Analyst Upgrades

• B. Riley upgraded Prosperity Bancshares (PRSP) to buy from neutral after the company acquired 19 Texas branches of Missouri-based First Bank. The firm has a $45 price target on shares.
• JPMorgan upgraded Fortinet (FTNT) to overweight from neutral on valuation following the recent pullback in shares. The firm has a $20 price target on the stock.
• Wells Fargo upgraded Lamar Advertising (LAMR) to outperform from market perform. The firm believes the stock's risk/reward ratio is compelling, as its checks indicate that advertising continues to accelerate in Q1.
• Caterpillar (CAT) was upgraded to overweight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.
• SAP AG (SAP) was upgraded to market perform from underperform at FBR Capital.
• BioMarin (BMRN) was raised to buy from hold at Roth Capital.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: CAT, ERTS, FTNT, GME, PRSP, SAP, TWX ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: CAT, ERTS, FTNT, GME, PRSP, SAP, TWX ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The earnings season, like the calendar year, is winding down. The sprinkling of quarterly results scheduled for this coming week include S&P 500 components AutoZone (AZO), Ciena (CIEN), H&R Block (HRB) and National Semiconductor (NSM), as well as Dollar General (DG), Imperial Sugar (IPSU), Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (KKD), Men's Wearhouse (MW), Talbots (TLB) and others.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect to see strong year-over-year and sequential EPS growth from luxury watchmaker Movado Group Inc. (MOV). During its third quarter of fiscal 2010, this Paramus, N.J.-based company was recognized for its innovative use of technology and it reported a big profit decline for the second quarter.

Continue reading The week in preview: Profit expectations for Costco, Kroger, Movado and others

The week in preview: Profit expectations for Costco, Kroger, Movado and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Janney Montgomery upgraded Dreamworks (DWA) to buy from neutral on valuation and believes Dragon will be a major hit. The firm has a $45 target on the stock.
• Thomas Weisel upgraded Gildan Activewear (GIL) to market weight from underweight, citing expectations for increased market shares in the U.S. screen print channel. The firm raised its target to $17 from $12.
• P.F. Chang's (PFCB) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.
• PEPCO Holdings (POM) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Arris (ARRS) was upgraded to buy from neutral at UBS.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: DOLE, DWA, ESRX, FOSL, GIL, HR, STZ ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: DOLE, DWA, ESRX, FOSL, GIL, HR, STZ ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Citigroup upgraded Cooper Industries (NYSE: CBE) to Buy from Hold on valuation as it believes commercial construction concerns are well known. The firm raised its target on shares to $40 from $37, and coupled the upgrade with a downgrade of Rockwell Automation (NYSE: ROK) to Sell from Hold.
• Credit Suisse upgraded BJ Services (NYSE: BJS) to Neutral from Underperform following its acquisition by Baker Hughes (NYSE: BHI). The firm raised its target to $17.
• Credit Suisse also upgraded Amkor Technology (NASDAQ: AMKR) to Outperform from Neutral and raised its target to $8 from $7. The firm expects Amkor to benefit from near-term strength in the supply chain and the mix shift towards higher value packaging.
• Textron (NYSE: TXT) was upgraded to Conviction Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
• Siemens (NYSE: SI) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at UBS.
• Stanley Works (NYSE: SWK) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Janney Montgomery.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ANF, BJS, CBE, GENZ, ROK, SI ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ANF, BJS, CBE, GENZ, ROK, SI ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Last week offered mixed messages about whether an economic recovery is indeed underway. The unemployment figures were not as bad as feared, but July sales numbers were nothing to write home about, despite the wild popularity of the so-called cash-for-clunkers program.

The question is, where has consumer confidence (and consumer spending) been? Retail is a good place to look, and as it turns out, this week several shopping mall and strip mall favorites will be reporting earnings for the most recent quarter.

Continue reading The week in preview: Eye on retail -- Walmart, Macy's, Blockbuster ...

The week in preview: Eye on retail -- Walmart, Macy's, Blockbuster ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 09 Aug 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As earnings season begins to wind down, some apparel retailers are scheduled to report quarterly results this week. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters anticipate that Walmart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), the 800-pound gorilla in the space, will report that it earned $0.77 per share in the first quarter, about the same as in the first quarter of last year. But JCPenney Co. (NYSE: JCP), Kohl's Corp. (NYSE: KSS), Nordstrom Inc. (NYSE: JWN), and Urban Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN) are expected to report lower profits for the first quarter as consumers continued to hold off on spending. Macy's Inc. (NYSE: M) and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) are expected to have swung to a loss year over year.

Whole Foods Market Inc. (NASDAQ: WFMI) and Winn Dixie Stores Inc. (NASDAQ: WINN) are likewise expected to report declining earnings, while the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (NYSE: GAP), parent of the A&P supermarket chain, is expected to have narrowed its net loss 68.9% to $0.28 per share.

Continue reading The week in preview: A peek at apparel retail earnings

The week in preview: A peek at apparel retail earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 10 May 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Goldman upgraded Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU) to Buy from Neutral and added shares to its Conviction Buy List. The analyst expects Baidu to benefit from growth in paid search in China, where growth is expected to be 30% annually.
  
• Friedman Billings upgraded shares of Corporate Office Properties (NYSE: OFC) to Outperform from Market Perform to reflect the company's exposure to the "sound" Washington, D.C., market and "favorable" liquidity position.
  
• Soleil upgraded Sunoco (NYSE: SUN) to Buy from Hold and raised its target to $45 from $38 on the strength of the company's non-refining segment.
• Mosaic (NYSE: MOS), Potash (NYSE: POT), Intrepid Potash (NYSE: IPI) and Terra Industries (NYSE: TRA) were upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Merrill Lynch.
  
• Kroger (NYSE: KR) was upgraded to Neutral from Underweight at JP Morgan.

• Jefferies downgraded shares of Bronco Drilling (NASDAQ: BRNC) to Underperform from Hold and lowered its target to $4.50 from $7.50 on valuation and their expectations for a rig decline in U.S. drilling activity.
  
• Morgan Stanley cut Credit Suisse (NYSE: CS) to Equal Weight from Overweight into reporting season on concerns of further impairment charges.
  
• Deutsche Bank downgraded Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) to Sell from Hold to reflect challenges in the handset market.
• Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) was lowered to Sell from Hold at WestLB.
  
• BT Group (NYSE: BT) was slashed at JP Morgan to Underweight from Neutral.
  
• Sovereign Bancorp (NYSE: SOV) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Keefe Bruyette.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: BIDU, POT, SUN, KR, CS, BAC, UBS ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: BIDU, POT, SUN, KR, CS, BAC, UBS ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Update Nov. 26, 2008: See all 2008 Black Friday deals.

Hip retailer Urban Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN) is expected to post earnings 22.9% higher than a year ago, to $0.35 per share, on revenue of $475.9 million (+26.4%). The Philadelphia-based company already said that same-store sales in the quarter were 10% higher. Urban Outfitters has beat expectations in recent quarters, by 11.5% in the previous quarter, and analysts on average recommend buying URBN. Shares fell to a 52-week low of $16.61 per share on Friday, and are down 29.5% from a year ago. Other companies expected to report more modest earnings growth in the coming week include watch and accessory maker Fossil Inc. (NASDAQ: FOSL), retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), and TJX Companies Inc. (NYSE: TJX), parent of such discount retail chains as T.J. Maxx and Marshalls. These three companies have tended to top analysts estimates in recent quarters, and Fossil and TJX ended the week near their 52-week lows.

While Los Angeles-based American Apparel Inc. (AMEX: APP) had a strong second quarter, the casual wear maker is expected to report $0.13 per share earnings for the third quarter, the same as in the year-ago period. And analysts anticipate that Kohl's Corp. (NYSE: KSS) will report that profits fell 16.4% to $0.51 per share on revenue of $3.9 billion (+1.9%). Though same-store sales for October fell 9%, the Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based company reaffirmed its third-quarter forecast. Kohl's has offered positive surprises in recent quarters, topping estimates by 5.6% in the previous quarter. The consensus recommendation remains to buy KSS. Shares have been climbing after reaching a 52-week low in late October, but are still down 32.8% from a year ago.

Continue reading The week in preview: Macy's, Nordstrom, Abercrombie, JCPenney, and Kohl's

The week in preview: Macy's, Nordstrom, Abercrombie, JCPenney, and Kohl's originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 09 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Baird expects Thor Industries (NYSE: THO) to benefit from industry consolidation and the eventual recovery. Shares were upgraded to Neutral from Underperform.
  
• Jefferies upgraded SPSS Inc. (NASDAQ: SPSS) to Buy from Hold on valuation and believes the company's cost cuts will be positive for EPS. The company's target was lowered to $28 from $29.
  
• Banc of America upgraded shares of Entergy (NYSE: ETR) to Buy from Neutral on valuation and believes the company is unlikely to spin-off Enexus by year-end. They believe a spin-off in 2009 or no spin at all suggests a higher share price from current levels. The company's target was raised to $104 from $101.50.
• AMN Healthcare (NYSE: AMN) was upgraded to hold from Sell at Citigroup.
  
• Argus upgraded Choice Hotels (NYSE: CHH) to Hold from Sell.
  
• Transdigm Group (NYSE: TDG) was lifted to Buy from Neutral at UBS.

Analyst downgrades:

Continue reading Analyst calls: ETR, THO, AMN, DF, FOSL, NSRGY . . .

Analyst calls: ETR, THO, AMN, DF, FOSL, NSRGY . . . originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Albany Molecular Research Inc. (NASDAQ: AMRI) topped estimates and raised its full-year guidance.
• Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) Q3 earnings and revenues tumbled but beat low expectations.
• Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) fell short of Q3 earnings expectations due to rising materials costs.
• Estee Lauder Cos. Inc. (NYSE: EL) posted strong Q4 results that led shares to a new 52-week high.
• Fossil Inc. (NASDAQ: FOSL) posted better-than-expected Q2 earnings and lifted its full-year forecast.
• JCPenney Co. Inc. (NYSE: JCP) Q2 profit slipped but still topped analysts' expectations.
• LDK Solar Ltd. (NYSE: LDK) Q2 net income soared, easily beating analysts' estimates.
• Liz Claiborne Inc. (NYSE: LIZ) rebounded from its tumble after its disappointing Q2 report.
• MBIA Inc. (NYSE: MBI) posted strong Q2 results despite downgrades of its financial ratings.
• Newcastle Investments Corp. (NYSE: NCT) despite negative earnings, it announced a quarterly dividend.
• Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA) posted dismal Q2 results and announced a share buyback program.
• Sysco Corp. (NYSE: SYY) Q4 earnings topped expectaitons on demand for bulk food products.
• TJX Cos. (NYSE: TJX) strong Q2 results fell short of expectations, as did the Q3 earnings forecast.
• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) topped Q2 estimates due to bargain seekers and international sales.

Also, Jim Cramer warns against bearishness on the financials and also suggests that the collapse of commodities will buoy earings.

For more highlights from this week, see: Abercrombie, Macy's, Kohl's, Sirius, UBS, Wachovia and others

Upcoming quarterly reports include Lowe's (NYSE: LOW), Home Depot (NYSE: HD), Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ), Target (NYSE: TGT), La-Z-Boy (NYSE: LZB), Saks (NYSE: SKS), BJ's Wholesale (NYSE: BJ), Limited Brands (NYSE: LTD), Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS), Burger King (NYSE: BKC), Gap (NYSE: GPS), Heinz (NYSE: HNZ), and Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.

Earnings highlights: Wal-Mart, JCPenney, MBIA, Deere, Applied Materials and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fossil, Inc. (NASDAQ: FOSL), the maker of watches and trendy apparel, surprised the Street this morning with stronger-than-expected second-quarter earnings. The retailer multiplied the positive momentum by boosting its full-year forecast. This double dose of good news has sent shares of Fossil more than 8% higher in early-morning trading.

For the recently concluded quarter, net income soared 71% to $25.1 million, or 36 cents per share, while net sales jumped 15% to $353.2 million. The results exceeded Fossil's own forecast, provided in May, for a profit of 29 cents per share on sales growth of 12% to 14%. Analysts had even more modest expectations, with the consensus calling for a profit of 25 cents per share on $346.9 million in revenue.

Digging deeper into the second-quarter figures, gross margin rose from 49.1% to 53.9%, thanks to cost-cutting initiatives and inventory management. Same-store sales climbed 5.7%, while direct-to-consumer sales surged 25%. Domestic watch sales grew by 2.3%, and international wholesale sales rose 20% (or 9.5%, excluding currency fluctuations).

Continue reading Fossil, Inc. (FOSL) catches the shorts off-guard with strong 2Q report

Fossil, Inc. (FOSL) catches the shorts off-guard with strong 2Q report originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Even with the stimulus checks, retail sales numbers for June and July have been nothing to cheer about. And this coming week should provide another look at how things have been shaping up in the apparel and accessories arena. A number of companies are scheduled to release quarterly numbers, from upscale retailer Nordstrom to the parent of discounter TJ Maxx, from hipster Urban Outfitters to global giant Wal-Mart. Here's a look at what Wall Street is anticipating.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial expect the following to report strong earnings growth when compared to the same period of the previous year.

• Urban Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN): $0.30 EPS (+36.7%) on revenue of $448.5 million (+28.7%)
• Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. (NYSE: EL): $0.56 EPS (+19.6%) on revenue of $1.9 billion (+9.4%)
• TJX Cos. Inc. (NYSE: TJX): $0.46 EPS (+17.4%) on revenue of $4.6 billion (+6.8%)
• Fossil Inc. (NASDAQ: FOSL): $0.25 EPS (+16%) on revenue of $346.8 million (+13.2%)
• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT): $0.84 EPS (+14.3%) on revenue of $101.7 billion (+9.3%)
• Elizabeth Arden Inc. (NASDAQ: RDEN): $0.22 EPS (+9.1%) on revenue of $237.6 million (-2.1/%)
• Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF): $0.93 EPS (+5.4%) on revenue of $872 million (+8.4%)

Continue reading The week in preview: Wal-Mart profits expected to rise, JCPenney's to fall

The week in preview: Wal-Mart profits expected to rise, JCPenney's to fall originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 10 Aug 2008 12:30:00 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) sees Q1 profits beating estimates but reaffirmed the full-year outlook.
• Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE: BBI) beat Q1 earnings expectations but fell short of revenue estimates.
• Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) posted strong Q4 and full-year results on titles such as Rock Band.
• Fossil Inc. (NASDAQ: FOSL) forecast Q1 earnings just a penny below analysts' estimates.
• IMAX Corp. (NASDAQ: IMAX) doubled its Q1 loss and missed Wall Street's expectations.
• JC Penney Co. Inc. (NYSE: JCP) profits fell 50%, and it predicted trouble would continue through the year.
• Kohl's Corp. (NYSE: KSS) posted a smaller-than-estimated Q1 profit decline and cut its full-year outlook.
• Liz Claiborne Inc. (NYSE: LIZ) swung to a Q1 loss on restructuring but beat analysts' expectations.
• Lumber Liquidators Inc. (NYSE: LL) posted strong Q1 results despite the housing slump.
• Macy's (NYSE: M) beat low Q1 expectations despite weak same-store sales.
• Nissan Motor Corp. (NASDAQ: NSANY) Q4 profit surged but it warned of lower profits this year.
• Nordstrom Inc. (NYSE: JWN) posted smaller-than-estimated Q1 profit decline and cut its full-year outlook.
• Priceline.com Inc. (NASDAQ: PCLN) beat Q1 expectations due to increased bookings.
• Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) posted a narrower Q1 loss in line with expectations.
• Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE) swung to a Q4 profit but fell short of Wall Street estimates.
• Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S) beat low Q1 estimates as its loss widened on charges and lost subscribers.
• Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF) projected beating Q1 earnings forecasts and raised its dividend.
• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) posted Q1 profits up on international growth and bargain shoppers.
• Whole Foods Market Inc. (NASDAQ: WFMI) Q2 profits fell due to the Wild Oats acquistion.
• XM Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: XMSR) reported a bigger-than-expected Q1 loss and a surge in subscribers.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Wal-Mart, Macy's, Sony, Sprint, Sirius, Whole Foods and others

Earnings highlights: Wal-Mart, Macy's, Sony, Sprint, Sirius, Whole Foods and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 17 May 2008 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For a bearish hedged play on this stock, I would consider a September bear-call credit spread above the $45 range. A bear-call credit spread is an options position that combines the purchase and sale of call options to hedge risk in case the stock doesn't do what you think but still leverage nice returns. For this particular trade, we will make a 6.4% return in four and a half months as long as FOSL is below $45 at September expiration. Fossil would have to rise by more than 33% before we would start to lose money. Learn more about this type of trade here.

Continue reading Fossil (FOSL) plummets on weak forecast

Fossil (FOSL) plummets on weak forecast originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 13 May 2008 15:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Although Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE: DAL) would like to merge with either UAL Corporation's (NASDAQ: UAUA) United Airlines or Northwest Airlines Corporation (NYSE: NWA), the company is close to Air France-KLM (NYSE: AKH), and together the two may be able to better shape a deal, the Wall Street Journal's "Heard on the Street" reported.
• The Wall Street Journal also reported that recent acquisitions by Sun Microsystems Inc (NASDAQ: JAVA) and Oracle Corporation (NASDAQ: ORCL) have suggested factors like a slowing economy could kick the high-tech deals into a "higher gear".
• Following a risk/reward reassessment, UBS AG (NYSE: UBS) decided to wind down its Switzerland-based private banking business for rich U.S. clients; the decision was announced internally in late December, but confirmed publicly this week, the Financial Times reported.

• According to the Economic Times, after the dissolution of a proposed joint venture with Rajesh Exports, Fossil Incorporated (NASDAQ: FOSL), the U.S. fashion accessories giant, is set to enter India on its own.

Newspaper wrap-up: Delta, Air France may be able to shape a deal originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Banc of America downgraded semiconductor stocks as they believe the cyclical recovery that began in early 2007 has "run its course." Banc of America reduced its estimates for sales of integrated circuits in 2008 and lowered their 2008 semiconductor sales growth to 7% from 11%. The firm downgraded Advanced Micro (NYSE: AMD) to Sell from Neutral as they believe the company's Barcelona product will not stem market share losses in servers and desktops vs. Intel (NASDAQ: INTC). They also believe AMD's cost structure will be pressured by higher depreciation and higher material costs in 2008.
  
• JP Morgan downgraded Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) to Neutral from Overweight citing continued weakness in volumes vs. easy Q4 comps, lack of visibility into an upturn and lack of catalysts.
  
• Citigroup lowered its rating on Textron (NYSE: TXT) to Hold from Buy on valuation, as they see a less compelling risk/reward following the 2007 rally.

• Fossil (NASDAQ: FOSL) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Piper.
  
• CIBC downgraded UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH) to Sector Performer from Sector Outperformer.
  
• Deutsche Bank downgraded Harte-Hanks (NYSE: HHS) to Sell from Hold.

Analyst downgrades: Semiconductors, Norfolk Southern, Textron originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) beat expectations in both earnings and revenues.
• Bob Evans Farms Inc. (NASDAQ: BOBE) beat estimates despite rising labor and commodities costs.
• Cimatron Ltd. (NASDAQ: CIMT) reported record revenues and improved profits.
• FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) cut its outlook, leading the share price to a 52-week low.
• Fossil Inc. (NASDAQ: FOSL) had a strong quarter due to international sales and cost cutting.
• Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD) profits declined due to the housing slowdown.
• JCPenney Co. (NYSE: JCP) beat low expectations despite it first profit decline in three quarters.
• PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE: PEP), reaffirmed its full-year forecast after the recent restructuring announcement.
• Sotheby's (NYSE: BID) narrowed its losses, due largely to higher auction and private sale commissions.
• Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX) met expectations but lowered its guidance.
• Tandy Brands Accessories Inc. (NASDAQ: TBAC) posted losses due to overreliance on a single customer.
• TJX Cos. (NYSE: TJX) fell short of expectations but offered sunny full-year guidance.
• Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE: TYC) beat expectations and offered "cautiously optimistic" outlook.
• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) beat estimates on improved U.S. performance and international growth.

Jim Cramer offers three tests for financial stocks. Zac Bissonnette examines the relationship between earnings and the number of press releases generated by a company.

Upcoming results to watch for include: Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ), Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT), Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFMI), Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF), Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS), and Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.

Earnings highlights: Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Starbucks, and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 17 Nov 2007 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When it comes to fashion, some firms just seem to have a knack for running with the trendy leaders. One of them is a Richardson, Texas outfit that makes so many different popular accessories that it's sometimes difficult to remember that the company's main product is watches.

Fossil (NASDAQ: FOSL) designs, markets and distributes fashion watches and accessories. Brands include its own Fossil and Relic timepieces, plus private-label watches for Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS) and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT). The company also produces watches for name fashion designers and distributes such trendy fashion accessories as leather goods, sunglasses, and a line of apparel. Its products are sold through department stores, specialty shops, the Internet and through more than 200 company stores.

The firm had good news for investors earlier in the week, when it announced Q3 EPS of 46 cents and revenues of $358.6 million. Analysts had been expecting 34 cents and $343.2 million. Management also guided Q4 EPS to 67 cents (67 cent consensus), predicted FY07 EPS of $1.79 ($1.58 consensus) and announced a two million share repurchase program. The CFO expressed confidence in the company's globally diversified business model. More than half of Fossil's sales are generated outside the United States. The stock popped through 30-day and 50-day moving average resistance on the news and has since passed into a bullish "pennant" consolidation pattern. Prices frequently exit pennants moving in the same direction they were traveling on entry. In this case, that would be to the upside.

Brokers recommend the shares with three "strong buys," one "buy" and two "holds." Analysts see a 24% growth rate through the next year. The FOSL PEG ratio (1.43), Sales Growth rate (19.65%) and EPS Growth rate (48.39%) compare favorably with industry, sector and S&P 500 averages. Institutional investors hold about 73% of the outstanding shares. The stock is one of those used to calculate the S&P 600 SmallCap Index. Over the past 52 weeks, it has traded between $20.59 and $42.17. A stop-loss of $35.65 looks good here.

Larry Schutts is a contributing editor for Theflyonthewall.com and the Vice-President of Stockwinners.com.

Fossil (FOSL): High fashion accessories selling great...overseas originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fossil, Inc. (Nasdaq: FOSL) is a fashion apparel company investors rarely hear about as it markets watches, jewelry and clothing accessories under proprietary and licensed brands. None the less, Fossil is posting some numbers of interest to investors. According to the recent 3Q 2007 earnings report, net sales are up 20% to $358.6 million, gross profit is up 26% to $187 million, operating income is up 47% to $48.5 million, net income is up 41% to $40.5 million, and diluted earnings per share (EPS) is up 39% to $0.43. These are whopping increases on fair-sized numbers.

Also in Fossil's favor is the fact that 50% of its sales come from outside the U.S., so the company is taking advantage of currency exchanges. The company is looking at a good holiday selling season, particularly in Europe, where net sales increased 28%. International wholesale orders are up 32%.

Fossil management is not depending just on these good numbers. The company is still focused on cutting expenses and better inventory control. Cost of inventory decreased slightly in 3Q 2007, despite 34 additional new stores. Interest expenses decreased $825,000, and the company is shifting its product lines to higher profit margin items. Fossil just inked a licensing deal with Burberry, good through 2012. At $41.36, up 4% on the earnings news, this under the radar stock may be worth a look.

Fossil alive and well originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 15 Nov 2007 17:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When it comes to fashion, some firms just seem to have a knack for running with the trendy leaders. One of them is a Richardson, Texas outfit that makes so many different popular accessories that it's sometimes difficult to remember that the company's main product is watches.

Fossil (NASDAQ: FOSL) designs, markets and distributes fashion watches and accessories. Brands include its own Fossil and Relic timepieces, plus private-label watches for Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS) and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT). The company also produces watches for name fashion designers and distributes such fashion accessories as leather goods, sunglasses, and a line of apparel. Its products are sold through department stores, specialty shops, the Internet and through more than 200 company stores.

The firm had good news for investors last week, when it announced Q2 EPS of 26 cents and revenues of $306.5 million. Analysts had been expecting 19 cents and $294.8 million. The CFO attributed the solid results to inventory control and reduced operating expenses. He also cited new accessory businesses in guiding FY07 EPS to $1.72 ($1.48 consensus). Piper Jaffray subsequently upgraded the shares to "outperform".

Continue reading Fossil (FOSL): High fashion on the accessory side

Fossil (FOSL): High fashion on the accessory side originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 20 Aug 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.