Up/Downgrades (CF, CM, DUK, EW, HBHC, MSI, OC, HOT, SWFT, CE, CX, CSC, CCI, SOLR, MHS, PRE, PEP, PRSP, REV, SWY, SO)

Published on Monday, 25 July 2011 08:13 Written by Danny Miller

New York, July 25^th (TradersHuddle.com) – Following are some of the top upgrades and downgrades before the market open.

Upgrades

CF Industries (NYSE:CF), the North American manufacturer and distributor of agricultural fertilizers, was upgraded to a Buy from Hold at Dahlman Rose. The firm set its target price at $180, as it believes current year grain production challenges may lead to higher grain and nutrient prices.

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM) was upgraded to Action List Buy from Buy at TD Newcrest.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK), the Charlotte, NC based energy company, was upgraded to a Neutral from Sell at Goldman Sachs.

Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW), the maker of tissue replacement heart valves, heart valve repair products, and hemodynamic monitoring devices, was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Morgan Keegan. The firm set its target price at $97, as it believes TAVI will be approved.

Hancock Holding (NASDAQ:HBHC) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Keefe Bruyette.

Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI) was upgraded to a Buy from Hold at Jefferies.

Owens Corning (NYSE:OC), the maker of energy efficient building materials and composite solutions, was upgraded to Top Pick from Outperform at RBC Capital Markets.

Starwood Hotels (NYSE:HOT) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at JMP Securities.

Swift Transportation (NYSE:SWFT) was upgraded to a Hold from Sell at Capstone.

Downgrades

Celanese (NYSE:CE), the global industrial chemicals company specializing in acetyl products, was downgraded to a Neutral from Outperform at Macquarie.

Cemex S.A. (NYSE:CX), the Monterrey, Mexico based cement maker, was downgraded to a Hold from Buy at Citigroup.

Computer Sciences (NYSE:CSC), the IT consulting services provider, was downgrade to a Neutral from Buy at Goldman Sachs.

Crown Castle (NYSE:CCI), the independent owner and operator of shared wireless communications and broadcast infrastructures, was downgraded to Reduce from Neutral at Citadel.

GT Solar International (NASDAQ:SOLR) was downgraded to Underperform from Outperform at Credit Agricole.

Medco Health Solutions (NYSE:MHS), the pharmacy benefit manager, was downgraded to a Hold from Buy at BB&T.

ParnterRe (NYSE:PRE), the provider of risk-assumption solutions for the global insurance and capital markets, was downgraded to a Neutral from Overweight at JPMorgan.

PepsiCo (NYSE:PEP), the second largest beverage Company and snack maker, was downgraded to a Neutral from Buy at Goldman Sachs, with the firm removing the stock from its Conviction Buy List.

Prosperity Bancshares (NASDAQ:PRSP) was downgraded to a Neutral from Buy at SunTrust.

Revlon (NYSE:REV) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at BMO Capital Markets.

Safeway (NYSE:SWY), the owner and operator of a grocery store chain, was downgraded to a Sell from Neutral at Goldman Sachs.

Southern Co. (NYSE:SO), the utility holding company servicing the southeastern United States, was downgraded to a Sell from Neutral at Goldman Sachs.