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

• Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) reported strong Q1 results easily beat expectations.
• Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) posted better-than-expected Q1 earnings, helped by home refinancing.
• Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) reported its first quarterly loss since 1992 and cut its revenue outlook.
• Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) posted Q1 earnings that were in line with expectations, but shares fell.
• eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) posted better-than-expected Q1 earnings despite a decline in sales.

3M (NYSE: MMM) had a not-that-great first quarter. The declines were significant and ugly. First, net sales plunged over 20%. Second, net income on an adjusted basis likewise spiraled out of control, declining over 40% to $0.81 per share. And no, that didn't meet expectations. Wall Street was looking for $0.86 per share. Sorry, gang.

You've got the dollar and the global recession to blame. Currency translations affected sales, and declines in economic activity didn't help much, either. Many people look to 3M as a staunch dividend play. As such, cash flow is important. Unfortunately, the statement of cash flows this quarter was hard to read. Net cash from operations decreased 30%, and free cash flow lost 35% of its value when compared to the year-ago period. Thankfully, there was enough free cash to cover the dividend.

Today's rally came after dismal employment data, but less-bad manufacturing data actually came to rescue. You can always try to hold out hopes that Thursday's G-20 meeting is going to yield great results. There is a full primer on this G-20 meeting that may curb your expectations for what comes from the G-20 meeting. The vote on mark-to-market from FASB will be held tomorrow, and this is still expected to be a game-changer. Here are today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 7,761.60 +152.68 (2.01%)
S&P 500 811.08 +13.21 (1.66%)
Nasdaq 1,551.60 +23.01 (1.51%)

Top Analyst Upgrades
Top Analyst Downgrades

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says economic fundamentals haven't changed enough to make last week's rally a lasting force.

Stocks are the tools to tell the tale, and last week made you want to own stock. The banks showed you they need not be wards of the state, GM (NYSE: GM) (Cramer's Take) acted as if didn't need to be a ward of the state and oil held its own. Drug companies, among the enterprises with the best balance sheets, decided to "give up" and combine in the face of diminishing returns courtesy of changes in governments worldwide, but particularly in the United States, that would impinge on long-term profitability.

Most important, the backtracking of Obama in his position toward business, something that would never be articulated but most surely occurred as the stock market was no longer ignored -- a Bill Clinton moment in a tone-deaf White house -- set a better tone for risk-taking.

In this tough economic environment, why not choose a company with as many solid revenue-generating divisions as possible?

And when it comes to having many sources of revenue, you can find no better example than 3M (NYSE: MMM).

The diversified giant has its hands in so many market segments that the company is somewhat difficult to classify.

Industrial and retail products such as tape are its bread and butter, but it also makes products like filtration systems; products used in the manufacture, repair and maintenance of automobiles, boats and aircraft; medical and surgical supplies; optical film and lens solutions for electronic displays; office supply products; construction and home improvement products; home care devices ;and even personal protection products.

It's hard to live life without using a 3M product, and it's this kind of product ubiquity that makes 3M the kind of stock that always attracts investment capital.

Take a look at all ten stocks to fall in love with again.

Jim Woods is a Senior Editor for OptionsZone.com.

It's hard to recover from a broken heart.

During the past year, many investors' hearts have been crushed as they've witnessed the downward spiral of so many well-respected and trusted corporate giants. To be certain, the market meltdown of 2008 has put a serious strain on the relationship between shareholders and their favorite stocks.

Former rock-solid suitors have failed to meet the emotional and financial needs of those who faithfully bought their shares, and many investors have justifiably filed for divorce from these once-stable household providers.

But I'm an idealist. I still believe in love, and I think broken hearts can be mended with a little time -- and with some positive corporate catalysts.

I believe that many once-mighty, but currently downtrodden stocks will return to their former glory at some point in the future. Just when this might take place and to what extent remains an open question, but corporate America has the ability to heal the wounds and recapture those amorous feelings we all desire.

So, which companies are most likely to fight their way back into our hearts?

There are 10 stocks I think deserve a second chance. These companies represent the biggest corporate brand names out there. These are names that many American's still hold near and dear to their hearts, if not their portfolios.

Despite the TARP bank CEOs being grilled on Capitol Hill, the financial stocks and the market eked out a rally. Chicago Federal Reserve President Evans gave a speech today, saying he expects more unemployment and more GDP contraction.

Here are the unofficial closing bell levels:
Top Analyst Upgrades
Top Analyst Downgrades

3M Co. (NYSE: MMM) rose slightly after it actually raised its dividend to $0.51 per share per quarter. It was a mere 2% hike, but it was a hike. The conglomerate shares were up 0.5% at $51.30 right before the close.

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

• Altria Group Inc. (NYSE: MO) Q4 profit rose on higher prices, and its forecast matched expectations.
• Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) Q4 earnings grew on cost cutting but revenue remained flat.
• Black & Decker Corp. (NYSE: BDK) shares tanked after the dismal Q4 report, and it announced job cuts.
• Carpenter Technology Corp. (NYSE: CRS) Q2 numbers resulted in a downgrade from one analyst.
• ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) reported a Q4 loss due to writedowns from recent acquisitions.
• DuPont (NYSE: DD) swung to a bigger-than-expected Q4 loss and its revenue fell as well.
• Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE: LLY) swung to a Q4 loss on acquisition costs but reaffirmed its guidance.

Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) posted a loss of $5.9 billion, or $2.46 per share, in the fourth quarter, but it said that it still has no plans to seek federal aid unless economic conditions worsen. Ford burned through $5.5 billion in cash during the quarter. Excluding one-time items, Ford lost $1.37 per share, below estimates of a loss of $1.30 per share. Revenue fell to $29.2 billion, down from $45.5 billion for the fourth quarter of 2007. Ford's shares are gaining nearly 2.5% in premarket trading. Fifteen minutes after the open, Ford shares were 2.2% lower.

Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) reported worse-than-expected quarterly results late Wednesday after the close, as its quarterly profit dropped 69%. It also also announced 6,700 more job cuts and plans to close 300 stores. As the company has been hurt by tighter consumer spending, it said it will not provide any sales or earnings guidance. SBUX shares are defclining over 4% in premarket trading. Fifteen minutes after the open, SBUX shares were flattish.

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer looks at the next six components of the Dow, including a lousy drug company and a winning financial.

This is the fourth part of Jim Cramer's series of predictions for the Dow components in 2009. Be sure to read the first, second and third parts.

JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) (Cramer's Take): Jamie Dimon is revered, but we are in a tough market for the consumer in 2009, which truly worries me. That said, the stock has been killed by Dimon's own pessimistic projections, and I don't believe they will pan out as badly as he does.

The dividend appears safe, and I believe that the second half of the year will see some lending improvement and merger activity. I see it going back to where it did a huge equity offering at $39 a share, a nice appreciation from this beaten-down level. It's good, but I believe that Wells Fargo's (NYSE: WFC) (Cramer's Take) performance will give it a run for the money.

My one worry here is the purchase of Washington Mutual. This was another deal that looked great when the Resolution Mortgage Trust part of TARP was still alive -- I don't believe that it would have been worth buying Washington Mutual without it. But that's all too late, and now JPMorgan has to rationalize the two entities and cut costs as aggressively as possible, something Jamie Dimon knows to do better than anyone in the banking world ... with the exception of Wells Fargo.

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says each day we come closer to getting rid of President Bush is a day where the market is better.

This one's not going down that easy. It hasn't mattered all that much how companies have been doing, so don't think that Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) (Cramer's Take) and FedEx (NYSE: FDX) (Cramer's Take) can create any more of a rout on the downside than Du Pont (NYSE: DD) (Cramer's Take), Dow Chemical (NYSE: DOW) (Cramer's Take) or 3M (NYSE: MMM) (Cramer's Take).

The whole source of this rally is President Bush, meaning that each day we come closer to getting rid of him is a day where the market is better. If you haven't figured this out you would be shorting the heck out of this market. Consider that in the last few days we had downgrades, shortfalls, job cuts and negative news on several major Dow Jones Industrial Average stocks and that hasn't stopped the Dow.

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) and Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) -- Seems I start almost every day with these two public automakers of the Big 3. Well, the bailout for the industry is nearing the final stage of approvals as a plan for a $15 billion rescue was sent to the White House. It seems a federal "car czar" would oversee a government-run restructuring which would give the U.S. government a substantial ownership stake in the industry, impose many restrictions, but start giving money out immediately. After several days of strong gains, GM shares were down 2.8% in premarket trade (8:09 am), Ford's were flattish.

Ford is apparently also in talks to sell Volvo to its China partner Changan Automobile Group, according to sources cited by the National Business Daily. No further details were provided.

Sony (NYSE: SNE) announced job cuts. Yes, another daily news item is companies slashing their work force. Sony said it is cutting 8,000 jobs, or 4% of its global work force, aiming to cut costs by $1.1 billion a year. The company will also close several plants. Another 8,000 temporary workers will also lose their jobs at the electronic giant by 2010. Sony shares were 3.5% higher in premarket (8:00 am).

On what would have been any normal Monday, the markets saw a huge rally after some overseas stability. Many emerging markets were closed for holidays and investors loved the Obama plan for new infrastructure build-outs as a stimulus package and jobs package. Bond yields even rose a bit as investors were moving away from that "flight to quality trade." In fact, this was the first day the DJIA broke above 9,000 since November 10, 20008.

Here are today's unofficial closing bell levels:
Top Analyst Calls

3M Co. (NYSE: MMM) shares were off after joining in on the layoff and lower guidance game. The conglomerate said the economy and currency issues made it lower expected guidance on earnings. It is also laying off 1,800 workers, slowing manufacturing capacity, and sending some workers home temporarily.

Dow Chemical Co. (NYSE: DOW) gave some pretty ghastly forecast numbers, but shares rose as the company had already snuck this data out on a tease last week. The chemical giant was up 7% at $20.38 shortly before the close. That isn't bad for a company canning 11% of its workforce and closing 20 of its factories.

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says stocks are too extended to go along for the ride.

Uh oh, where it the persistent bid? Did it disappear? Is it resting? Has it gone away?

Throughout the last three weeks we have seen a persistent bid underneath the market, mostly led by Nasdaq futures, that was relentless and dropped off only once when GE (NYSE: GE) (Cramer's Take) was reported to have guided down.

No one knows who the buyer or buyers were, and because volume has been thin, the buyers had their way at the opening and then again at some exquisite marking up at the end of the day.

Everyone who has tried to fade this phalanx has been chewed up and spit out. It has been there irrespective of news flow. Many of the earnings reports in this period have been extremely disappointing -- in fact, only Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) (Cramer's Take), 3M (NYSE: MMM) (Cramer's Take), Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) (Cramer's Take) and United Technologies (NYSE: UTX) (Cramer's Take) have really delivered. It has been there irrespective of more bailouts, which surely by this time would have started to produce weakness in the market, not strength.

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

• Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) reported strong Q3 results but warned of softness ahead.
• Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) beat earnings expectations and lifted its full-year forecast.
• AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) Q3 results were worse than expected despite the iPhone's popularity.
• Broadcom Corp. (NASDAQ: BRCM) beat expectations but lowered its revenue guidance.
• Dice Holdings Inc. (NYSE: DHX) reported solid Q3 results despite the financial crisis.
• E*Trade Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: ETFC) widened its Q3 net loss and revenues shrank.
• Gannett Inc. (NYSE: GCI) just missed earnings estimates as advertising revenues declined.
• Hasbro Inc. (NYSE: HAS) posted solid Q3 results that topped analysts' expectations.
• Mattel Inc. (NYSE: MAT) missed Q3 earnings expectations despite popularity American Girl.
• McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD) easily beat Q3 earnings estimates and lifted its dividends.
• Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) posted strong Q3 numbers but warned of slowing subscriber growth.
• Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) Q3 profits tripled due to cost cutting and sales of pain pill Lyrica.
• Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (NYSE: POT) topped earnings estimates, sending shares higher.
• Reynolds American Inc. (NYSE: RAI) posted Q3 results that topped analysts' expectations.
• Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE) slashed its earnings forecast on weakness in flat panel TVs and digital cameras.
• Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) reported better-than-expected Q3 results.
• 3M Co. (NYSE: MMM) solid Q3 results topped Wall Street expectations and it offered full-year outlook.
• VMWare Inc. (NYSE: VMW) Q3 earnings surged on strong growth in services revenue.

For more earnings highlights from this week, see Apple, Boeing, Microsoft, Yahoo!, UPS, American Express and others.

Watch for upcoming quarterly reports from Verizon (NYSE: VZ), Estée Lauder (NYSE: EL) , US Steel (NYSE: X), Aetna (NYSE: AET), Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG), Qwest (NYSE:Q), Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA), Kellogg (NYSE: K), Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT), MetLife (NYSE: MET), Moody's (NYSE: MCO), Office Depot (NYSE: ODP), Avon (NYSE: AVP), CBS (NYSE: CBS), CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS), Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: JAVA), Eastman Kodak (NYSE: EK), Motorola (NYSE: MOT), Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM), Chevron (NYSE: CVX), Washington Post (NYSE: WPO).

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