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

• Keefe Bruyette upgraded East West Bancorp (EWBC) to outperform from market perform after the company acquired assets from Washington First International Bank. The firm has a $21 price target for shares.
• Piper Jaffray upgraded Amylin (AMLN) to overweight from neutral, citing valuation and Bydureon's profile. The firm maintains a $26 price target for shares.
• Soleil upgraded MGM Mirage (MGM) to hold from sell, citing signs of stabilization in Vegas and valuation. The firm upped its target for shares to $13 from $11.10.
• T. Rowe Price (TROW) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• JetBlue (JBLU) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• NetEase.com (NTES) was upgraded to buy from hold at Standpoint Research.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMLN, AMR, EWBC, FSYS, LGF, LUV, MGM, PLOW, SXCI, TROW ...

Analyst Calls: AMLN, AMR, EWBC, FSYS, LGF, LUV, MGM, PLOW, SXCI, TROW ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Jefferies upgraded Netflix (NFLX) to buy from hold and has a $65 target, citing stronger than expected momentum following the Q4 report and guidance. Merriman upgraded Netflix to buy from neutral following the company's better-than-expected Q4 results as it sees upside in shares to the $66 to $75 range. Shares were also upgraded to buy from underperform at BofA/Merrill.
• Citigroup upgraded Rockwell Automation (ROK) to hold from sell following the company's better-than-expected Q1 results and raised FY10 guidance. Citi raised its target on shares to $52 from $35.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded Textainer (TGH) to buy from hold to reflect improved container fundamentals and potential fleet growth. The firm keeps a $19 price target on shares.
• STMicroelectronics (STM) was upgraded to neutral from underweight at Piper Jaffray.
• Caterpillar (CAT) was upgraded to neutral from sell at UBS.
• Apache (APA) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: APA, BKC, CAT, NFLX, KFT, QCOM, ROK ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: APA, BKC, CAT, NFLX, KFT, QCOM, ROK ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• B. Riley upgraded Hot Topic (HOTT), citing valuation, increased holiday traffic once promotions began, and views upcoming difficult Q4/Q1 comps as a buying opportunity ahead of a turnaround. The firm has a target of $8.30 on shares.
• Wunderlich upgraded RAM Energy (RAME) as it believes that the company has successfully survived a difficult year. The firm thinks the company's debt level is high but manageable while its production should increase over the next several years. The firm set a $4 target on shares.
• Roth Capital upgraded Actuate (ACTU), citing recent share weakness, the recent Xenos deal and the improving economy, both of which should improve growth. The firm has a target of $5.50 on the shares.
• Finish Line (FINL) upgraded to buy from neutral at Stern Agee.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: ACTU, EWBC, FINL, FTNT, GIII, HOTT, RAME ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: ACTU, EWBC, FINL, FTNT, GIII, HOTT, RAME ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Bulls gutting bears (ATVI, EWBC, GE, JASO, ENZN, MCD)

Closing Bell: Bulls gutting bears (ATVI, EWBC, GE, JASO, ENZN, MCD) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Jefferies upgraded Consolidated Edison (NYSE: ED) to Buy from Hold on expectations the company will be able to reach a settlement with the New York PSC Staff that will provide benefits to both ratepayers and shareholders. The firm raised its target on shares to $46 from $40.50.
• Keefe Bruyette upgraded Public Storage (NYSE: PSA) to Market Perform from Underperform to reflect the company's balance sheet, industry leading position, and potential for accretive acquisitions. The firm raised its target on shares to $75 from $57.
• JPMorgan upgraded Big Lots (NYSE: BIG) to Overweight from Neutral to reflect valuation and industry data points that suggest a pick-up in discretionary spending. The firm has a $30 target on the stock.
• Alcoa (NYSE: AA) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank.
• East West Bancorp (NASDAQ: EWBC) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Keefe Bruyette.
• Bronco Drilling (NYSE: BDC) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at UBS.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AA, BIG, ED, FDX, MGM, MSFT, SKS ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AA, BIG, ED, FDX, MGM, MSFT, SKS ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Trillions of dollars have been introduced into the world economy since last July, when I thought it would be interesting to jump in and pick stocks prior to the carnage in the financial sector taking complete hold.

For the past eight months our government has been taking over financial institutions, absorbing debt, lowering interest rates, nationalizing some private companies, investing in others, and rebating taxes through stimulus packages to increase liquidity and spending. The Federal Reserve has essentially dropped the interest to zero.

The government was the last to announce that we are in a recession. Well, duh! However, recession or not the world is still open for business although less of it. Gold is down 30% from it's highs and oil having totally collapsed from $147 a barrel at the time of the original story to the low $30's now.

The original story was Serious Money: Tempting fate with 10 financials -- buying into a pool of financial stocks at a time when these stocks went unloved by all.

Continue reading Chasing Value: reviewing financial ruins MBI, MER, WB, WM

Chasing Value: reviewing financial ruins MBI, MER, WB, WM originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Around the world, governments are flooding the market with new currency in order to stem the tide of bank collapses and slippery stock market slopes. They are taking over financial institutions, absorbing debt, lowering interest rates, nationalizing some private companies, investing in others, and rebating taxes through stimulus packages to increase liquidity and spending.

So far all we can say is that the world is still open for business, but it is a different world. Even gold and oil are down significantly.

In concert with world markets, the stocks in my daring (maybe fool hardy) story I posted a few months ago Serious Money: Tempting fate with 10 financials -- buying into a pool of financial stocks at a time when the "hate 'em" factor was at a peak, or so I thought -- are down even more. I think I am turning into the web's leading glutton for punishment by posting such stories. However, while my stock ideas have taken a beating now and then, I hope my integrity has remained intact.

I took some major lumps during the collapse of Washington Mutual (NYSE: WM) as I candidly posted, Chasing Value: Not -- WaMu one week later - ouch!, and I lost some money also.

Nine of the ten financial stocks I wrote about are down or out at this point. When I last reported, the portfolio was losing 4.8%, and now it is losing 47% to date, not counting dividends. Only MBIA Inc. (NYSE: MBI) is up and there are question marks about this company too.

Continue reading Chasing Value: Money flood & bank mud

Chasing Value: Money flood & bank mud originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Stock picks and pans for troubled times: AAPL, COST, EWBC, IBM, YUM, PG ...

Stock picks and pans for troubled times: AAPL, COST, EWBC, IBM, YUM, PG ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Serious Money: Up stocks on bad day -- AAPL, EWBC, IRBT & MET

Serious Money: Up stocks on bad day -- AAPL, EWBC, IRBT & MET originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If not for the collapse of Washington Mutual (NYSE: WM) this week, I would probably not have posted this saga so soon after last Monday's report. However, since I was a shareholder of WaMu and thought there was value in it when I posted Chasing Value: Are you watching WaMu? I felt it was time to take my lumps.

I cannot go on ranting and raving about the failures and deceptions of others without making sure that I am forthright and transparent myself. I did post Chasing Value: Not -- WaMu one week later - ouch! but now WaMu is toast and so is some of my money.

Since I posted Serious Money: Tempting fate with 10 financials, the results of buying into the following pool of financial stocks at a time when the "hate 'em" factor was at a peak, with each passing day investors have found something more to hate.

The portfolio is losing 4.8% to date, not counting dividends. Some of my colleagues thought it was way too early to get back into the financial sector; seems that way now, and one read me the riot act for reporting the story so soon on MBIA Inc. (NYSE: MBI) being up substantially.

Continue reading Chasing Value: WaMu gone, vultures circling for more

Chasing Value: WaMu gone, vultures circling for more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Almost two months have passed since I posted Serious Money: Tempting fate with 10 financials - the results of buying into the following pool of financial stocks at a time when the "hate 'em" factor was at a peak, or so I thought. Now things are even worse, much worse, and a new market bottom was reached only last week.

Trying to predict where this market will go is not possible, but there are many ways to play it. I chose to buy into a pool of financial stocks, believing the survivors would post gains that would overshadow the losers.

When I last updated this story, the pool of stocks was up 26%. Things have gotten worse, but the group is still up 13.89% plus the dividends. This is better than any of the indices, although it is much more speculative.

There was plenty of big news since the last report. While Lehman Brothers Holdings (OTC: LEHMQ) went bankrupt, MBIA Inc (NYSE: MBI) made up for it by more than doubling. Meanwhile, Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER) is in survival mode supported by a Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) buyout offer. Seven stocks are up, two are down and one is gone (returns from July 29 prices):

Continue reading Chasing Value: Financial devastation? Still up but less

Chasing Value: Financial devastation? Still up but less originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) -- $18.45 down 63% from its 52 week high of $49.90; closed yesterday at $19.11, UP 3.57%
  
• Lehman Br Holdings (NYSE: LEH) -- $16.88 down 75% from its 52 week high of $67.73; closed yesterday at $16.13, down 4.44%
• Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER) -- $26.25 down 67% from its 52 week high of $79.72; closed yesterday at $27.75, UP 5.7%.
• MBIA Inc (NYSE: MBI) -- $4.92 down 93% from its 52 week high of $68.98; closed yesterday at $16.14, UP 228%.
• E*TRADE (NASDAQ: ETFC) -- $3.06 down 84% from its 52 week high of $19.39; closed yesterday at $3.25, UP 6.2.
• East West Bancorp (NASDAQ: EWBC) -- $12.46 down 67% from its 52 week high of $20.88; closed yesterday at $13.01, UP 4.4%.
• Gramercy Capital (NYSE: GKK) -- $6.72 down 77% from its 52 week high of $29.45; closed yesterday at $6.80, UP 1.2%.
• Newcastle Investment (NYSE: NCT) -- $5.88 down 72% from its 52 week high of $20.88; closed yesterday at $6.89, UP 17.18%.
• Wachovia Corp. (NYSE: WB) -- $15.70 down 70% from its 52 week high of $53.10; closed yesterday at $16.65, UP 6%.
• Washington Mutual (NYSE: WM) -- $4.43 down 89% from its 52 week high of $39.48; closed yesterday at $4.24, down 4.29%

Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture & planning firm. He writes the columns Chasing Value and Serious Money. Disclosure: I own shares of MBI, NCT & WM.

Chasing Value: Financials risky but up 26% originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Chinese markets: The truth will set you free -- maybe

Chinese markets: The truth will set you free -- maybe originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After the market closed last night, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rebounding from Monday's notable drop and ending the trading day at 11,397.56, up 266.48 (+2.39%), I posted Serious Money: 10 finance stocks as the market bounces. This is the follow-up post listing the full pool of speculative stocks that as a group I believe will beat the overall market in the next 12 months.

The prediction business is thankless and the speculative business is even worse; it is often painful. I usually refrain from this activity but today I play the contrarian in a Sir John Templeton (RIP) sort of way, jumping into the stock market's worst performing sector with both feet. I believe the market is at or near a bottom and this summer is the time to buy.

Looking for a break in the clouds, yesterday I started choosing ten stocks knowing that three or four may go to zero, a few more will survive with modest gains, and three or four will rise, not returning to their old glory soon but more than covering the ones that fail. The first four picks have been bleeding all over Wall Street for a year now and the blood-letting is not done yet.

Initially I was looking for stocks that had fallen at least 70%. After reviewing my figures, I have compromised and changed that to 63% so that I could include some of the major companies like Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) that are broadly held and have strong reader interest. Prices are as of July 29, 2008.

Continue reading Serious Money: Tempting fate with 10 financials

Serious Money: Tempting fate with 10 financials originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Credit Suisse initiated the medical supplies and devices sector with a Market Weight rating and started shares of Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE: EW) and Becton, Dickinson and Co (NYSE: BDX) with Outperform ratings and Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) and Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX) with Neutral ratings.
  
• East West Bancorp (NASDAQ: EWBC) was initiated with a Buy rating and $36 target at B. Riley; the firm's target implies a 23.1% potential total return over the next twelve months including the stock's 1.35% dividend yield.
  
• Tempur Pedic (NYSE: TPX) was started with an Outperform rating at William Blair, as they find the current valuation attractive for long-term investor given the company's strong position in the specialty sleep products.
  
• Deutsche Bank resumed coverage of AbitibiBowater (NYSE: ABH) with a Hold rating and $29 target, citing the strength of the Canadian dollar and difficult newsprint fundamentals.

• Banc of America initiated shares of JA Solar (NASDAQ: JASO) and Trina Solar (NYSE: TSL) with Buy ratings and targets of $73 and $76, and initiated Horizon Lines (NYSE: HRZ) and Solarfun Power (NASDAQ: SOLF) with Neutral ratings and targets of $34 and $14.

Analyst initiations: Medical supples and devices sector, EWBC, TPX and ABH originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 Nov 2007 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Credit Suisse initiated shares of Allied Waste Industries Inc (NYSE: AW), Republic Services Inc (NYSE: RSG) and Waste Management Inc (NYSE: WMI) with Outperform ratings and a $16 target, $35 target and $45 target, respectively.
• Bernstein initiated the machinery and capital goods sector, initiating shares of Caterpillar Inc (NYSE: CAT) and Illinois Tool Works Inc (NYSE: ITW) with Outperform ratings and a $100 target and $68 target, respectively and Deere & Company (NYSE: DE), Eaton Corporation (NYSE: ETN), Ingersoll-Rand Company Ltd (NYSE: IR) and Parker-Hannifin Corporation (NYSE: PH) with Market Perform ratings.
• Sandler initiated shares of Preferred Bank Los Angeles CA (NASDAQ: PFBC) and UCBH Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: UCBH) with Buy ratings and shares of Cathay General Bancorp (NASDAQ: CATY) and East West Bancorp, Inc (NASDAQ: EWBC) with Hold ratings.

• Golfsmith International Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: GOLF) was initiated at Wedbush with a Buy rating and $8.75 target, as the firm believes the company is an attractive growth story and buyout candidate.
• Pharmasset Inc (NASDAQ: VRUS) was initiated with a Buy rating and $12 target at Banc of America, as the firm believes Clevudine has the potential to be best in class for the treatment of the hepatitis B virus.
• Ciena Corporation (NASDAQ: CIEN) was initiated with an Outperform rating and $40 target at Piper Jaffray.

Analyst initiations 6-06-07: AW, RSG and WMI originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 06 Jun 2007 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.