Analysts' Upgrades, Downgrades: Vale

CHANGE IN RATINGS

Ameristar Casinos (ASCA Quote) upgraded at Oppenheimer to Outperform from Perform. Sees limited capital spending -- that will result in higher free cash flow and a strategic operating environment. Raised target price to $24 from $21.

Big Lots (BIG Quote) downgraded at JP Morgan. Rating lowered to Neutral from Overweight. Price target lowered to $27 from $28. 2009 EPS estimates lowered to $1.92 from $1.95.

Brinker International (EAT Quote) downgraded at Cowen from Outperform to Neutral. Valuation call.

eBay (EBAY Quote) rated new Hold at Kaufman. $19 price target. Company will need to show improvement in the core marketplace unit, to have the stock move higher from current levels.

Intel (INTC Quote) rated new Hold at Roth Capital. $15 price target. Company will likely see pricing pressures, as customers are shifting toward lower priced PC's.

Las Vegas Sands (LVS Quote) upgraded at Argus to Hold. High debt will hamper international growth potential, but the company has returned to profitability.

Marathon Oil (MRO Quote) downgraded at Barclays from Overweight to Equal-weight. $39 price target. Valuation call, as the refining market will likely remain weak.

NW Natural (NWN Quote) upgraded at UBS to buy from neutral with a $47 price target. Upgrade due to valuation and relative underperformance to the SPX. Stable utility business supports 1.5x dividend coverage ratio and 5% annual dividend increase.

Principal Financial (PFG Quote) upgraded at Morgan Stanley from Equal-weight to Overweight. $27 price target. Life insurance sector is seeing major headwinds abate.

Regions Financial (RF Quote) upgraded at Deutsche Bank to Buy from Hold. Cites the recent sell off of the stock is overdone and expects little negative news in the near future. Reaffirmed a price target of $5.