Microsoft Unveils Anti-Spyware Tool

(Trosian has buy ratings on Symantec and McAfee; his firm hasn't done investment banking with either company.)

Friedman Billings Ramsey analyst Nitsan Hargil echoed that sentiment, saying he expects Microsoft's entry into the consumer anti-virus market to be gradual and mild. Hargil, who raised his Symantec rating to outperform from market perform Thursday, called Microsoft's anti-spyware and anti-virus announcement "more bark than bite."

"We remain unconvinced as to MSFT's security credentials, and as a matter of fact, believe that many customers see MSFT as the source of many security issues," Hargil added. (His firm hasn't done banking with Symantec.)