Thursday's Analysts' Upgrades and Downgrades

TSC Staff

CHANGE IN RATINGS

Applied Materials (AMAT Quote) upgraded at Morgan Stanley from equalweight to overweight and moves price target from $20 to $23.

Bayer (BAY Quote) upgraded at UBS to Buy rating from Neutral. Price target jumps to $79.15 from $59.36.

Fastenal (FAST Quote) upgraded at Baird from Neutral to Outperform. Company looks cheap, and the stock should benefit from the recovery of a mid-cycle slowdown. $42 price target.

KLA-Tencor (KLAC Quote) upgraded at Morgan Stanley from equalweight to overweight and moves price target from $60 to $65.

MannKind (MNKD Quote) upgraded at Jefferies to Buy rating from Hold. However, 2007 EPS estimates lowered to loss of $(4.21) from loss of $(3.84) and price target holds at $20.

MSC Industrial (MSM Quote) upgraded at Baird from Neutral to Outperform. $53 price target. Company should outperform over the next several months, as the economy emerges from a mid-cycle slowdown.

AT&T (T Quote) upgraded at AG Edwards from Hold to Buy. $41 price target. Stock is down 7% over the past month, and could return 20% over the next year, including the 4% dividend yield. Wireless will drive growth.

STOCK COMMENTS / EPS CHANGES

American Eagle (AEO Quote) 2007 estimates raised at Goldman to $1.95 from $1.91 after company reported inline Q4 earnings and guidance for 15% growth in 2007. See improvements in both gross and operating margins. Target price raised to $30 from $26 and maintained Neutral rating.

BJ's Wholesale (BJ Quote) target price cut at Credit Suisse to $29 from $26 after Q4 results fell short of estimates. Maintained Neutral rating.

Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA Quote) 2007 estimates raised at Credit Suisse to $5,700 from $5,350 based on higher profit margins from non-insurance businesses. Maintained Neutral rating.

Chico's (CHS Quote) price target raised at Goldman to $27 from $25 after company's inline Q4 results. 2007 estimates cut to $1.14 from $1.20 to reflect lower same-store sales and margin expectations. Inventories improved 11% on a square foot basis. Maintained Neutral rating.

Express Scripts (ESRX Quote) target increased at Goldman to $80 from $75 based on modest increase in bid for Caremark and subsequent increased likelihood of merger. Maintained Neutral rating.

Saks(SKS Quote) numbers raised at UBS. Price target lifts to $13.50 from $10.50 and 2007 EPS estimates bump up to $0.39 from $0.38. Reiterates Reduce rating.

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