Equity Briefing: Upgrades and Downgrades for August 20th: HIBB, HIW, HNZ, HPTX, IRWD, JBL, KEG, LLL, MKL

A number of stocks were upgraded and downgraded by equities research analysts today, as reported by Analyst Ratings Network (http://bit.ly/arndailyr) and Equity Briefing:

Canaccord Genuity  reiterated its hold rating on shares of Hibbett Sports, Inc. HIBB.

Jefferies Group  reiterated its hold rating on shares of Highwoods Prop HIW. They have a $36.00 price target on the stock.

Jefferies Group  reiterated its hold rating on shares of H.J. Heinz Company HNZ.

Needham & Company  initiated coverage on shares of Hyperion Therapeutics Inc HPTX. They issued a buy rating on the stock and set a $15.00 price target.

Cowen  initiated coverage on shares of Hyperion Therapeutics Inc HPTX. They issued an outperform rating on the stock.

Leerink Swann  initiated coverage on shares of Hyperion Therapeutics Inc HPTX. They issued an outperform rating on the stock and set a $18.00 price target.

Cantor Fitzgerald  reiterated its sell rating on shares of Ironwood Pharmaceuti IRWD.

Longbow Research  upgraded shares of Jabil Circuit, Inc. JBL from a neutral rating to a buy rating. Longbow Research now has a $30.00 price target on the stock.

Iberia  upgraded shares of Key Energy KEG from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating.

BB&T  downgraded shares of L-3 Communications LLL from a hold rating to an underweight rating.

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods  upgraded shares of Markel Co. MKL from an underperform rating to a market perform rating. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods now has a $475.00 price target on the stock.

UBS AG  upgraded shares of Melco Crown Entertainment Limited MPEL from a neutral rating to a buy rating. UBS AG now has a $15.00 price target on the stock, up previously from $14.00.

Oppenheimer  raised its price target on shares of Mindray Medical International Limited MR from $34.00 to $39.00. They have an outperform rating on the stock.

Longbow Research  initiated coverage on shares of Microsoft Corp MSFT. They issued a buy rating on the stock and set a $36.00 price target.

FBR Capital  raised its price target on shares of MasTec, Inc. MTZ from $24.00 to $27.00. They have an outperform rating on the stock.

SunTrust  initiated coverage on shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc NGVC. They issued a buy rating on the stock.

Canaccord Genuity  initiated coverage on shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc NGVC. They issued a buy rating on the stock and set a $22.00 price target.

Piper Jaffray  initiated coverage on shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc NGVC. They issued an overweight rating on the stock and set a $24.00 price target.

First Analysis  downgraded shares of National Research Co. NRCI from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating.

Canaccord Genuity  reiterated its buy rating on shares of Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. NUS.

Jefferies Group  reiterated its buy rating on shares of Nxstage Medical NXTM.

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