Today's noteworthy upgrades include: Analog Devices (ADI) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Citi... Asbury Automotive (ABG) upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at BofA/Merrill... Brookfield (BAM) upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at BMO Capital... CNOOC (CEO) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Jefferies... Canadian Pacific (CP) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman... Citizens Financial (CFG) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS... Esperion (ESPR) upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Chardan... HSBC (HSBC) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS... Hecla Mining (HL) upgraded to Outperformer from Sector Performer at CIBC... Johnson Controls (JCI) upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at William Blair... Level 3 (LVLT) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS... Madison Square Garden (MSG) upgraded on asset value, share buyback outlook at Stifel... Medivation (MDVN) upgraded to Market Perform from Underperform at Cowen... PHH Corp. (PHH) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Compass Point... Post Holdings (POST) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at SunTrust... Ralph Lauren (RL) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS... Regions Financial (RF) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Sandler O'Neill... Shire (SHPG) upgraded to Hold from Reduce at HSBC... Sinopec (SNP) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Jefferies... Verifone (PAY) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Argus.

Evercore ISI initiated coverage of Analog Devices with an Outperform rating and $254 price target. The company is a "Tectonic Shift play" given its position as a key supplier into the emerging internet-of-things market which the firm expects to grow to 10s of billions of units, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Evercore adds that it expects the company's operating margins to expand 1,000bps over the next 10 years.