Analyst calls: UBS, BP, TOT, DISH, EBAY, JNPR, HBC, HBAN ...

Filed under: Analyst upgrades and downgrades, eBay (EBAY), BP p.l.c. ADS (BP), Analyst initiations, Juniper Networks (JNPR)

Analyst upgrades:

• Deutsche Bank upgraded shares of UBS (NYSE: UBS) to Buy from Hold following the company's Q3 update as they believe the quarter marks a turning point.


• Merill raised BP Plc (NYSE: BP) and Total SA (NYSE: TOT) to Neutral from Underperform.


• DISH Network (NASDAQ: DISH) was lifted to Hold from Sell at Soleil.
  


• Friedman Billings upgraded Sovereign Bancorp (NYSE: SOV) to Market Perform from Underperform as they believe the company's deposits are showing stability despite the massive sell-off.
  


• Kaufman Bros. raised Longtop Financial (NYSE: LFT) to Buy from Hold on valuation as they believe Chinese software service stocks now reflect the investment risks.


• Lear (NYSE: LEA) was upgraded to Hold from Sell at Citigroup.

• Morgan Stanley downgraded eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) to Equal Weight from Overweight citing checks that indicate deteriorating trends are worst than expected.
  


• Juniper (NASDAQ: JNPR) and Pediatrix Medical (NYSE: PDX) were downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Morgan Keegan.
  


• Merrill cut StatoilHydro (NYSE: STO) to Underperform from Neutral.
  


• HSBC (NYSE: HBC) was lowered to Market Perform from Outperform at Keefe Bruyette.

• Jefferies downgraded shares of Epicor Software (NASDAQ: EPIC) to Hold from Buy following the acquisition offer by Elliott Associates on valuation as they believe the company has limited options. The firm does not expect a bidding war and can't see EPIC management accepting the offer.


• Con-Way (NYSE: CNW) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Goldman and to Neutral from Overweight at JP Morgan following the company's reduced Q3 guidance.

• Huntington Bancshares (NASDAQ: HBAN) and Zions Bancorp (NASDAQ: ZION) were initiated at Morgan Keegan with Market Perform ratings.


• Oppenheimer initiated the Ocean Shipping sector with a Neutral view. The firm thinks the potential for near-term downside has mostly been priced in after significant stock price declines since May and recommends actively trading the sector. The firm initiated Capital Product Partners (NASDAQ: CPLP), Genco Shipping (NYSE: GNK), and Diana Shipping (NYSE: DSX) with Outperform ratings due to compelling valuations. The firm also started General Maritime (NYSE: GMR) and Nordic American Tanker Shipping (NYSE: NAT) with Perform ratings and assumed coverage of DryShips (NASDAQ: DRYS) with a Perform rating.
  


• Casella Waste (NASDAQ: CWST) was initiated with a Hold rating and $14 target at Stanford, citing the company's leverage, maturing debt, and the current macroeconomic environment.
  


• InfoSpace (NASDAQ: INSP) was assumed with a Hold rating and $11 target at Kaufman Bros. The firm believes it will be difficult for the company to slow its market share losses.


• Merrill started Methode Electronics (NYSE: MEI) with an Underperform rating and $8 target.
  

 

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