protection Inc (NASDAQ: FRPT) was initiated with a Market Perform rating and Friedman Billings, as they believe near-term production expectations are too high given emerging DOD funding issues.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Lehman started shares of Arcelor Mittal (NYSE: MT) with an Overweight rating.
  
• UBS started shares of RF Micro Devices (NASDAQ: RFMD) with a Neutral rating.
  
• Cowen resumed coverage of Savient Pharmaeuticals Inc (NASDAQ: SVNT) with an Outperform rating.
  
• Morgan Keegan started shares of Heartland Payment Systems Inc (NYSE: HPY) with a Market Perform rating.