Top Analyst Upgrades & Downgrades (ACM, AXYS, CTAS, CVD, GILD, PPDI, VISN, EPG, VTIV)

It is getting pretty thin in major analyst coverage as firms are encouraged to go easy on major year-end calls barring anything unexpected.  These are the top analyst upgrades, downgrades, and new coverage calls we have seen this Tuesday morning:

• AECOM (ACM) Started as Outperform at Baird.
• Axsys Technologies (AXYS) Raised to Outperform at Morgan Keegan.
• Cintas (CTAS) Started as Overweight at JPMorgan.
• Covance (CVD) Started as Buy at Piper Jaffray.
• Gilead (GILD) Started as Buy at Stanford Group.
• PPD Inc. (PPDI) STarted as Buy at Piper Jaffray.
• VisionChina Media (VISN) Strated as Buy at Piper Jaffray.
• Environmental Power Corp. (EPG) Cut to Neutral at Merriman Curhan Ford.
• inVentiv Health (VTIV) Cut to Hold at Jefferies.

Jon C. Ogg
December 23, 2008

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