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Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: LEN, RDC, FFIN, SII, AN, ACHN, UA, LULU, JST

Analyst upgrades:
  • Citigroup upgraded Lennar (NYSE: LEN) to Buy from Hold as it believes the company's near-term liquidity profile is improved following the $400M debt issuance. The firm raised its target price to $12 from $11.
  • Jefferies upgraded Rowan Companies (NYSE: RDC) to Buy from Hold as it believes jack-up drillers will continue to outperform deepwater names. The firm raised its target price to $27 from $20.
  • Keefe Bruyette upgraded First Financial (NASDAQ: FFIN) to Market Perform from Underperform to reflect more positive loan data for the Texas banks. The firm raised its target price on shares to $44 from $38.
  • MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan.
  • Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at JMP Securities.
  • Brinker (NYSE: EAT) was upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Barclays.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: LEN, RDC, FFIN, SII, AN, ACHN, UA, LULU, JST

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: RIMM, MCD, ORLY, CELG, URBN ...

Analyst upgrades:
  • Citigroup upgraded Patriot Coal (NYSE: PCX) to Hold from Sell on easing credit and liquidity concerns following the company's guidance. The firm raised its target on the stock to $7.50 from $4.
  • UBS upgraded Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) to Buy from Neutral and raised their target to $90 from $65 as they expect pent-up replacement demand in enterprise to drive 2010 estimates higher and for the consumer smartphone opportunity to grow in 2009 and 2010.
  • Goldman upgraded Suncor (NYSE: SU) to Conviction Buy from Sell and raised their target to $33 from $25 citing their bullish view on crude oil for 2H09 and 2010 and in the company's ability to lower operating and capital costs in the oil sands region.
  • Canadian National (CNI) was raised to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan.
  • Applied Micro Circuits (NASDAQ: AMCC) was lifted at Oppenheimer to Overweight from Neutral.
  • QLogic (NASDAQ: QLGC) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Baird.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: RIMM, MCD, ORLY, CELG, URBN ...

Plenty of upside in Applied Micro Circuits

Applied Micro Circuits (NASDAQ: AMCC) came up light on its communications component revenue in an otherwise pretty solid quarter. I would use any price weakness to add to or initiate a position in this stock.

Applied Micro falls into one of our themes -- focusing on fallen tech-telecom bubble stock that have survived the bust. The company has good management that has gotten costs under control and has, for the most part, returned the company to growth. In addition, on an adjusted basis, has returned the company back to profitability.

Applied Micro's CEO, Kambiz Hooshmand, has a successful track record of building tech companies and realizing good value for shareholders. Before taking on the top position at Applied Micro, Hoosmand sold his previous company to Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO).

On the investor conference circuit, Applied Micro's management has not been shy about complaining that Wall Street has not reflected the good work this management team has done in its stock price. Translation: if the stock price does start moving, management may take this company private.

Applied Micro has a healthy balance sheet, is profitable and will return to good growth when all of its end market customers' business picks up. Any price weakness today looks like a good opportunity to get into this stock.

Jump into this fallen tech company

Today, from Theflyonthewall, some thoughts that Applied Micro Circuit's (NASDAQ:AMCC) turnaround is underway and investors should jump on board.

AMCC, which designs, develops and markets semiconductors, processors and storage components, saw sequential revenue growth of 4%--the top end of revenue guidance . It also has the highest quarterly bookings level in five years and its new products are providing the premier solution for converged networks.

AMCC management sees 9% sequential growth and customers are becoming more confident with the new product road map.

AMCC also repurchased 12 million shares in the quarter, which is pretty good for a smaller company. Also, in the current reporting quarter, all three businesses---processing, transport and storage--- should be up sequentially.

Management is becoming more confident about the outlook for margin improvement. Historically, when AMCC started reporting good results, investors drove the stock up pretty high. CIBC upgraded the stock this morning with a $4 target price.

Symbol Lookup
IndexesChangePrice
DJIA+132.7910,450.95
NASDAQ+29.972,176.01
S&P 500+14.861,106.24

Last updated: November 24, 2009: 04:42 AM

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