Nanosphere (NSDQ:NSPH) said it priced a public offering of 15 million shares at $1.75 apiece, aiming to drum up a minimum of $26.3 million for its molecular diagnostics technology.

Northbrook, Ill.-based Nanosphere said it expects to net $24.1 million from the offering. If a 2.3 million-share over-allotment is exercised, net proceeds would reach $27.7 million, according to a press release.

The proceeds of the offering, which is set to close today, are slated for "general corporate purposes and working capital," according to the release.

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 Analysts’ ups and downs

• Abbott (NYSE:ABT): Jefferies Group reiterates “buy” rating.
• Amgen (NSDQ:AMGN): TheStreet reiterates “buy” rating.
• Becton Dickinson & Co. (NYSE:BDX): Piper Jaffray Cos. upgrades from “neutral” to “overweight” rating, $117 price target.
• Biolase (NSDQ:BIOL): Sidoti upgrades from “neutral” to “buy” rating.
• Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX): CL King downgrades from “buy” to “neutral” rating.
• C.R. Bard (NYSE:BCR): Needham & Co. initiates coverage with “hold” rating.
• Covidien (NYSE:COV): Goldman Sachs Group upgrades from “neutral” to “buy” rating; Leerink Swann reiterates "outperform" rating, $71 price target.
• Cynosure (NSDQ:CYNO): Leerink Swann reiterates “outperform” rating, ~$34 price target; TheStreet downgrades from “buy” to “hold” rating.
• Dexcom Inc. (NSDQ:DXCM): JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiates coverage with “overweight” rating, $32 price target.
• Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW): Canaccord Genuity reaffirms “buy” rating; RBC Capital raises price target from $72 to $75.
• Endo Health Solutions (NSDQ:ENDP): Goldman Sachs Group initiates coverage with “buy” rating, $52 price target.
• Haemonetics (NYSE:HAE): Benchmark Co. initiates coverage with “buy” rating, $49 price target.
• HeartWare International (NSDQ:HTWR): Leerink Swann reiterates “outperform” rating, $90 price target.
• Hill-Rom “hold”ings (NYSE:HRC): Sidoti initiates coverage with “neutral” rating.
• Hologic (NSDQ:HOLX): Raymond James downgrades from “outperform” to “market perform” rating, $23 price target; TheStreet Ratings downgrades to “hold” rating.
• Intuitive Surgical (NSDQ:ISRG): Leerink Swann maintains “market perform” rating, $410 price target.
• Nobel Biocare (VTX:NOBN): Sanford C. Bernstein upgrades from “market perform” to “outperform” rating.
• Optos plc (LON:OPTS): Panmure Gordon downgrades to “hold” rating, lowers price target to £2.00 ($3.18) from £3.00 ($4.76).
• Triad Group (LON:TRD): Gabelli initiates coverage with “buy” rating.
• Siemens (NYSE:SI): Jefferies Group downgrades from “buy” to “hold” rating.
• Smith & Nephew (FTSE:SN, NYSE:SNN): Societe Generale lowers price target from GBX 695 ($10.87) to GBX 660 ($10.32).
• Staar Surgical Co. (NSDQ:STAA): Benchmark Co. initiates coverage with “buy” rating, $15 price target.
• Stryker (NYSE:SYK): Deutsche Bank ups price target from $75 to $79;
  
  Leerink Swann reiterates "outperform" rating, raises price target to $79 from $74.
• Surgical Innovations Group (LON:SUN): Beaufort Securities initiates coverage with “speculative buy” rating.
• Syneron Medical Ltd. (NSDQ:ELOS): Cantor Fitzgerald lowers price target from $16 to $15, “buy” rating.
• Teleflex (NYSE:TFX): Raymond James upgrades from “market perform” to “outperform” rating, $92 price target;
  
  TheStreet Ratings upgrades from "hold" to "buy" rating.
• Thoratec (NSDQ:THOR): Leerink Swann reiterates “outperform” rating, $38 price target;
  
  TheStreet Ratings upgrades from "hold" to "buy" rating.
• Unilife (NSDQ:UNIS): Leerink Swann reiterates $5-$6 price target, “outperform” rating.
• Volcano (NSDQ:VOLC): BMO Capital Markets upgrades from “market perform” to “outperform” rating, raises price target to $28 from $23.