Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS) issued its fourth-quarter report today. The company was rocking this afternoon: with a little more than two hours to go before the close of the session, the stock was up 6% to $39.93. Earlier during the intraday session, a new 52-week high of $40.26 was achieved. It's good to get over that psychological round-number level, right?

The volume of shares traded so far is already in the spectacular range. The 52-week low for the stock is $24.02, so the current price is more than a comfortable distance away from that point. The one-year chart is attractive even if it doesn't plot a straight-up line.

Continue reading Dick's Sporting Goods Hits New 52-Week High

Dick's Sporting Goods Hits New 52-Week High originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

So, the unemployment rate sank below 9% in February, but investors didn't seem to be impressed by that. The Dow, Nasdaq and S&P 500 all fell on Friday over concerns about how the ongoing unrest in the Middle East might affect energy prices, and thus the economic recovery.

Will this coming week's economic calendar offer anything likely to bring excitement to the markets? Here's what's on tap:

• Monday: Consumer credit numbers for January
• Tuesday: Weekly chain store sales, TIPP Economic Optimism Index

Continue reading Week in Preview: Retail Sales, Consumer Credit and Earnings

Week in Preview: Retail Sales, Consumer Credit and Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 06 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Polo Ralph Lauren (RL) to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• Qualcomm (QCOM) to buy from neutral at Roth Capital.
• Walgreen (WAG) to conviction buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Rockwell (ROK) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Carnival (CCL) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• SunTrust (STI) and TD Bank (TD) to outperform from market perform at Keefe Bruyette.
• Hawaiian Electric (HE) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Essex Property Trust (ESS) to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.
• Amgen (AMGN) to neutral from underperform at BofA/Merrill.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: EBAY, ERIC, MMI, MSI, NKE, QCOM, RL, ROK, SWY, WAG ...

Analyst Calls: EBAY, ERIC, MMI, MSI, NKE, QCOM, RL, ROK, SWY, WAG ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Goldman upgraded CSX (CSX) to neutral from sell.
• General Cable (BGC) was upgraded to buy from hold at KeyBanc.
• Morgan Stanley upgraded Chart Industries (GTLS) and Dresser Rand (DRC) to overweight from equal weight.
• Blackrock (BLK) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.
• Credit Suisse upgraded Zions Bancorp (ZION) to neutral from underperform and GameStop (GME) to outperform from neutral.
• Honeywell (HON) was upgraded to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• Panera Bread (PNRA) was upgraded to buy from neutral at SunTrust.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMD, BLK, CSX, DKS, GME, HGSI, HON, KEY, NSC, STP, ZION ...

Analyst Calls: AMD, BLK, CSX, DKS, GME, HGSI, HON, KEY, NSC, STP, ZION ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Dick's Sporting Goods Soars after Strong Forecast

Dick's Sporting Goods Soars after Strong Forecast originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Goldman upgraded Costco (COST) to buy from neutral based on valuation, improving fundamentals and potential catalysts. The firm raised its price target to $68 from $62.
• Soleil upgraded MGM Resorts (MGM) to buy from hold, citing valuation, easing balance sheet concerns and a multiyear convention recovery. The firm upped its target for shares to $14 from $13. Note, Soleil also downgraded Las Vegas Sands (LVS) to hold from buy.
• Piper Jaffray upgraded Phillips-Van Heusen (PVH) to overweight from neutral with a $59 price target following the company's better-than-expected Q2 results.
• Dell (DELL) was upgraded to buy from outperform at CLSA.
• CommScope (CTV) was upgraded to buy from neutral at UBS.
• EnCana (ECA) was upgraded to sector outperformer from sector performer at CIBC.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BA, COST, DELL, GD, INTC, LVS, MGM, PCLN, TWX, V, VIA ...

Analyst Calls: BA, COST, DELL, GD, INTC, LVS, MGM, PCLN, TWX, V, VIA ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• CLSA upgraded Freeport McMoRan (FCX) to Buy from Sell and has a price target of $85 based on expectations for improved copper prices. The analyst believes China is mostly done with tightening measures and that downside in copper prices is limited.
• Jefferies upgraded Concur Tech (CNQR) to Buy from Hold due to improvements in corporate travel and structural growth drivers from international and SMB. The firm has a price target of $55 on the stock.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded ESCO Technologies (ESE) to Buy from Hold on expectations the company will announce a contract with SoCal Gas within two months. The firm upped its target for shares to $35 from $33.
• Wells Fargo (WFC) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform at FBR Capital.
• Human Genome (HGSI) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Baird.
• Brown & Brown (BRO) was upgraded to Neutral from Underweight at JP Morgan.

• Canaccord downgraded Netflix (NFLX) to Hold from Buy following the Q2 report and has a $107 price target on the stock. The firm is growing more cautious on ARPU pricing pressure, higher churn rates and higher SAC.
• Deutsche Bank downgraded Airgas (ARG) to Hold from Buy following the company's Q1 results due to valuation. The firm has a $65 price target for shares. Note shares were also downgraded at Soleil this morning.
• Goldman downgraded Piper Jaffray (PJC) to Neutral from Buy and lowered its price target to $35 from $46. The firm said Piper's ROE remains below peers.
• AMB Property (AMB) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at BofA/Merrill.
• Odyssey Healthcare (ODSY) was downgraded to Negative from Neutral at Susquehanna.
• Trina Solar (TSL) was downgraded to Outperform from Strong Buy at Raymond James.

• BofA/Merrill started Cognizant Technology (CTSH) with a Neutral rating.
• Stifel Nicolaus initiated Brigham Exploration (BEXP) with a Buy rating and $24 target.
• ThinkEquity assumed Dick's Sporting (DKS) with a Buy rating.
• Petrohawk Energy (HK) was initiated with a Perform rating at Oppenheimer.
• E.ON AG (EONGY) was initiated with a Buy rating at RBS.
• Atlas Energy (ATLS) was initiated with an Outperform rating at BMO Capital.

Analyst Calls: FCX, WFC, HGSI, NFLX, ARG, TSL, CTSH, ATLS, DKS originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Needham upgraded Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS) to buy from hold following the company's Q1 results as it believes the sell-off in shares provides an attractive entry point into the name. The firm has a $31 price target for the stock. Piper Jaffrey upgraded Dick's Sporting to overweight from neutral following the company's Q1 results and raised its target for shares to $34 from $31.
• Piper Jaffray also upgraded MGIC Investment (MTG) to overweight from neutral. The firm upgraded shares on valuation and raised its target to $11 from $10.
• Macy's (M) was upgraded to buy from neutral and VeriSign (VRSN) was upgraded to sell from conviction sell at Goldman.
• Fidelity National (FIS) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Raymond James.
• Watson Pharma (WPI) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: CCRT, DKS, HAST, JCP, M, MTG, MUSA, TJX, VZ, WWE ...

Analyst Calls: CCRT, DKS, HAST, JCP, M, MTG, MUSA, TJX, VZ, WWE ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 19 May 2010 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When you need to buy North Face and Columbia Sportswear, where do you go? One hot retailer that sells both is Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS). In November, the company reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings on rising same-store sales.

Dick's attributed the rise in same-store sales to strong performance of both the North Face and Columbia Sportswear brands. The company also said the increased sales for these brands were likely due to fears of a harsh winter.

Continue reading Cold Weather Stock #5: Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS)

Cold Weather Stock #5: Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you live practically anywhere east of the San Andreas Fault, you know about the deep freeze biting the nation. Temperatures in many areas of the country have been way below normal this winter, especially in the Midwest and East Coast, and unfortunately, many meteorologists think the 2010 cold front will bring plenty of chilly nights before it makes its welcome departure.

According to the 2010 Farmers' Almanac, this winter will likely see many more days with below-normal average temperatures. Not just in the Midwest and East Coast, but for about three-quarters of the nation. The fallout from these cold temps is a constriction of outdoor activity, more time indoors, increased use of heaters, and when you have to go outside, the need to bundle up.

Continue reading Hot Profits from Five Cold-Weather Stocks

Hot Profits from Five Cold-Weather Stocks originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 23 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Stephens upgraded Martin Marietta (MLM) to overweight from equal weight on valuation and expectations that infrastructure and highway spending will increase. The firm raised its target on shares to $105 from $95.
• Janney Montgomery upgraded Shutterfly (SFLY) to buy from neutral to reflect valuation and a reduced pricing overhang after Kodak (EK) raised its 4x6 prices. The firm raised its target on shares to $21 from $18.
• Thomas Weisel upgraded Entropic Communications (ENTR) to overweight from market weight. The firm thinks the company is well-positioned for revenue growth in 2010, partly due to MoCA deployments from new customers and design wins for its silicon tuner product. The firm set a $5 target.
• T. Rowe Price (TROW) was upgraded to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Massey Energy (MEE) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AOL, CKR, DKS, GEF, MLM, TROW ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AOL, CKR, DKS, GEF, MLM, TROW ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS) was shot out of a proverbial cannon Thursday morning, gaining more than 5% in the first minute of trading.

Ahead of the opening bell, Merill Lynch/Bank of America upgraded the stock to buy from neutral and lifted its price target by five bucks to $28.

The bank noted that fourth-quarter sales could be better than expected, as recent cold weather trends might send people into the stores looking to supplement their cold-weather wear. (Side note: negative 16 wind chill in Chicago today, and yes, I still love living here).

Continue reading Dick's Sporting Goods scores an upgrade

Dick's Sporting Goods scores an upgrade originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• American Express (NYSE:AXP) was upgraded to Market Perform from Underperform at FBR Capital, as the firm sees limited near-term downside in the stock. The firm raised its target price on the shares to $37 from $25.
  
• RBC Capital upgraded Estee Lauder (NYSE:EL) to Outperform from Sector Perform. Target to $44 from $34. UBS upgraded Nestle on expectations the company will begin returning cash to shareholders via buybacks and dividends.
  
• Piper Jaffray raised Dicks Sporting (NYSE:DKS) to Neutral from Underweight following positive channel checks and raised its target on the shares to $28 from $18.
  
• Sohu.com (NASDAQ:SOHU) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell by Pali Capital.
  
• Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) was raised to Buy from Hold by Natixis.
  
• Sunpower (NASDAQ:SPWRA) was upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Macquarie.
• China Automotive (NASDAQ:CAAS) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Merriman.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AXP, HAL, EL, MAT, CAT....

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AXP, HAL, EL, MAT, CAT.... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Merriman upgraded Sunpower (NASDAQ: SPWRA) two levels to Buy from Sell after transitioning coverage. The firm believes Sunpower is emerging from the current recession as the CleanTech leader and has a $38-$48 price range on shares.
• Citigroup upgraded Varian Medical (NYSE: VAR) to Buy from hold as it believes capex pressure and health care reform uncertainty is priced into shares, and demand will return as hospital budgets stabilize. Citi raised its target on shares to $45 from $36.
• FBR Capital upgraded Gap (NYSE: GPS) to Outperform from Market Perform following the Q2 results to reflect product improvement and ongoing inventory control. The firm raised its target on shares to $24 from $18.
• Schnitzer Steel (NASDAQ: SCHN) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at UBS.
• UDR Inc. (NYSE: UDR) was upgraded to Market Perform from Underperform at Wells Fargo.
• The Buckle (NYSE: BKE) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Roth Capital.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: DKS, GPS, NFLX, SPWRA, TIF ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: DKS, GPS, NFLX, SPWRA, TIF ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Nike, Inc. (NYSE: NKE), best known for its sporting apparel and footwear, reported earnings after the close today. Earnings per share, after certain adjustments, were $0.99 on $4.71 billion in revenue, compared to the $0.96 average expected from analysts. The consensus revenue target was $4.74 billion. Excluding non-comparable items, full year diluted EPS was up 10% to $3.81, although the company said worldwide futures orders were down 12% when the impact of currency changes were taken into account. Shares were off 1% during the trading day, and fell further shortly following the announcement.

Observers will be watching to see how well Nike's sales have held up as consumer spending has slowed, and whether or not the company is making strides in its effort to reduce costs and rationalize its advertising budget. Nike has cut 5% of its global workforce in an effort to save hundreds of millions, and management recently indicated that endorsement contract costs have fallen somewhat.

Continue reading Nike reports earnings, shares drop on weak futures orders

Nike reports earnings, shares drop on weak futures orders originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Kiplinger's suggests: Diageo (NYSE: DEO), the seller of such brands as Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Guinness and José Cuervo. Diageo has held up better than most during the recession -- thanks to a balanced portfolio of products, with higher exposure to mid-price, mainstream brands and less exposure to ultra-premium brands. The shares look reasonably priced. At $56.01, Diageo trades at 15 times estimated June 2009 earnings of $3.82 a share. The stock yields 2.8%.

• Another to consider: Molson Coors (NYSE: TAP), the seller of such brands as Coors, Blue Moon, Pilsner and Rickard's. Beer, probably even more so than hard liquor is supposed to hold better during a recession given the cheaper price point. The company's recent quarterly profits more than doubled. The shares trade at 13 times forward earnings of $3.33 and yield 2.2%.

Continue reading Five stocks for Father's Day from Kiplinger's ... and five more

Five stocks for Father's Day from Kiplinger's ... and five more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (NYSE: ANN) reported a smaller-than-expected Q1 loss as sales slumped.
• Barnes & Noble Inc. (NYSE: BKS) smaller-than-expected Q1 net loss sent shares higher.
• Children's Place Retail Stores Inc. (NASDAQ: PLCE) solid Q1 results were in line with expectations.
• Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. (NYSE: DKS) posted higher-than-expected Q1 results but same-store sales fell.
• Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) lower Q1 earnings beat expectations and lower revenue was in line.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: HP, Gap, Saks, Hormel, Barnes & Noble and more

Earnings highlights: HP, Gap, Saks, Hormel, Barnes & Noble and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 23 May 2009 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. (NYSE: DKS) reported higher-than-expected first quarter results Tuesday, while Saks Inc. (NYSE: SKS) posted a smaller-than-expected net loss for the first quarter.

For the first quarter ended May 2, Dick's posted a profit of $10.2 million, or $0.11 per share excluding items. Revenue increased 5% from a year ago to $959.7 million. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters had expected earnings of $0.07 a share on revenue of $914.3 million.

Continue reading Dick's falls, Saks rises on better-than-expected Q1 results

Dick's falls, Saks rises on better-than-expected Q1 results originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 19 May 2009 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I have waxed poetically about how much I like golf in the past -- some may even say that I am obsessed (like Tiger Woods' lawyers -- kidding). With the great city of Cincinnati finally wrapping up winter and seeing that bright glowing orb known as the sun, I can't help but think about getting out there on the links and destroying some landscaping.

One sure way to tell that golf season is right around the corner is when your local Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) starts touting itself as the golf headquarters. Well, guess what happened over the weekend? That's right, I saw my first golf commercial. My question is, will the start of golf season be enough to help the sports retailer put the recent downturn behind itself and push forward?

There can be no doubt that the recent downturn in the economy has beaten down and battered the retail sector, and DKS is no exception. On a weekly basis, the stock has descended steadily since 2007 -- wilting under pressure from its 10-, 20-, and 50-week moving averages.

Continue reading JockStocks: Is Dick's Sporting Goods about to tee off and drive higher?

JockStocks: Is Dick's Sporting Goods about to tee off and drive higher? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Aeropostale Inc. (NYSE: ARO) reported strong Q4 numbers as same-store sales increased.
• American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (NYSE: AEO) same-store sales fell in Q4 but earnings met expectations.
• ArcSight Inc. (NASDAQ: ARST) continued its growth in Q3 and it forecast continued growth.
• Buckle Inc. (NYSE: BKE) posted a better-than-expected Q4 profit and continued same-store sales growth.
• Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) CEO said in a memo that it earned a profit in the first two months of this quarter.
• Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. (NYSE: DKS) beat Q4 earnings estimates but same-store sales fell.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Citigroup, Kroger, Staples, J. Crew, National Semiconductor and more

Earnings highlights: Citigroup, Kroger, Staples, J. Crew, National Semiconductor and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 14 Mar 2009 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.