Today's noteworthy initiations include: Amyris (AMRS) initiated with a Buy at Rodman & Renshaw... Avago (AVGO) initiated with a Buy at Drexel Hamilton... AvalonBay (AVB) initiated with an Underweight at BB&T... Blue Buffalo Pet Products (BUFF) initiated with a Neutral at Wedbush... Camden Property (CPT) initiated with a Buy at BB&T... Corporate Executive Board (CEB) initiated with a Buy at Cantor... Equity Lifestyle (ELS) initiated with a Hold at BB&T... Equity Residential (EQR) initiated with a Hold at BB&T... Essex Property Trust (ESS) initiated with a Buy at BB&T... FactSet (FDS) initiated with a Hold at Cantor... Freshpet (FRPT) initiated with an Outperform at Wedbush... Gartner (IT) initiated with a Buy at Cantor... Horace Mann (HMN) initiated with a Market Perform at JMP Securities... IHS Inc. (IHS) initiated with a Hold at Cantor... Ignyta (RXDX) initiated with a Buy at Cantor... JD.com (JD) initiated with a Buy at HSBC... MSCI (MSCI) initiated with a Buy at Cantor... McGraw Hill Financial (MHFI) initiated with a Buy at Cantor... Mid-America Apartment (MAA) initiated with an Underweight at BB&T... Moody's (MCO) initiated with a Hold at Cantor... Nordstrom (JWN) initiated with a Buy at Guggenheim... Post Properties (PPS) initiated with a Buy at BB&T... Strongbridge Biopharma (SBBP) initiated with a Buy at Stifel... The Advisory Board (ABCO) initiated with a Buy at Cantor... UDR, Inc. (UDR) initiated with an Underweight at BB&T... Verisk Analytics (VRSK) initiated with a Buy at Cantor.

Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley raised the firm's price target on Broadcom (AVGO) to $1,500 from $1,405 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares after hosting management for meetings. Broadcom is one of the unique companies that has a comprehensive view of the semis industry while also capable of providing an "intimate look" at the artificial intelligence market via custom silicon, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm says management highlighted the company's inroads with the consumer-facing AI world, providing a differing viewpoint versus Nvidia's (NVDA) vision of the world - pointing to a two-part market of consumer and enterprise that could grow to a 50/50 split over time. Barclays came away from the meetings "with a valuable second opinion on the future of AI and a greater appreciation for the company's many ways to win."

Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley raised the firm's price target on Broadcom to $1,500 from $1,405 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. The analyst increased the price after hosting management for meetings.