The Upgrades: Potash, Capital One and WellPoint (NYSE:POT),(NYSE:COF),(NYSE:WLP)

Today’s upgrades, brought to us by various analysts, include Potash Corp./Saskatchewan (USA) (NYSE:POT), Capital One Financial Corp. (NYSE:COF) and WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE:WLP).

Potash Corp./Saskatchewan (USA) (NYSE:POT) took a jump up today as Credit Suisse announced they upgraded the stock from a Neutral to Outperform.  The Potash stock proceeded to gap up at the open on the news, starting at $115.03 (+$2.83/+2.5%) and never looking back.  The last trades on the stock were for $117.52, which marks it up +$5.32 (+4.74%).  The chart for Potash has been a bit choppy, but the upgrade may help the stock get back to making some new highs above $125 a share.

Capital One Financial Corp. (NYSE:COF) has been trading in a slight range the past few months, and the stock got some great news that may send it higher.  Stifel Nicolaus upgraded their outlook on the stock from a Hold to a Buy, pegging a price target at $50 a share.  That is a pretty substantial target, a hefty +24% from current trading levels of $40.21.  The stock had a nice gap up open on the news, moving up $0.58 a share to $39.63 (+1.5%).  Watch for COF to break above the resistance set at $40.50 range between October and December.  If it does, the $50 target set by Stifel Nicolaus may become a distinct reality.

WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE:WLP) also gets an upgrade that comes from Stifel Nicolaus.  They upgraded the stock from a Hold to a Buy, marking the price target on this stock at a hefty $72 a share.  The stock gapped up from yesterday’s close of $59.75 to $60.59 (+$0.84/+1.4%) and is currently trading at $60.92 a share.  That makes it gain even more ground for the day to +$1.17 (+1.96%).  The stock is setting some new highs and may be benefitting from health care reform.  The price gains in middle December were made with some heavy volume buying, which may be a sign of strong accumulation on the stock.  If so, the stock may gain the additional +18% to meet the price target of $72 set by Stifel Nicolaus.

Disclosure: No positions.