Analyst upgrades:

• Citigroup upgraded Vistaprint (VPRT) to buy from hold on valuation following the recent pullback in shares. The firm also raised its price target on the stock to $62 from $55.
• Fox-Pitt upgraded Eaton Vance (EV) to outperform from in line citing strong fundamentals. The firm raised its target to $36 from $34.
• Stifel Nicolaus upgraded Hospitality Properties (HPT) to buy from hold citing valuation and expected cash dividend in 2010. The firm has a $22 target on the stock.
• The Advisory Board (ABCO) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at First Analysis.
• Technip (TKPPY) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Jefferies upgraded Energy XXI (EXXI) to hold from underperform and raised its target to $2 from $1.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: VPRT, EV, HPT, NRG, GTE, BNHNA, VAR, ITRI and FARO

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: VPRT, EV, HPT, NRG, GTE, BNHNA, VAR, ITRI and FARO originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• ADC Telecommunications Inc. (NASDAQ: ADCT) beat Q2 estimates and raised its full-year guidance.
• Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA) near-term earnings prospects led to an analyst downgrade.
• Banco de Chile (NYSE: BCH) earnings prospects after an acquisition led to an analyst's upgrade.
• Benihana Inc. (NASDAQ: BNHN) posted lower Q4 profits but still beat earnings estimates.
• Bob Evans Farms Inc. (NASDAQ: BOBE) reported solid Q4 results due in part to cost management.
• Brown-Forman Corp. (NYSE: BF.B) easily beat Q4 estimates and offered full-year guidance.
• CMGI Inc. (NASDAQ: CMGI) lowered its guidance, sending shares tumbling 25%.
• Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Co. (NYSE: CCH) warned of weaker earnings due to economic conditions.
• Conn's Inc. (NASDAQ: CONN) reported solid Q1 results and issued in-line guidance for the year.
• Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. (NYSE: DKS) earnings prospects impress analysts despite recent guidance.
• Guess? Inc. (NYSE: GES) topped Q1 expectations due to strong international expansion.
• Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. (NYSE: KKD) swung to a Q1 profit despite falling revenues.
• Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (NYSE: LEH) posted a bigger-than-expected loss on further write-downs.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Lehman, UBS, Krispy Kreme, Pepsico, Pep Boys and others

Earnings highlights: Lehman, UBS, Krispy Kreme, Pepsico, Pep Boys and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 14 Jun 2008 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Both Japanese restaurant chain Benihana Inc. (NASDAQ: BNHN) and gun maker Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: SWHC) on Thursday said that their profits fell in their fiscal fourth-quarters. Shares of the former fell Friday by more than 11%, while shares of the latter rose nearly 6%.

Miami-based Benihana's fourth-quarter net income fell 30% from the year-ago quarter to $2.7 million, or 17 cents per share percent, due to the difficult environment for restaurants. Revenue for the quarter ended March 30 fell 2% to $70.2 million, and same-store sales fell 2.2%.

Analysts polled by Thomson Financial had expected a profit of 15 cents per share on revenue of $70.8 million.

For the fiscal year, earnings fell 13% to $11.7 million, or 75 cents per share, and revenue rose 9% to $296.9 million.

Shares of Benihana fell to a 52-week low of $6.69 on Friday before closing at $6.97. Shares are down 44.7% year to date.

Continue reading Benihana, Smith & Wesson report lower Q4 earnings

Benihana, Smith & Wesson report lower Q4 earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.