Top Analyst Upgrades & Downgrades (AIG, BJ, BWA, CIEN, ELN, ERJ, FGP, MMM, M, MCD, MDCO, NDAQ, RIMM, SEE, TXN, UNH, UTX, AAPL)

These are some of the top analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen from Wall Street research calls this Thursday morning.

American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG) Started as Buy at Deutsche Bank; Started as Equal-Weight at Barclays.
BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc. (NYSE: BJ) Cut to Equal-Weight at Barclays.
BorgWarner Inc. (NYSE: BWA) Reiterated Outperform at Wells Fargo.
CIENA Corporation (NASDAQ: CIEN) Maintained Outperform but cut target to $37 at Credit Suisse; Reiterated Buy with $30 target at Argus.
Elan Corp. plc (NYSE: ELN) Raised to Buy at UBS.
Embraer S.A. (NYSE: ERJ) Reiterated Strong Buy as Value and as Bull of the Day at Zacks.
Ferrellgas Partners (NYSE: FGP) maintained Underperform as Bear of the Day at Zacks.
3M Co. (NYSE: MMM) Started as Outperform at William Blair.
Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE: M) Raised to Overweight at Barclays.
McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE: MCD) Reiterated Outperform and raised estimates at Credit Suisse.
The Medicines Co. (NASDAQ: MDCO) Raised to Buy with $25 target at Argus.
Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. (NASDAQ: NDAQ) Raised to Buy at Stifel Nicolaus.
Research in Motion Ltd. (NASDAQ: RIMM) Cut to Hold at Citi.
Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE: SEE) Raised to Buy at Jefferies.
Texas Instruments Inc. (NYSE: TXN) Reiterated Buy but cut target to $41 at Gleacher & Co.
UnitedHealth Group, Inc. (NYSE: UNH) Reiterated Outperform and raised target to $69 at Credit Suisse.
United Technologies Corporation (NYSE: UTX) Started as Outperform at William Blair.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) has reportedly been downgraded this morning by a boutique firm called First Global to a rating of “Market Perform.”

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JON C. OGG