Notable Analyst Rating Changes 08/09: (AEP) (CSCO) (PHM) Upgraded; (PCLN) (NTAP) (UMC) Downgraded

UPGRADES
American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) raised by two firms today:

• BofA/Merrill Lynch from Neutral to Buy;
  
  
• ISI Group from Hold to Buy, boosting its price target from $40 to $46.

Cisco (Nasdaq: CSCO) also upgraded by two:

• Piper Jaffray from Neutral to Overweight, with its price target increased 10 percent to $22; and
  
  
• Goldman Sachs added Cisco to its Conviction Buy List Thursday with a price target of $24. Click Here for more color.

JPMorgan boosts PulteGroup (NYSE: PHM) from Neutral to Overweight, moving its price target from $11.50 to $15.

Nomura Securities raises Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) from Neutral to Buy with a price target of $13. Click Here for more color.

For daily real-time Upgrades go to http://www.streetinsider.com/Upgrades

DOWNGRADES
Lazard Capital lops priceline.com (Nasdaq: PCLN) from Buy to Neutral.

Cantor Fitzgerald downgrades NetApp (Nasdaq: NTAP) from Buy to Hold with a price target of $38. Click Here for more color.

Bernstein lowers United Microelectronics (NYSE: UMC) from Market Perform to Underperform while moving its price target from $2.60 down to $1.90.

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey reduces TreeHouse Foods (NYSE: THS) from Buy to Neutral.

For daily real-time Downgrades go to http://www.streetinsider.com/downgrades

NEW COVERAGE
Stifel Nicolaus assumes Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) at Buy and a price target of $825.

Lazard Capital initiates Seagate Technology (Nasdaq: STX) with a Buy and $38 target.

Longbow Research starts C.H. Robinson Worldwide (Nasdaq: CHRW) with a Neutral.

Jefferies begins Melco Crown Enter. (Nasdaq: MPEL) with a Underperform, and HK$7.70 price target.

For daily real-time New Coverage go to http://www.streetinsider.com/New+Coverage

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