Up/Downgrades (ANV, ATRC, CACI, ELN, HURN, MASI, NDAQ, NEM, PWRD, SKS, STRA, INN, TSO, YSI, ABT, BHE, BSX, FIS, PSUN, PSA, SANM, UTHR)

Published on Wednesday, 24 August 2011 08:17 Written by Danny Miller

New York, August 24^th (TradersHuddle.com) – Following are some of the top upgrades and downgrades before the market open.

Upgrades

Allied Nevada (NYSE:ANV) was upgraded to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital.

AtriCure (NASDAQ:ATRC) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Morgan Keegan. The firm lowered its target price to $13 from $14.

CACI International (NYSE:CACI) was upgraded to a Hold from Underperform at Jefferies. The firm cut its target price to $54 from $56.

Elan (NYSE:ELN) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse.

Huron Consulting Group (NASDAQ:HURN) was upgraded to a Buy from Neutral at Janney Capital Markets.

Masimo Corp. (NASDAQ:MASI) was upgraded to a Buy from Neutral at Lazard.

NASDAQ OMX Group (NASDAQ:NDAQ), the global operator of stock markets and owner of the NASDAQ market site, was upgraded to a Buy from Neutral at UBS.

Newmont Mining (NYSE:NEM), the largest gold producer, was upgraded to Sector Perform from Underperform at RBC Capital.

Perfect World (NASDAQ:PWRD), the online game developer and operator based in China, was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse.

Saks, Inc. (NYSE:SKS), the owner and operator of Saks Fifth Avenue stores, was upgraded to a Neutral from Underperform at Credit Suisse.

Strayer Education (NASDAQ:STRA) was upgraded to a Neutral from Sell at Sterne Agee.

Summit Hotel (NYSE:INN) was upgraded to a Buy from Hold at Keybanc Capital Markets.

Tesoro (NYSE:TSO), the crude oil refiner based in San Antonio, TX, was upgraded to a Buy from Sell at The Benchmark Company. The firm set its target price at $25.

U-Store-It Trust (NYSE:YSI) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at BMO Capital.

Downgrades

Abbot Laboratories (NYSE:ABT), the maker of diversified health care products, was downgraded to a Market Perform from Outperform at Morgan Keegan. The firm lowered its target price to $57 from $60.

Benchmark Electric (NYSE:BHE), the provider of contract electronics manufacturing and design services, was downgraded to Sector Perform from Outperform at RBC Capital.

Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX), the heart stent maker, was downgraded to a Market Perform from Outperform at Morgan Keegan. The firm lowered its target price to $7 from $8.

Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE:FIS), the credit and debit card processor, was downgraded to Underweight from Neutral at JP Morgan.

Pacific Sunwear (NASDAQ:PSUN), the specialty retailer rooted in the California lifestyle catering to teenagers and young adults, was downgraded to Perform from Outperform at Oppenheimer.

Public Storage (NYSE:PSA), the self-storage properties REIT, was downgraded to Underperform from Market Perform at BMO Capital.

Sanmina –SCI (NASDAQ:SANM), the electronics contract manufacturing services provider, was downgraded to Underperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital.

United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR) was downgraded to a Hold from Buy at Deutsche Bank.