Analyst Action: New Stock Ratings

A sampling of new ratings and changes issued Monday by Wall Street analysts:

* BellSouth Corp. (ticker: BLS; close and change: $47, up $1.25) was raised to “buy” from “neutral” by PaineWebber.

* Restaurant chain Buca Inc. (BUCA; $16.06, down 69 cents) was rated “strong buy” in new coverage by U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, with a 12-month price target of $22.

* Retailer Gottschalks Inc. (GOT; $7.94, up 38 cents) was raised to “strong buy” from “hold” by Prudential Securities.

* Net.Bank Inc. (NTBK; $57.88, down $1.88) was rated “sell” in new coverage by First Security Van Kasper.

* Ralston Purina Group (RAL; $27.50, down $22.31) was downgraded to “market perform” from “recommend list” by Goldman Sachs & Co.

* United Healthcare Corp. (UNH; $56.50, down 75 cents) was rated “strong buy” in new coverage by Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, with a target of $70.

* WellPoint Health Networks (WLP; $74, up 44 cents) was rated “strong buy” in new coverage by Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, with a target of $89.

* Retailer Venator Group Inc., formerly Woolworth, (Z; $10.81, down 25 cents) was raised to “buy” from “hold” by NationsBanc Montgomery Securities.