Ticker Talk

Among the new stock ratings issued Thursday by Wall Street analysts:

* Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN; $52.88, down 63 cents) was downgraded to “hold” from “buy” by First Union Securities Inc.

But it was raised to “strong buy” from “accumulate” at Prudential Securities and to “accumulate” from “hold” by Janney Montgomery Scott.

Whom do you believe?

* Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO; $69, up $2.25) was rated “buy” in new coverage by ABN Amro, with an $85 target.

* Electroglas Inc. (EGLS; $36.19, up $1.38) was raised to “strong buy” from “buy” by Black & Co., with a $59 target.

* ESpeed Inc. (ESPD; $41.63, up $9.63) was rated “strong buy” in new coverage by U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, with a $73 target.

* Great Lakes Chemical Corp. (GLK; $27.38, down $5.56) was downgraded to “market perform” from “strong buy” by Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown, with a $39 target.

* Hilton Hotels Corp. (HLT; $8.25, up 94 cents) was raised to “buy” from “neutral” by Paine-Webber Inc., with a $9.50 target.

* IntraBiotics Pharmaceuticals (IBPI; $11.63, down 44 cents) was rated “strong buy” in new coverage by Adams, Harkness & Hill, with a $25 target.