Analyst Upgrades

• Goodrich (GR) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Ford (F) to neutral from underperform and CenterPoint Energy (CNP) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Dollar Financial (DLLR) and Edwards Lifesciences (EW) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Alterra Capital (ALTE) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Cheesecake Factory (CAKE) and P.F. Chang's (PFCB) to buy from neutral, as well as SunTrust (STI) to neutral from sell, at Janney Capital.
• Arch Capital (ACGL), Axis Capital (AXS), PartnerRe (PRE), Everest Re (RE) and Transatlantic (TRH) to buy from hold, as well as W. R. Berkley (WRB) to hold from sell, at Citigroup.
• Optimer Pharm (OPTR) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.

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

• Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) earnings prospects may have encouraged the machinist union to strike.
• Ciena Corp. (NASDAQ: CIEN) Q3 results and weak guidance led shares to a new 52-week low.
• Corning Inc. (NYSE: GLW) lowered its Q3 earnings guidance below previous and analysts' forecasts.
• Dollar Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: DLLR) beat Q4 estimates and posted record 2008 results.
• Ericsson Telephone Co. (NASDAQ: ERIC) was downgraded because it could miss Q3 earnings expectations.
• Esterline Technologies (NYSE: ESL) topped Q3 expectations due to robust aerospace and defense markets.
• Joy Global Inc. (NASDAQ: JOYG) posted strong Q3 results due to a sharp increase in orders.
• Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT) backed away somewhat from its previous 2008 earnings guidance.
• Legg Mason Inc. (NYSE: LM) earnings prospects for the next several quarters led to an analyst downgrade.
• MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. (NYSE: WFR) mid quarter update warned of declining demand for chips.
• Navistar International Corp. (NYSE: NAV) was upgraded following a strong Q3 report.
• New York Times Co. (NYSE: NYT) ongoing losses haven't diminished Rupert Murdoch's interest in it.
• Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK) warned that it would miss earnings estimates due in part to weak sales.
• Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd. (NASDAQ: SNDA) better-than-expected Q2 led to an analyst upgrade.
• Staples Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS) Q2 earnings slipped while revenues rose, beating expectations.
• Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO) Q3 results soared but cut its Q4 guidance.
• Tenet Healthcare Corp. (NYSE: THC) was upgraded on its prospects for beating expectations.
• Terex Corp. (NYSE: TEX) warned that earnings for Q3 and Q4 would be lower than estimates.
• Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF) posted better-than-expected Q2 results and offered full-year guidance.
• Toll Brothers Inc. (NYSE: TOL) reported its fourth straight quarterly loss, but it was smaller than expected.

Also, Jim Cramer discusses a decline in earnings resulting from a collapse of oil and oil services.

Upcoming quarterly reports include Korn/Ferry (NYSE: KFY), Pep Boys (NYSE: PBY), Campbell Soup (NYSE: CPB), Krispy Kreme (NYSE: KKD), and Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ: LULU).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.

Dollar Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: DLLR) operates over 1,450 financially-oriented service stores in the U.S., Canada, Ireland and the U.K. Its customers are typically low to moderate income service sector earners, who don't use, or have access to banks. Services include check cashing, short-term consumer loans, money order/transfer products, reloadable debit cards, electronic tax filing, bill payment services and legal document processing. The company does business under the names Money Mart, Loan Mart, Insta-Cheques and Money Shop.

Dollar Financial pleased investors last week, when it reported fiscal Q4 EPS of 59 cents and revenues of $150.3 million. Analysts had been looking for 58 cents and $136.3 million. The CEO noted that fiscal 2008 brought record annual revenues and a record net income. Management also guided FY09 revenues to $595-$625 million, versus Street consensus of $586.28 million. JMP Securities subsequently reiterated its "market outperform" rating on the stock. Jefferies and Roth Capital reiterated their "buys".

Results for the tech stocks in last week's preview were a mixed bag, some beats, some misses, some in line. By and large, expectations for tech companies reporting results this week remain high, though. Here's what analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial are anticipating in the way of earnings, as compared to the same period of the previous year.

• Solarfun Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: SOLF): $1.48 EPS (+73.0%) on sales of $1.3 billion (+171.0%)
• Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: MRVL): $0.21 EPS (+71.4%) on sales of $836.7 million (+27.4%)
• Solera Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SLH): $0.29 EPS (+51.7%) on sales of $137.0 million (+11.8%)
• Applied Signal Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: APSG): $0.14 EPS (+42.9%) on sales of $46.4 million (+17.4%)
• China Finance Online Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: JRJC): $0.14 EPS (+42.6%) on sales of $13.3 million (+131.5%)
• OSI Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: OSIS): $0.38 EPS (+36.8%) on sales of $162.0 million (+6.0%)
• LaBarge Inc. (AMEX: LB): $0.27 EPS (+33.3%) on sales of $71.6 million (+10.4%)
• Esterline Technologies Corp. (NYSE: ESL): $0.69 EPS (+11.6%) on sales of $374.6 million (+14.8%)
• Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL): $0.36 EPS (+11.1%) on sales of $15.9 billion (+7.8%)
• HEICO Corp. (NYSE: HEI): $0.46 EPS (+13.0%) on sales of $147.1 million (+10.5%)
• Daktronics Inc. (NASDAQ: DAKT): $0.17 EPS (flat) on sales of $141.5 million (+17.0%)
• Novell Inc. (NASDAQ: NOVL): $0.05 EPS (flat) on sales of $241.4 million (-0.7%)
• Omnivision Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: OVTI): $0.29 EPS (-17.1%) on sales of $172.5 million (-0.4%)
• Sigma Designs Inc. (NASDAQ: SIGM): $0.39 EPS (-18.8%) on sales of $58.7 million (+37.9%)

Serving the "underbanked" segment of society has become big business and the leading firms in the group are in expansion mode. One of the biggest such companies runs the largest network of outlets in Canada and the U.K. and the second largest in the U.S.

Dollar Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: DLLR) operates nearly 1,300 financially-oriented service stores. Its customers are typically low to moderate income service sector earners, who don't use, or have access to banks. Services include check cashing, short-term consumer loans, money order/transfer products, reloadable debit cards, electronic tax filing, and bill payment services. Legal document processing is available in over 100 outlets. The company launched an Internet-based payday loan product in California last month and now intends to expand the offering to additional states.

Dollar Financial pleased investors last week, when it reported fiscal Q4 EPS of 48 cents and revenues of $109.1 million. Analysts had been looking for 47 cents and $107.2 million. In discussing the better-than-expected numbers, the CEO particularly noted the positive effects of the firm's expansion into new areas of the U.S. and also commented on solid revenue increases in Canada and the U.K. Further, management offered in-line guidance for FY08 results. Roth Capital subsequently reiterated its "buy" recommendation on the stock and boosted its price target to $36.

Credit card debt has been soaring since the home equity loan market dried up, according to MacroMavens (subscription required). Leading companies in this space include America Advance (NYSE:AEA), Cash America (NYSE:CSH), Dollar Financial (NASDAQ:DLLR), EZCORP (NASDAQ:EZPW) and ACE Cash (NYSE:ACE). Many have seen revenues jump 50% during the past three years but could now be headed for trouble.

While credit card debt has been increasing, home equity loans have been declining and lending terms have become much more stringent, thereby reducing the risk exposure for these companies.

In the Alan Abelson Barron's column (subscription required) this past weekend, MacroMavens suggested shorting the subprime credit card companies and going long Fannie Mae (NYSE:FNM). MacroMavens also suggested shorting regional banks and mortgage brokers.