Wednesday's Analysts' Upgrades and Downgrades

Who made what calls.

Author:: TSC Staff
Publish date:: Nov 14, 2007 10:11 AM EST

CHANGE IN RATINGS

Franklin Resources

upgraded at JP Morgan to Neutral. Deterioration at Templeton has already been priced in, and fund performance has stabilized.

Cognos

( COGN) downgraded at Morgan Stanley from overweight to equalweight but raises its price target from $50 to $58 to reflect the IBM buyout offer.

Eagle Bulk Shipping

(EGLE) - Get Report

upgraded at UBS to Buy rating from Neutral. Price target holds at $33 while FY 2008 eps estimates lift to $1.67 from $1.58.

EOG Resources

(EOG) - Get Report

upgraded at Citigroup from Sell to Hold. $90 price target. Natural gas-based stocks should outperform their oil-based peers over the coming quarters.

Hershey

(HSY) - Get Report

downgraded at Bear from Peer Perform to Underperform. Estimates also cut, as the new CEO will likely spend more on R&D and marketing to try and boost sales.

InnerWorkings

(INWK) - Get Report

upgraded at Jefferies to Buy rating from Hold. Price target holds at $17, while FY 2008 eps estimates dip to $0.55 from $0.51.

International Paper

(IP) - Get Report

upgraded at Citigroup from Hold to Buy. Valuation call, as the weaker dollar should help support the company's key commodity prices going forward. $40 price target.

j2 Global

(JCOM) - Get Report

upgraded at Jefferies to Buy rating from Hold. Price target and fY 2008 eps estimates hold at $32 and $1.71, respectively.

Quicksilver Resources

(KWK)

upgraded at Citigroup from Hold to Buy. $66 price target. High reserve replacement ratio could drive earnings and the stock price.

MAP Pharma

( MAPP) initiated at Morgan Stanley with an overweight rating and $20 price target.

Oracle

(ORCL) - Get Report

upgraded at CIBC from Sector Perform to Outperform. Company should still be able to deliver double-digit earnings growth, despite slower near-term growth in the US.

Omnivision Technologies

(OVTI)

upgraded at CIBC to Sector Outperform. $25 price target. Channel checks suggest that sales are building in momentum and visibility.

Qwest Communications

(Q)

upgraded at Citigroup from Sell to Hold. $7 price target. Risk-reward scenarios are more balanced at current levels.

Target

(TGT) - Get Report

downgraded at Merrill to Neutral. Chances of a credit sale are now less than 50%, and retail margins could remain under pressure through the first half of 2008.

STOCK COMMENTS / EPS CHANGES

Fortress Investment Group

(FIG)

2007 estimates cut at Goldman to $1.02 from $1.20 following disappointing Q3 earnings. Note that Q4 fund performance is back on track, though market conditions remain tough for selling private equity assets. Price target cut to $21 from $24 and maintained Buy rating.

Home Depot

(HD) - Get Report

price target lowered at Goldman to $33 from $35 based on disappointing Q3 earnings stemming from continuing weakness in sales trends. Maintained Buy rating.