Premarket roundup: Compass Minerals, Costco

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)--A JPMorgan analyst on Friday upgraded his rating on salt and fertilizer producer Compass Minerals International Inc., noting improvements in the company's salt profitability.

NEW YORK (AP)--An Oppenheimer analyst downgraded shares of Trimble Navigation Ltd. to "Perform" Friday, predicting credit market strain will result in challenges for the navigation and surveying device maker's engineering and construction unit.

NEW YORK (AP)--A Deutsche Bank North America analyst cut his rating for Penn National Gaming Inc. Friday after the gaming operator lowered its third-quarter earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and revenue forecasts.

NEW YORK (AP)--An analyst on Friday upgraded Costco Wholesale Corp. after a decline in its share price and said that the warehouse-club operator can weather the weak economic environment.

WASHINGTON (AP)--Government data due out Friday is expected to show employers cut jobs for the ninth month in a row, further proof of the toll the housing, credit and financial crises are having on the economy.

NEW YORK (AP)--Some of the trucking industry's top officials--as well as executives from the railroads, technology providers and consulting agencies that work with them--will be in New Orleans this weekend for the annual conference hosted by the sector's main trade association.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)--Business unit and asset sales are likely to be the focus of American International Group Inc.'s conference call with investors Friday.