Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades (ALKS, NLY, AAPL, APOL, CMA, COP, DB, DUK, HOG, INTC, LINE, POT, SDRL, STJ, VVUS, Z)

These are some of the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations we have seen from Wall St. research calls this Thursday.

Alkermes PLC (NASDAQ: ALKS) raised to Outperform with $24 target and named Bull of the Day at Zacks.

Annaly Capital Management (NYSE: NLY) raised to Market Perform at Wells Fargo.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) maintained Outperform but lowered target to $730 on lower iPhone expectations at BMO Capital Markets.

Apollo Group Inc. (NASDAQ: APOL) cut to Market Perform at William Blair.

Comerica Inc. (NYSE: CMA) raised to Hold at Stifel Nicolaus and cut to Neutral at Stern Agee.

ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) raised to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.

Deutsche Bank A.G. (NYSE: DB) cut to Underweight at JPMorgan.

Duke Energy Corp. (NYSE: DUK) raised to Buy at Citigroup.

Harley-Davidson Inc. (NYSE: HOG) raised to Buy with $54 target at Goldman Sachs.

Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) cut to Underperform with $20 target and named Bear of the Day at Zacks.

Linn Energy (NASDAQ: LINE) started as Buy at Stifel Nicolaus.

Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (NYSE: POT) cut to Sector Perform at RBC.

SeaDrill Ltd. (NYSE: SDRL) raised to Buy at Goldman Sachs.

St. Jude Medical Inc. (NYSE: STJ) cut to Market Perform at William Blair.

VIVUS Inc. (NASDAQ: VVUS) reiterated Outperform with $29 target at redit Suisse.

Zillow Inc. (NASDAQ: Z) started as Buy with $47 target at Goldman Sachs.

JON C. OGG