Notable Initiations: Taser International (TASR), Auris Medical Holding (EARS), T2 Biosystems (TTOO), Achillion Pharma (ACHN), TRegeneron Pharma (REGN)

JMP Securities is out with a report this morning initiating coverage of Auris Medical Holding AG (EARS) with a ‘Market Outperform” rating and $12.00 price target, implying a 103% expected return from the stock’s current price of $5.83. Shares of Auris Medical closed at $6.15 a share in Friday’s trading session. In the past couple of months, shares of the a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company have traded between a low of $5.77 and a high of $6.80.

Investment analysts at Leerink Partners initiated coverage on shares of T2 Biosystems, Inc. (TTOO) in a note issued to investors on Tuesday. The firm set a ‘Market Perform’ rating and a $23.00 price target on the stock. Leerink Partners’s price target would suggest a potential upside of 8.50% from the stock’s current pps of $21.90. In the past 52 weeks, shares of T2 Biosystems have traded between a low of $13.40 and a high of $24.50. Shares are up 48.74% year-over-year. T2 Biosystems was also initiated with a ‘Neutral’ rating at Goldman Sachs (GS).

Shares of Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ACHN) rallied more than 4.50% on Tuesday following an upgrade to ‘Buy’ from UBS. The firm also increased its price target on the stock to $15.00 from $11.00 a share. ACHN traded as high as $12.24 intraday inching closer to a $12.37 intraday record reached in February 13, 2012. Achillion is up more than 262% this year and has risen roughly 86% over the past 12 months.

Analysts at Credit Suisse (CS) lifted this morning their price target on shares of TRegeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) to $400 from $340. The firm also upgraded the stock to an ‘Outperform’ rating. TRegeneron pharma shares closed at $350.45 on Friday. Credit Suisse new target price suggests a potential upside of about 10% from the company’s current price-per-share of $364.37. TRegeneron Pharma’s price target was also lifted to $436 from $389 with an ‘Outperform’ rating at Leerink Partners.

Investment analysts at Ladenburg Thalmann initiated coverage on shares of Taser International Inc. (TASR) in a note issued to investors on Tuesday. The firm set a ‘Buy’ rating and a $19.50 price target on the stock. Ladenburg’s PT would suggest a potential upside of 16.76% from the stock’s current prpce-per-share of $16.70. In the past 52 weeks, shares of Taser International have traded between a low of $10.46 and a high of $20.83. Shares are up 44% year-over-year, and 5.13% year-to-date.