Neutral - Price 18.56 on Jan. 16 by Baird Securities Oracle [is] to acquire BEA [an enterprise-class middleware producer] for $19.375 per share in cash. The bid represents a 24% premium over BEAS' closing price of Jan. 15. Net of cash, the deal has a total value of $7.2 billion. We...expect the deal to close without issue. We are raising our price target from 18 to 19, and maintaining Neutral rating. Market-cap: $7.7 billion.

Outperform - Price 22.67 on Jan. 15 by Oppenheimer & Co. BPFH preannounced 4Q07 GAAP [earnings per share of] 41 to 44 cents -- below consensus 45 cents....clarity on EPS could be a positive catalyst. We're lowering our 4Q core GAAP EPS estimate to 42 cents; cash EPS, to 52 cents. We're now building in slightly more [net-interest margin] pressure in 4Q [and] lowering FY08 to $1.77 on lower run-rate NIM. We believe investor concern over exposure to California real estate has partly driven multiple compressions [recently]. The preannouncement should [help]...target: 32. Market-cap: $848 million.

Hold - Price 29.06 on Jan. 14 by Sandler O'Neill C reported a 4Q07 loss of $1.99 a share, below our estimate of $1.37 loss and consensus estimate of $1 loss. A significant capital raise was announced...C has issued $12.5 billion of convertible preferred securities, is offering additional $2 billion, and cut the dividend by 41%, to 32 cents/share. Net revenue, $8.4 billion, was $3.5 billion below our estimate. The shortfall...was primarily driven by [collateralized debt obligation]/subprime-related marks of $18.1 billion...Nonperforming loans increased by a large 79%...Tax credits were larger than anticipated [and] offset earnings drag from asset write-downs and credit provisions. Market-cap: $145 billion.

Outperform - Price 35.16 on Jan. 11 by Friedman Billings Ramsey Maintain 46 target; upgrade to Outperform. FTO has consistently been one of the industry's top performers as a result of its Midwest-focused operations and heavy crude-oil processing ability. The recent pullback brings an attractive entry point, in our view. Market-cap: $3.7 billion.

Buy - Price 25.50 on Jan. 15 by Merriman Curhan Ford Boston's Atrial Fibrillation Symposium, Jan. 17-19, isn't a top draw for investors, but is key...for Hansen's new Ensite-integrated Sensei...St. Jude's Ensite enables real-time mapping of any arrhythmia and navigating electrophysiology catheters. The system creates 3D displays of cardiac structures and arrhythmias, and enables catheter navigation without fluoroscopy. We believe [the mapping system]...has 40% market share...We expect FDA approval of Ensite-integrated Sensei system in 1Q08. Launch of the Ensite-integrated product...a label expansion and increased sales and manufacturing capacity provide multiple growth drivers for shares in '08. We remain bullish on the long-term potential of HNSN's open architecture. Market cap: $556 million.

Outperform - Price 31.16 on Jan. 15 by Morgan Keegan HPT's distinguishing characteristic, stability of cash flow deriving from HPT leases structure and operating agreements, isn't reflected in the current stock price. HPT's...track record [includes] 18 dividend increases in 13 years since its 1995 [initial public offering], with no dividend reductions...[This] defensive [name] owns 292 hotels and 185 travel centers in 44 states, Puerto Rico and Canada, all operated by third parties. Major tenants include TravelCenters of America, Marriott International and Intercontinental Hotels. Market-cap: $2.9 billion.

In-Line - Price 38.17 on Jan. 16 by Fox-Pitt Kelton Cochran Caronia Waller [Underweight banking.] JPM reported operating [earnings of] 86 cents and included several unusual items that were a net drag of 14 cents a share, includ[ing]: $1.3 billion (net of hedges) pretax markdowns on subprime, including CDO (24 cents/share); ...valuation adjustment of $499 million pretax (9 cents/shr); tax rate 29% (versus norm closer to 32.5%; estimated impact 5 cents/share); and portfolio repositioning net loss of $215 million pretax (4 cents/share) in retail banking. Overall mixed results but capital strength notable...Market-cap: $131 billion.

Buy - Price 41.30 on Jan. 15 by Maxim Group Kirby announced that it expects its 4Q07 EPS to exceed 62 cents per share, above the top end of its previous earnings guidance of 57 to 62 cents. We're raising our 4Q07E EPS to 63 cents, from 60 cents, and our FY07E to $2.28, from $2.26, to reflect raised guidance. [We think] the strong 4Q is a result of pricing power on limited barge supply and stronger volumes from Gulf Coast refiners...Our 55 target is based on 21 times our E'08 EPS of $2.65. Market-cap: $2.2 billion.