The calendar quarter winds down this week and quarterly reports are due from Apollo Group (APOL), CarMax (KMX), Global Payments (GPN), Krispy Kreme (KKD), Lennar (LEN) and McCormick (MKC). But analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters have high hopes for results from fertilizer and animal feed maker Mosaic (MOS), apparel maker Phillips Van Heusen (PVH) and discount retailer Family Dollar (FDO). So here's a look at what they anticipate from these three companies.

Mosaic

During its fiscal second quarter, Cargill agreed to distribute its stake in Mosaic, and Mosaic also said it would redeem senior notes. Analysts anticipate that the Minnesota-based potash producer will report per-share earnings of $1.07, a jump of 53.3% from the same quarter of last year. Mosaic also is expected to post revenue of $2.4 billion for the three months that ended in February. That's a 35.9% rise from a year earlier.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Mosaic, Family Dollar Earnings and March Unemployment Rate

Week in Preview: Mosaic, Family Dollar Earnings and March Unemployment Rate originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Akamai (AKAM) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray.
• Las Vegas Sands (LVS) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Aetna (AET) to Outperform from market perform at Leerink.
• Hot Topic (HOTT) to buy from neutral at Janney Capital.
• Colonial Properties (CLP) upgraded to Outperform from market perform at FBR Capital and to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• Altera (ALTR) to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• American Reprographics (ARC), CarMax (KMX) and American Campus (ACC) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Zebra Tech (ZBRA) to neutral from underweight at JPMorgan.
• IMAX (IMAX) to buy from hold at Canaccord.
• Basic Energy (BAS) to neutral from sell at Goldman.
• Mednax (MD) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• UTi Worldwide (UTIW) to buy from hold at Stifel Nicolaus.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AET, AKAM, BBY, DVN, HOG, IMAX, LVS, RIMM, UNH, URBN ...

Analyst Calls: AET, AKAM, BBY, DVN, HOG, IMAX, LVS, RIMM, UNH, URBN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Calls

• Medtronic (MDT) to buy from neutral and 1-800-Flowers.com (FLWS) to neutral from sell at Goldman.
• CarMax (KMX) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Points International (PTSEF) to buy from neutral at Merriman.
• Nokia (NOK) to market perform from underperform at Morgan Keegan.
• Amdocs (DOX) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Western Alliance (WAL) to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• Carbo Ceramics (CRR) to outperform from market perform at BMO Capital.
• Rackspace (RAX) to buy from hold at Benchmark Co.
• Brinker (EAT) to equal weight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BP, EAT, JBLU, KMX, MDT, MYGN, NOK, NTRS, RAX, RDS.A, T ...

Analyst Calls: BP, EAT, JBLU, KMX, MDT, MYGN, NOK, NTRS, RAX, RDS.A, T ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Heico (HEI) to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• Eaton (ETN), Silgan Holdings (SLGN), MYR Group (MYRG) and Shaw Group (SHAW) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Infosys (INFY) to buy from Neutral at Nomura.
• Isle of Capri (ISLE) to buy from neutral at Merriman.
• NovaGold (NG) to sector perform from underperform at RBC Capital.
• CarMax (KMX) and Rockwell Collins (COL) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• DHT Holdings (DHT) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Cabot Oil & Gas (COG) to overweight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: CB, COL, ETN, FCX, FRO, INFY, KMX, NAT, SHAW, SON ...

Analyst Calls: CB, COL, ETN, FCX, FRO, INFY, KMX, NAT, SHAW, SON ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

CarMax (KMX), a used-car entity that counts AutoNation (AN) as a related company, was seeing a bid this afternoon. With a little less than 1 hour to go before the market closes up shop, shares were higher by over 6% to $25.65. The 52-week low for the stock is $18.62, and the 52-week high is $26.50, so investors are currently optimistic about the prospects for the business.

According to the Associated Press, net profit came in at 48 cents per share. The analysts were calling for 40 cents per share. That was a nice beat. CEO Tom Folliard was pleased with his sales team's ability to move inventory.

Continue reading CarMax Higher on Earnings News -- Should You Stay in the Stock?

CarMax Higher on Earnings News -- Should You Stay in the Stock? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Credit Suisse upgraded AT&T (T) to outperform from neutral and has a $35 target on the stock. Credit Suisse believes the impact from AT&T's loss of iPhone exclusivity will be less than expected and that the stock should benefit from its earnings growth and dividend yield.
• Goldman upgraded Freeport McMoRan (FCX) to buy from neutral and raised its price target to $94 from $79 based on improving copper fundamentals.
• Benchmark Co. upgraded Valueclick (VCLK) to vuy from hold on expectations Google Instant (GOOG) could drive marketing traffic. The firm raised its target price for Valueclick shares to $15 from $11.
• Best Buy (BBY) was upgraded to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Research In Motion (RIMM) was upgraded to buy from sell at Societe Generale.
• CarMax (KMX) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BBY, FCX, KMX, NUE, PRGS, RIMM, T, USG, VCLK, X ...

Analyst Calls: BBY, FCX, KMX, NUE, PRGS, RIMM, T, USG, VCLK, X ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Citigroup upgraded OpenTable (OPEN) to buy from hold, citing stronger than expected near-term trends and traction for the company's Spotlight offering. Citi upped its price target for shares to $70 from $46.
• Wells Fargo upgraded Werner (WERN) to outperform from market perform, citing valuation, the company's reduction in cost, and its above peer exposure to the pricing cycle.
• Goldman upgraded CarMax (KMX) to neutral from sell based on valuation and higher used car profitability. The firm has a $24 target on the stock.
• Apollo Group (APOL) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.
• Nokia (NOK) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Zions Bancorp (ZION) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Bernstein.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AZO, KMX, MSFT, NOK, OPEN, PCG, RIMM, WDC, WERN, XOM ...

Analyst Calls: AZO, KMX, MSFT, NOK, OPEN, PCG, RIMM, WDC, WERN, XOM ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Auriga upgraded Leap Wireless (LEAP) to buy from hold following the company's Q2 results and analyst day, citing valuation, longer-term potential for consolidation and prospects for business improvements. Despite upgrading, the firm lowered its target for shares to $16 from $19.
• Goldman upgraded Barnes & Noble (BKS) to neutral from sell following the company's announcement to explore strategic alternatives. The firm raised its price target to $15 from $12.
• RBC Capital upgraded ESCO Technologies (ESE) to sector perform from underperform following the better-than-expected Q3 report. The firm raised its price target to $30 from $28.
• MetLife (MET) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Priceline.com (PCLN) was upgraded to buy from hold at Stifel Nicolaus.
• HSBC (HBC) was upgraded to outperform from underperform at CLSA.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMD, BKC, BKS, BP, DOW, HBC, LEAP, LLY, MET, PCLN, ...

Analyst Calls: AMD, BKC, BKS, BP, DOW, HBC, LEAP, LLY, MET, PCLN, ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading CarMax Could Be a Good Long-Term Buy

CarMax Could Be a Good Long-Term Buy originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading America's Car-Mart's Engine Ran Smoothly in the Fourth Quarter

America's Car-Mart's Engine Ran Smoothly in the Fourth Quarter originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Acuity Brands Inc. (AYI) Q2 results were essentially flat but an analyst's upgraded helped boost shares.
• Borders Group Inc. (BGP) reported strong Q4 earnings due to cost cutting but revenue continued to decline.
• Cal-Maine Foods Inc. (CALM) received an analyst's downgrade on valuation following release of its Q3 report.
• CarMax Inc. (KMX) rose to a new 52-week high following better-than-expected Q4 earnings and sales results.
• Charming Shoppes Inc. (CHRS) posted a smaller-than-expected Q4 net loss and said same-store sales declined.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: Borders, CarMax, LDK Solar, Mosaic, RIM, Rite Aid ...

Earnings Highlights: Borders, CarMax, LDK Solar, Mosaic, RIM, Rite Aid ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 03 Apr 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Shares of auto dealer CarMax Inc. (KMX) rose to a new 52-week high today after the company beat analyst estimates for its fourth quarter.

As we noted in our earnings preview last night, Wall Street had forecast CarMax to report $0.25 for the quarter. The stock is soaring today after it beat estimates with a reported $0.26 per share, up from $0.17 during the same period last year.

Continue reading CarMax Drives to New Highs Following Upbeat Earnings

CarMax Drives to New Highs Following Upbeat Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading CarMax Fourth Quarter Earnings Preview

CarMax Fourth Quarter Earnings Preview originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: AutoZone, Carnival, CarMax, ConAgra, General Mills, RIM ...

Earnings highlights: AutoZone, Carnival, CarMax, ConAgra, General Mills, RIM ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

CarMax Inc. (NYSE: KMX) rallied to a new 52-week high Tuesday after topping analysts' second-quarter earnings expectations. The used-car retailer reported a quarterly profit of $103 million, or 46 cents per share, while net sales jumped 13% to $2.1 billion. By contrast, analysts were expecting net income of just 18 cents per share on $1.77 billion in revenue.

"The government's CARS, or 'cash for clunkers,' program resulted in a spike in traffic in late July and August," explained CEO Tom Folliard. Same-store used-unit sales for the quarter climbed 8%, bouncing back from a 17% drop in the first quarter.

Continue reading CarMax taps 16-month high after solid 2Q earnings

CarMax taps 16-month high after solid 2Q earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Summer is winding down and so is another earnings season. Most of the S&P 500 have reported results for the past quarter, but there are still a few things of note coming up this week.

In its second quarter, Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd. (NASDAQ: SNDA), one of the largest entertainment media companies in China, announced plans for an IPO for its Shanda Games business and bought a majority stake in music producer and distributor.

Continue reading The week in preview: Summer (and the earnings season) winds down

The week in preview: Summer (and the earnings season) winds down originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 30 Aug 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• McAdams Wright expects Dendreon's (NASDAQ: DNDN) near-term momentum to continue but has long-term concerns that Street estimates are too high. The firm upgraded shares to Hold from Sell.
• JPMorgan upgraded Ameristar Casinos (NASDAQ: ASCA) to Overweight from Neutral to reflect valuation, potential catalysts from Colorado's easing gaming regulations, and the company's strong free cash flow. The firm raised its target on shares to $24 from $20.
• Citigroup upgraded Valspar (NYSE: VAL) to Hold from Sell after channel checks indicated paint demand is shifting to big-box retailers, the company's primary sales channel. The firm raised its target on shares to $22 from $19.
• Vulcan Materials (NYSE: VMC) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS.
• Altera (NASDAQ: ALTR) was raised to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital.
• Spectra Energy (NYSE: SEP) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Goldman.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ALU, BJ, CPB, KMX, PGR

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ALU, BJ, CPB, KMX, PGR originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) Q2 earnings were in line with expectations but sales beat.
• Best Buy Inc. (NYSE: BBY) beat earnings estimates for Q1, but on horrible metrics, sending shares lower.
• Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) lower Q2 earnings beat expectations and previous guidance, boosting shares.
• CarMax Inc. (NYSE: KMX) Q1 profit and sales dropped, but still beat expectations, sending shares higher.
• Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) posted a smaller-than-expected Q2 net loss and shares rose.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: FedEx, Best Buy, RIM, Adobe, Smucker, Discover and more

Earnings highlights: FedEx, Best Buy, RIM, Adobe, Smucker, Discover and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Jun 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Well, well, well...what to do now, right? CarMax is an interesting company in an interesting time. It sells used cars during a period when new cars aren't selling too well. We all know about the problems at Ford (NYSE: F) and General Motors (OTC: GMGMQ). But that isn't reason enough to put money down on this stock. Especially not after a rally like we're seeing today.

Continue reading My portfolio won't be test-driving CarMax

My portfolio won't be test-driving CarMax originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

CarMax (NYSE: KMX) closed at $13.06. KMX is scheduled to announce Q1 EPS on June 19. KMX June 12.5 straddle is priced at $1.35, July is at $2.15. KMX July and October option implied volatility of 66 is below its 26-week average 75, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement after EPS.

Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE: TSM) closed at $9.56. The NY Times reported on June 14 that TSM was planning on entering the Solar or LED market and would decide in the next few months. TSM July option implied volatility is at 47, October is at 44; below its 26-week average of 58 according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Option Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

Options Update: CarMax volatility suggests less risk into EPS originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.