UBS analyst Gail Glazerman has hiked her rating on shares of building materials maker Louisiana-Pacific to 'neutral' from 'sell.' It's a valuation call based on the fact that there's "relatively limited downside risk in LPX, PCL and WY at current valuations, barring a material leg down in already-depressed housing activity." LP shares (Ticker: LPX) have fallen more than 20 percent in the past month.

Headed in the other direction with Brookdale Senior Living are the analysts at TheStreet.com Ratings. They say investors should check out of the nursing home chain (Ticker: BKD) for various financial and operational reasons.

Brookdale Senior Living has put a bow on a $438 million mortgage from Oak Grove Capital and paid down two chunks of debt that would have come due next February and August. The loan is for $20 million more than the company had estimated but its interest rate also is a bit higher than had been expected.

National Health Investors says it has funded a second mortgage to help build a 120-bed assisted-living facility in Central Florida. The $2.5 million investment accounts for about 12 percent of the project's cost and will pay Murfreesboro-based NHI 13 percent interest. Shares of NHI (Ticker: NHI) are flat year to date.

Murfreesboro senior-care services provider Family Staffing Solutions has recruited Bruce Plummer to be its vice president of development. Plummer joins CEO Becci Bookner and her team as they prepare to expand the 12-year-old company's footprint beyond its three local offices and two franchised locations in Texas. Plummer is a veteran of the banking sector, where he most recently was VP of marketing and business development at F&M Bank in Murfreesboro.

Brookdale Senior Living has completed its $275 million sale of seven-year notes that will be convertible into common stock at a price of $29.325 per share. The Brentwood-based nursing home operator (Ticker: BKD) also is looking to wrap up a large new mortgage loan.