Up/Downgrades (BMC, CRH, LAZ, MERC, PTEN, SPR, TMK, UNFI, URI, VRTX, PLCE, DO, GGP, PNW, SFSF, TEF)

Published on Monday, 19 December 2011 08:49 Written by Danny Miller

New York, December 19^th (TradersHuddle.com) – Following are some of the top upgrades and downgrades before the market open.

Upgrades

BMC Software (NYSE:BMC), the system and service management software solutions provider was upgraded to a Neutral from Underweight at JP Morgan.

CRH Plc. (NYSE:CRH) was upgraded to a Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank.

Lazard (NYSE:LAZ), the advisory investment bank, was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse. 

Mercer International (NASDAQ:MERC) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Raymond James.

Patterson-UTI (NASDAQ:PTEN), the provider of onshore contract drilling and pressure pumping services to oil and natural gas industry, was upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Barclays.

Spirit Aerosystems (NYSE:SPR), the maker of fuselages, propulsion systems and wing systems, was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse.

Torchmark (NYSE:TMK), the insurance and financial services, was upgraded to a Neutral from Underperform at Credit Suisse.

United National Foods (NASDAQ:UNFI) was upgraded to a Buy from Hold at Canaccord Genuity.

United Rentals (NYSE:URI), the largest equipment rental company in the world, was upgraded to Top Pick from Outperform at RBC Capital Markets.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:VRTX) was upgraded to Top Pick from Sector Perform at RBC Capital Markets.

Downgrades

Children's Place Retail Stores (NASDAQ:PLCE), the value-priced children's apparel retailer, was downgraded to a Neutral from Buy at Sterne Agee.

Diamond Offshore (NYSE:DO), the deep-water oil and natural gas driller, was downgraded to Underweight from Equal Weight at Barclays.

General Growth Properties (NYSE:GGP) was downgraded to a Neutral from Outperform at Credit Suisse.

Pinnacle West Capital Corp. (NYSE:PNW) was downgraded to a Neutral from Outperform at Credit Suisse.

SuccessFactors (NASDAQ:SFSF) was downgraded to a Neutral from Buy at Lazard.

Telefonica (NYSE:TEF) was downgraded to a Neutral from Overweight at HSBC Securities.