Analyst Upgrades

• Large Cap Pharmaceuticals sector upgraded to Overweight at Wells Fargo.
• Archer Daniels (ADM) upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Cypress Semi (CY) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS.
• MFA Financial (MFA) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Jefferies.
• Blackstone (BX) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Jefferies.
• Comerica (CMA) upgraded to Hold from Sell at Citigroup.
• Dollar Tree (DLTR) upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley.
• NuVasive (NUVA) upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Leerink.
• Cogdell Spencer (CSA) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Jefferies.
• Hersha Hospitality (HT) upgraded to Hold from Underperform at Jefferies.
• G&K Services (GKSR) upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at RW Baird.
• Graham Packaging (GRM) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
• Shaw (SJR) upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at BofA/Merrill.

I am maintaining a buy recommendation on Shaw Communications (SJR) despite an underwhelming year-end financial report.

I originally recommended Shaw in my Internet Wealth Builder newsletter on Feb. 4, 2008 at $20.64. Calgary, Alberta-based Shaw, is a telecommunications company, which dominates the rich Alberta market. It recently also purchased the bankrupt CanWest Global television empire. Shaw is a low-risk company that won't suddenly shoot up in price but that compensates with limited downside, steady cash flow, and long-term growth potential.

Analyst Upgrades

• Deere (DE) to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• American Eagle (AEO) to buy from neutral at Janney Capital.
• FedEx (FDX) and Shaw (SJR) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Superior Energy (SPN) and Rowan Cos. (RDC) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Tesoro (TSO) to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.
• Mechel (MTL) to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• SunPower (SPWRA), LDK Solar (LDK) and First Solar (FSLR) to buy from hold at ThinkEquity.

Analyst Upgrades

• JPMorgan upgraded Tupperware (TUP) to overweight from neutral, but lowered its price target to $57 from $58. The firm cites valuation and organic growth for the upgrade.
• William Blair upgraded Computer Programs (CPSI) to outperform from market perform. The firm noted that the company's Systems bookings have significantly exceeded its Systems revenue in recent quarters while the firm thinks the company will benefit from accelerated EHR adoption by small hospitals in coming years.
• RBC Capital upgraded Questar (STR) to outperform from sector perform and raised its price target to $49 from $52. The firm believes the separation of QEP Resources from Questar will create shareholder value.
• Pinnacle Financial (PNFP) was upgraded to buy from hold at Wunderlich.
• Power Integrations (POWI) and Volterra (VLTR) were upgraded to strong buy from buy at Needham.
• Realty Income (O) was upgraded to neutral from underperform at Baird.

Traders on Wall Street are starting to place their bets that Mariner Energy (ME) is going to be one of the next stocks to fall to bearish trading pressure.

We know that they are placing their bets because Mariner's short interest is jumping through the roof.

Short interest is the current number of shares of a stock that have been sold short without being covered. And since traders typically only sell a stock short if they believe it is going to lose value, we know traders are growing increasingly bearish on Mariner.

• PDUFA date for Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE: BMY)'s supplemental Biologics License Application for Orencia for the treatment of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.
• Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 5pm.

• Chattem Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTT) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 9:00am.
• FOMC to release minutes of the March 18th meeting at 2:00pm.
• Embraer-Empr Bras Aeronautica (ADR) (NYSE: ERJ) conference call to announce new midsize & midlight executive jet concepts at 6:00pm.