FeedPosted Jun 14th 2010 12:00PM by Eric Buscemi (RSS feed)
Filed under: Analyst Reports, Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades, Southwest Airlines (LUV), AMR Corp (AMR), Contl Airlines'B' (CAL), Analyst Initiations, Akamai Technologies (AKAM), JetBlue Airways (JBLU), Delta Air Lines (DAL), Lions Gate Entertainment (LGF)
Analyst Upgrades
- Keefe Bruyette upgraded East West Bancorp (EWBC) to outperform from market perform after the company acquired assets from Washington First International Bank. The firm has a $21 price target for shares.
- Piper Jaffray upgraded Amylin (AMLN) to overweight from neutral, citing valuation and Bydureon's profile. The firm maintains a $26 price target for shares.
- Soleil upgraded MGM Mirage (MGM) to hold from sell, citing signs of stabilization in Vegas and valuation. The firm upped its target for shares to $13 from $11.10.
- T. Rowe Price (TROW) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
- JetBlue (JBLU) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
- NetEase.com (NTES) was upgraded to buy from hold at Standpoint Research.
Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMLN, AMR, EWBC, FSYS, LGF, LUV, MGM, PLOW, SXCI, TROW ...
Posted May 5th 2010 4:20PM by Jon Ogg (RSS feed)
Filed under: Amer Intl Group (AIG), Contl Airlines'B' (CAL), Garmin Ltd (GRMN)
Protests and riots in Greece continued as the country's financial situation remained on the edge of the abyss. It seems that even a $144 billion aid package isn't going to be enough to calm the skeptics.
Here were today's closing bell levels:
Dow 10,866.83 -59.94 (-0.55%)
S&P 500 1,165.87 -7.73 (-0.66%)
Nasdaq 2,402.29 -21.96 (-0.91%)
Top Analyst Calls Continue reading Closing Bell: The Bulls Start Taking Cover (AIG, ACAS, CAL, GRMN, ITMN, MPEL)
Posted May 3rd 2010 8:25AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Deals, Market Matters, Contl Airlines'B' (CAL), UAL Corp (UAUA), Oil
U.S. stock futures rose Monday morning as investors examined the aid package the European Union countries approved for Greece. As expected, the merger between Continental and United airlines was announced Monday, without much in the way of surprise. Investors await several economic reports, hoping some good figures would help markets rebound from Friday's selloff.
European governments and the International Monetary Fund agreed Sunday to euro110 billion ($145 billion)
in loans to debt-laden Greece over three years. In return, Greece promised to commit to euro 30 billion in austerity measures through to 2012, cutting wages and pensions and increasing sales taxes. But even as the aid was approved,
world markets fell Monday.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Futures Higher After Greece Bailout, Airlines Merger
Posted May 3rd 2010 8:00AM by Paul Foster (RSS feed)
Filed under: AMR Corp (AMR), Contl Airlines'B' (CAL), UAL Corp (UAUA), Options
UAL Corp (UAUA) and Continental (CAL) announced a merger of equals. AMR Corp (AMR) May put option implied volatility is at 65, June is at 64, August is at 63, below its 26-week average of 68, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.
Intermune's (ITMN) pirfenidone PDUFA date is May 4. Pirfenidone is a treatment for IPF (Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis). May put option implied volatility is at 231, June is at 155, July is at 125, according to Track Data, suggesting large May price movement.
Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.
Posted Apr 30th 2010 9:15AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Market Matters, Goldman Sachs Group (GS), BP p.l.c. ADS (BP), Contl Airlines'B' (CAL), UAL Corp (UAUA), Economic Data, Transocean Ltd. (RIG)
U.S. stock futures remained higher Friday after the government estimated the economy grew at a slightly slower pace than expected of 3.2% in the first-quarter, as consumer spending accelerated the most in three years.
U.S. gross domestic product, the broadest measure of economic activity,
rose at a solid 3.2% annual rate in the first quarter, the Commerce Department said. While growth was weaker than in the fourth quarter of last year and slightly below the 3.3% expected by economists, it was the third consecutive quarter of economic growth and was powered by consumer spending, which rose at a 3.6% pace.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Futures Higher After GDP Figures
Posted Apr 9th 2010 5:00PM by Sheldon Liber (RSS feed)
Filed under: Rumors, Rants and Raves, Competitive Strategy, Southwest Airlines (LUV), US Airways Group (LCC), AMR Corp (AMR), Contl Airlines'B' (CAL), UAL Corp (UAUA), Delta Air Lines (DAL)
Another day, another airline fee
and this time it's for carry-on luggage! Is there no limit to these fees? Spirit Airlines, out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is going to start charging a fee on August 1, 2010. The only group that is not chagrined are probably the nudists that travel light when vacationing.
Given all the fees the airlines are tacking on they might as well evolve into banks. Actually I think this is another instance where business has learned a bad lesson from government agencies. The government may require legislative action to raise taxes but bureaucrats the world over seem to be able to add new fees at will.
Continue reading Spirit Airlines Adds Carry-on Fee -- Nudist's Delight?
Posted Apr 5th 2010 5:40PM by Joseph Lazzaro (RSS feed)
Filed under: Contl Airlines'B' (CAL), Stocks to Buy
The disclosure that investors should tread carefully in the airline sector remains intact. That said, Continental Airlines (
CAL), first discussed here
on January 14, 2010 at a price of $20.44, continues to progress. Look for Continental's 2010 revenue to rise 7-10%, on both higher capacity and pricing power.
In 2010 the ridiculously-competitive U.S. airline sector may experience something that it hasn't in a while: sustained pricing power. The U.S. economic expansion, combined with sector-wide capacity cuts during the 2007-2009 recession, should lead to sustained fare increases.
Continue reading Continental Airlines: Incremental Progress
Posted Jan 14th 2010 11:00AM by Joseph Lazzaro (RSS feed)
Filed under: Contl Airlines'B' (CAL), Stocks to Buy
It goes without saying that investors should tread carefully on the U.S. airline sector, given its uncertainties and hurdles. But one carrier that should survive the scrutiny is Continental Airlines Inc. (
CAL). Note: Continental is high-risk stock not suitable for moderate-risk or low-risk investors.
Look for Continental's revenue to increase 6% to 8% in 2010, on higher capacity and improved seat pricing power. Further, CAL should post higher revenue per available seat mile than its competitors in 2010. Also, new fees should add to the top line without resulting in significant passenger attrition.
Continue reading Continental: A U.S. Airline Sector Survivor
Next Page »
United Continental Holdings (UAL - option chain) shares are rising today after Continental Airlines announced its fleet service employees ratified their collective bargaining agreement with the company. If you think that the stock won't fall by too much in the coming months, then now could be a good time to look at a bullish hedged trade on UAL.
More Monday merger fun, this time from the airline sector. Reportedly, Southwest Airlines (
United (
Early this morning, United Airlines (
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