Up/Downgrades (AKAM, BRCM, CMCSA, EE, FCS, FOSL, HIG, MET, MR, RL, ANF, AFL, COST, MRK, ORCL, PFG, SFG, TJX, XL)

Published on Monday, 09 January 2012 09:25 Written by Danny Miller

New York, January 9^th (TradersHuddle.com) – Following are some of the top upgrades and downgrades before the market open.

Upgrades

Akamai Technologies (NASDAQ:AKAM) was upgraded to a Hold from Underperform at Jefferies. The firm raised its target price to $36 from $21.

Broadcom (NASDAQ:BRCM), the provider of chips that enable broadband digital data transmission, was upgraded to a Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank.

Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA), the cable services provider and owner of NBC Universal, was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Macquarie.

El Paso Electric (NYSE:EE) was upgraded to a Hold from Underperform at Jefferies. The firm raised its target price to $34.50 from $28.

Fairchild Semiconductor (NYSE:FCS), the provider of power and interface solutions for a broad range of electronic devices, was upgraded to a Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank

Fossil (NASDAQ:FOSL), the designer and marketer of consumer fashion accessories, was upgraded to a Buy from Hold at Brean Murray. The firm set its target at $100.

Hartford Financial (NYSE:HIG), the Connecticut based insurer and financial services firm, was upgraded to a Buy from Neutral at Goldman Sachs.

Metlife (NYSE:MET), the insurer and financial services firm based in New York City, was upgraded to a Buy from Neutral at Goldman Sachs.

Mindray Medical (NYSE:MR) was upgraded to a Buy from Neutral at Citigroup.

Polo Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL), the owner of one of America's Iconic apparel brands, was upgraded to a Buy from Neutral at Goldman Sachs.

Downgrades

Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF), the specialty retailer, was downgraded to a Hold from Buy at Brean Murray.

AFLAC (NYSE:AFL), the supplemental insurance company, was downgraded to a Sell from Neutral at UBS.

Akamai Technologies (NASDAQ:AKAM) was downgraded to a Sell from Neutral at Citigroup.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST), the owner and operator of wholesale membership warehouses, was downgraded to Underperform from Market Perform at Bernstein.

Merck (NYSE:MRK), the pharmaceutical Company maker of Singulair and Zoccor, was downgraded to a Hold from Buy at Jefferies. The firm raised its target price to $40 from $37.

Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL), the enterprise information management software provider, was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at BMO Capital.

Principal Financial (NYSE:PFG), the financial firm offering retirement solutions and health insurance, was downgraded to a Neutral from Buy at Goldman Sachs.

StanCorp Financial (NYSE:SFG) was downgraded to Underperform from Neutral at Sterne Agee.

TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX), the owner and operator of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls chains, was downgraded to a Neutral from Buy at Goldman Sachs.

XL Capital (NYSE:XL), the Bermuda based insurance and reinsurance provider, was downgraded to a Neutral from Buy at Goldman Sachs.