Here are some highlights from last week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) shares rose after it reaffirmed its full-year earnings and sales outlook.
• Automatic Data Processing Inc. (NASDAQ: ADP) will have low double-digit EPS growth, predicts one analyst.
• AutoZone Inc. (NYSE: AZO) posted a decline in earnings but a small rise in sales, sending shares lower.
• Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY) posted better-than-expected Q2 earnings and higher revenue.
• CarMax Inc. (NYSE: KMX) rallied to a new 52-week high after topping analysts' Q2 earnings expectations.
• Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) reported better-than-expected Q3 results and raised its full-year guidance.

Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY), a chain that competes with Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) and Target (NYSE: TGT), issued Q2 numbers on Wednesday after the conclusion of the regular trading session. Net sales increased over 3%, and earnings per diluted share expanded by 13% to 52 cents. The retailer beat expectations by four pennies, according to the earnings preview.

This is a good showing for the retailer. As we all know, the economy continues to show signs of improvement. At least, that's what the pundits and the headlines have been telling us. An earnings report like this from a retailer does offer some evidence that the worst is behind us.

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY), the largest domestic superstore chain in the U.S., is scheduled to discuss its second quarter 2009 results Wednesday in a conference call at 5:00 PM ET. You can catch the live webcast of the call on the company's website.

The retailer easily beat Wall Street expectations in the first quarter, and for the three months that ended in August, analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect the New Jersey-based company to report net income of $0.48 per share, two pennies per share better than a year ago. Revenue for the second quarter is expected to be 2.8% higher to $1.9 billion.

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says if you wait for market conditions to reach perfection, you'll be waiting a long time.

You know what? I am going to wait until I am sure housing has turned before I buy the homebuilders like Lennar (NYSE: LEN) (Cramer's Take) and Pulte (NYSE: PHM) (Cramer's Take). I am going to wait until the foreclosures peak before I buy Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) (Cramer's Take) and Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) (Cramer's Take).

I am going to wait until unemployment goes down before I buy 3M (NYSE: MMM) (Cramer's Take) and Disney (NYSE: DIS) (Cramer's Take) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) (Cramer's Take) and Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) (Cramer's Take).

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says that to go higher from here, we need some bearish bets that are currently MIA.

We need some doom-and-gloomers to go higher here. I didn't hear any last week and it is worrisome. Without some avowed bears, we could be stalled here until we see some earnings even though seasonally this is a terrific time.

I say that because as I looked for things to talk about on Friday's show, I was hoping to find some stocks where there have been big negative bets made and really couldn't. Natural gas had been thick with bears and those stocks are still going down, but I don't see a lot of bearish bets being made. We had some in retail, but they seem to have dried up since Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY) (Cramer's Take). Tech? Boy, I don't see any bears at all going into what should be a remarkably negative period, at least historically.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Accenture Ltd. (NYSE: ACN) beat earnings expectations but revenue was hurt by currency effects.
• Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY) strong Q1 results beat estimates but same-store sales fell.
• CKE Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: CKR) lower Q1 earnings and strong sales both topped expectations.
• ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE: CAG) higher Q4 earnings were in line with expectations, and shares slipped.
• Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: DRI) Q4 results were higher, but it warned of continuing challenges.
• Hennes & Mauritz (OTC: HMRZF) reported strong Q2 numbers, though same-stores sales slipped.

Leading domestics retailer Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY) closed more than 9% higher today after the one-two punch of a well-received earnings report and a brokerage upgrade. The company announced first-quarter results of 34 cents per share, a whopping nine cents better than analysts were expecting. Revenue edged 2.8% higher year over year. The one gray lining was same-store sales numbers, which drifted 1.6% lower during the reporting period.

Reacting to this after-the-close earnings report, Cowen & Co. upgraded the shares this morning to "neutral" from "underperform." The brokerage noted that BBBY has been able to cut advertising expenses now that its chief competitor, LInens n' Things, has filed for bankruptcy. Cowen also notes that BBBY has reduced its payroll expenses.

Home goods retailer Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY) reported earnings today after the market closed, announcing earnings per share (EPS) of $0.34 compared with analyst consensus of $0.25 and results of $0.30 in the prior quarter last year. Revenues of $1.7 billion also topped estimates, rising 2.8%, although comparable store sales fell 1.6%. Shares were up about 2.5% in trading today, and jumped following the announcement.

In addition to its eponymous store chain, the company also owns Christmas Tree Shops, Harmon, and buybuy BABY. The flagship Bed Bath & Beyond stores make up approximately 90% of the more than 1,000 total locations the company operates.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY) easily topped Q4 earnings estimates but same-store sales fell.
• Brinker International Inc. (NYSE: EAT) forecast Q3 earnings that are well above analysts' estimates.
• Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE: STZ) said it narrowed its loss in Q4 despite restructuring costs.
• Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd. (NYSE: EXM) is expected to fall short of Q4 earnings expectations.
• Family Dollar Stores Inc. (NYSE: FDO) reported strong Q2 results and and raised its outlook for Q3.

As investors start to believe that the worst of the current recession is already behind us, they are turning their attention to oil, and today have pushed the precious crude over the psychological $50 mark.

Oil is moving higher today with the overall markets, as Wall Street has been seeing hints that things are starting to turn around. Part of the reason for the optimism has come in the form of strong earnings this week from Ruby Tuesday (NYSE: RT) and Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY). If restaurants and retailers are seeing things start to rebound, its a good sign for the overall economy, and a sign that people are out there driving their cars around, which helps boost oil prices.

Analyst upgrades:

• Jefferies upgraded HMS Holdings (NASDAQ: HMSY) to Buy from Hold on valuation as they believe the recent weakness provides an attractive entry point. The firm keeps a $36 price target on shares.
  
• Credit Suisse believes Universal Health (NYSE: UHS) is well positioned to gain market share, that earnings risk from the Las Vegas market is manageable, and that the balance sheet provides flexibility. The firm upgraded shares to Outperform from Neutral and raised their target to $48 from $46.
  
• UBS upgraded RF Micro (NASDAQ: RFMD) to Buy from Neutral citing checks that indicate strengthening momentum, impact from recent restructuring, and expected debt reduction. The analyst raised RFMD estimates above consensus and upped the price target to $3 from $1.10.
• Liberty Capital (NASDAQ: LCAPA) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank.
  
• Tesoro (NYSE: TSO) was raised to Hold from Sell at Soleil.
  
• SunTrust (NYSE: STI) was lifted at Keefe Bruyette to Outperform from Market Perform.

Investors are expecting Wall Street to continue its recent winning ways.

Stocks are poised to open higher as investors await March retail sales data and the weekly unemployment report. Markets in Europe and Asia were higher.

Retail sales, though weak, may not be as bad as investors had feared. According to the Wall Street Journal, "Wal-Mart Stores and a select group of its discounting peers have helped retail sales exceed modest expectations every month since December, and that streak likely will continue."

This was one of those days that if you just looked at a large group of stocks you would have no feel for the closing bell levels. The FOMC Minutes from the March 17 to March 18 meeting were given some of the blame for the late day sell-off, although if you have to read one-month old data to get insight into a post-Fed action event explaining it... then something is wrong.

Hence the late-day recovery after that. The reality is that traders are still using any excuse to take a profit or to lighten up after a four-week run, and there are still buyers out there to meet them. Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 7,837.11 +47.55 (0.61%)
S&P 500 825.16 +9.61 (1.18%)
Nasdaq 1,590.66 +29.05 (1.86%)

Top Analyst Calls
Top Tech Analyst Calls

Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY) reported earnings for the fourth quarter on Tuesday after the market closed its doors. In the after-hours session, the retailer's stock rallied mightily, rising over $3.50, or better than 14%. Let me tell you, that was impressive. As was the beat on the bottom line.

As I wrote in my preview piece, the market was looking for 44 cents per share. Bed Bath & Beyond did its job and delivered 55 cents per share. Net sales decreased by less than 1%. Granted, no one likes to see the top line contract even a little, but considering how bad retail has been, I actually find this to be a small victory. Unfortunately, the same-store sales weren't good. They dropped over 4%. Also, operating profit and cash from operations saw a decline.

Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY), whose colleagues include Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) and Target (NYSE: TGT), will be reporting earnings for the fourth quarter on Tuesday, April 7. Now, the market isn't expecting any earnings growth. In fact, according to this source, the decline could be as severe as 33% if the retailer matches expectations and delivers $0.44 per share.

The good news, though, is that Bed Bath & Beyond actually has a decent history in terms of beating Wall Street expectations. If that holds, then investors might be pleasantly surprised when Q4 numbers are issued. When I wrote about the retailer's last earnings release, I was pretty bearish. And I was very wrong. I questioned why the stock should be purchased. Well, the stock has been doing well as of late, and is up on the year-to-date frame as of this writing. A commenter named Rich set me straight and rightfully proposed that the liquidation of a competitor might have temporarily dampened things; once the competitor was gone, he said, Bed Bath & Beyond might prosper.