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

• Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU) reported better-than-expected Q1 earnings as revenues surged in the quarter.
• Burger King Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BKC) just beat Q3 expectations despite weak same-store sales growth.
• Corn Products International Inc. (NYSE: CPO) Q1 results were dragged down by higher corn costs.
• Dow Chemical Co. (NYSE: DOW) Q1 earnings sank on falling sales, job cuts and acquisition costs.
• Eastman Kodak Co. (NYSE: EK) reported a deeper-than-expected Q1 loss and suspended its dividend.
• Energizer Holdings Inc. (NYSE: ENR) posted better-than-expected Q2 earnings but revenue declined.

This post is part of a special annual report -- Top Stock Picks '09 -- in which TheStockAdvisors.com asked 75 leading newsletter advisors to select their favorite investment for the new year.

"Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON), my favorite investment idea for 2009, should prosper regardless of how the economy performs," Charles Rotblut, CFA and editor of Zacks Elite.

In the same sector, Tracey Ryniec, editor of The Zacks Value Trader looks to Corn Products International (NYSE: CPO), noting, "Despite a tough economy, this 100-year old company is positioned to reap the rewards from growth in agriculture."

Regarding Monsanto, Rotblut continues, "Monsanto helps farmers improve their crop yields, via both better seeds and herbicides. In blunt terms, MON provides solutions that most farmers will view as more of a necessity than a luxury.

"The data supports this assessment. Since fiscal 2005, revenues have more than doubled, rising from $5.3 billion to $11.4 billion. Net income has jumped nearly tenfold and free cash flow is up substantially.

"Looking forward, Monsanto thinks fiscal 2009 profits will total $4.20 to $4.40 per share -- an approximate 18% increase over fiscal 2008. The company also thinks that gross profits will grow by a compound annual growth rate of 15% to 20% over the next 3 years.

This post was writtenby Minyanville contributor Ryan Krueger.

Looks like Verasun Energy Corp. (NYSE: VSE), a formerly popular ethanol stock and second largest producer, has won court permission to cancel contracts signed to purchase corn. It is now in bankruptcy. I'm also hearing about a lot of excess ethanol funded by your tax dollars being sold to other countries. That worked out well.

The mistaken policy and debates are endless, the trades are what I am chewing on instead. I think consumers of corn at lower prices are set up for some awfully tasty '09 comparisons for their bottom lines. Corn Products International, Inc. (NYSE: CPO), after Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG) backed away from its take-over, is a name I have re-entered from the long side after closing out my position just after the non-merger was announced and shares traded twice what they are now. They sweeten something you'll eat or drink in the next hour.

Longer term, however, I am even more interested in the ingredients, not the end products. But it's still early. I have been long gone from 2008 corn contracts for quite some time, but am starting to poke around out on the futures curve. On the same day this court ruling was announced abolishing artificial demand, quiet real demand emerged as Mexico was a big buyer of corn.

I'll take a few billion eaters over several million drivers any day.

In the agricultural sector, it's been nirvana for investors. But are prices too high?

Perhaps not. Take Bunge Ltd. (NYSE: BG), which is a major fertilizer and oilseed producer. Bunge has agreed to pay $4.4 billion for Corn Products International Inc. (NYSE: CPO), a producer of finished corn products. Some of its customers include biggies like Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO). This is a stock-for-stock deal. In other words, why not take advantage of the high market caps?

Both companies have rich histories. Corn Products got its start in 1906 and Bunge was founded in 1818. But it's the future that matters, and Bunge is certainly bullish on the global growth trends in the agricultural markets. To take advantage of this, it makes sense to bulk up. Corn Products will expand Bunge's offerings as well as provide some diversification.

In fact, Bunge also raised its full-year 2008 earnings forecast from $7.10-$7.40 to $9.35-$9.65. This doesn't even include the impact of the Corn Products transaction.

Tom Taulli is the author of various books, including The Complete M&A Handbook and The Edgar Online Guide to Decoding Financial Statements. He also operates MergerBook.com.

Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG) will acquire Corn Products (NYSE: CPO) for $56 in BG stock. CPO overall option implied volatility of 44 is near its 26-week average of 41 according to Track Data, suggesting slightly larger price movement.

Brigham Exploration (NASDAQ: BEXP), a natural gas company, closed at $15.85. BEXP July option implied volatility of 86 is above its 26-week average of 71 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

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

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Amag Pharmaceuticals, Corn Products and Alpharma were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Baird initiated Amag Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: AMAG) with an Outperform rating and believes concerns regarding ferumoxytol approvability are misplaced.
• JP Morgan assumed coverage of Corn Products (NYSE: CPO) with an Overweight rating and points to the company's growth in emerging markets and improved business economics in its core U.S. market.
• RBC Capital is positive on Alpharma's (NYSE: ALO) Flector opportunity in the U.S. topical NSAID market. The firm started shares with an Outperform rating and $28 target.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Merrill resumed coverage of Baxter (NYSE: BAX) with a Buy rating.
• Goldman initiated Teradyne (NYSE: TER) with a Neutral rating and $11 target.
• Allianz AG (NYSE: AZ) was initiated with a Buy rating at Societe Generale.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: ORBComm Inc (NASDAQ: ORBC), Weingarten Realty Investors (NYSE: WRI) and Regency Centers Corporation (NYSE: REG) were today's noteworthy initiations:

• ORBComm was initiated with a Market Perform rating and $16 target at Piper Jaffray, as the firm believes the company may need to launch at least 25 satellites over the next few years to continue servicing its existing subscribers, which could lead to further losses. The company was initiated with an Outperform rating at Raymond James.
• Baird initiated Weingarten Realty with an Outperform rating and $56 target due to its strategy to accelerate growth and initiated Regency Realty with a Neutral rating and $88 target citing valuation and lack of catalysts.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• OceanFreight Inc (NASDAQ: OCNF) was initiated with a Buy rating and $24 target at Cantor.
• UBS initiated shares of Ocean Power Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: OPTT) with a Buy rating and $20 target and shares of Omega Healthcare Investors Inc (NYSE: OHI) with a Neutral rating and $18 target.
• Shutterfly Inc (NASDAQ: SFLY) was initiated at JMP Securities with a Strong Buy rating and $25 target.
• Corn Products International Inc (NYSE: CPO) was initiated with a Buy rating and $48 target at BB&T Capital Mkts, as the firm believes CPO will be able to generate strong earnings growth, as well as use its strong cash flow to grow its specialty ingredients business, raise its dividend, use for a share repurchase or a combination of the above.

Analyst summaries provided by TheFlyOnTheWall.com (subscription required).

MAJOR PAPERS:

• The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported that Kraft Foods Inc (NYSE: KFT), looking to make foreign acquisitions, is giving its international managers more power to engineer deals. Kraft is most interested in acquisitions in Russia, Ukraine, Brazil and Mexico, according to a person familiar with the matter.
• According to Barron's Online's (subscription required) "Weekday Trader" column, Corn Products International Inc's (NYSE: CPO) recent 17% drop could be a buying opportunity.
• According to the Financial Times (subscription required), Bertelsmann has joined forces with private equity partners to consider a bid for textbook publisher Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC). The asking price is about $5B.

OTHER PAPERS:

• Several private equity firms, including Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Bain Capital and Texas Pacific Group, have shown a strong interest in acquiring the beverage arm of Cadbury Schweppes ADS (NYSE: CSG) reported the U.K. Times.
• The New York Post reported that WPP Group plc ADS (NASDAQ: WPPGY) has Hollywood ambitions, taking a 6.8% stake in Media Rights Capital, partly owned by talent agency Endeavor.
• Investor's Business Daily's "New America" column mentioned shoe maker Sketchers USA Inc (NYSE: SKX) positively, noting that the company's presence has increased significantly in stores like Foot Locker Inc (NYSE: FL) and Finish Line Inc (NASDAQ: FINL).