Analyst Action: New Stock Ratings

Some of the new or revised stock ratings issued Monday on Wall Street:

* Dell Computer Corp. (ticker symbol: DELL; close and change: $43.63, up 81 cents) was raised to “strong buy” from “buy” by SG Cowen, with a 12-month target of $55.

* Eastman Kodak (EK; $72.81, up $1.69) was raised to “buy” from “hold” by Warburg Dillon Read, with a target of $84.

* ESPS Inc. (ESPS; $12.25, up $3) was rated “buy” in new coverage by Hambrecht & Quist; “strong buy” in new coverage by U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, with a target of $20; and “buy” in new coverage by BancBoston Robertson Stephens.

* KN Energy Inc. (KNE; $19.31, up 44 cents) was raised to “buy” from “hold” by Jefferies & Co.

* PP&L; Resources Inc. (PPL; $30.69, down 50 cents) was downgraded to “hold” from “buy” by McDonald Investments.

* SBA Communications (SBAC; $14.81, up $1.31) was rated “buy” in new coverage by Lehman Bros., with a target of $17, and “buy” in new coverage by Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette, with a target of $18.

* Sports Authority Inc. (TSA; $3.81, down 19 cents) was downgraded to “reduce” from “hold” by Standard & Poor’s.