UPDATE: Deutsche Bank Upgrades LifePoint Hospitals On Positive Pipeline Outlook

In a report published Thursday, Deutsche Bank analyst Darren Lehrich upgraded LifePoint Hospitals

from a Hold rating to a Buy rating and raised the price target from $56.00 to $61.00. In the report, Deutsche Bank says "We are moving to a more constructive stance on LPNT shares, and taking our PT to $61 (from $56). Our Buy rating (from Hold) and positive investment case are underpinned by DB's view that: (1) LPNT's M&A pipeline offers more tailwinds vs. headwinds, while also providing a credible EBITDA bridge to beat 2014 consensus. (2) LPNT could re-leverage moderately over the N-T, thus setting-up more accretive capital deployment vs. expectations. (3) LPNT's geographic footprint is more favorably exposed to Medicaid expansion states vs. many peers, thus setting-up N-T visibility in the context of the early PPACA exchange glitches. BUY rating better reflects more favorable stance on LPNT." LifePoint Hospitals closed on Wednesday at $50.93.