Analyst Upgrades

• Akamai (AKAM) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray.
• Las Vegas Sands (LVS) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Aetna (AET) to Outperform from market perform at Leerink.
• Hot Topic (HOTT) to buy from neutral at Janney Capital.
• Colonial Properties (CLP) upgraded to Outperform from market perform at FBR Capital and to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• Altera (ALTR) to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• American Reprographics (ARC), CarMax (KMX) and American Campus (ACC) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Zebra Tech (ZBRA) to neutral from underweight at JPMorgan.
• IMAX (IMAX) to buy from hold at Canaccord.
• Basic Energy (BAS) to neutral from sell at Goldman.
• Mednax (MD) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• UTi Worldwide (UTIW) to buy from hold at Stifel Nicolaus.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AET, AKAM, BBY, DVN, HOG, IMAX, LVS, RIMM, UNH, URBN ...

Analyst Calls: AET, AKAM, BBY, DVN, HOG, IMAX, LVS, RIMM, UNH, URBN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I guess you could say that shareholders of Harley-Davidson (HOG) aren't in hog heaven. The motorcycle magnate announced solid third-quarter earnings results, but it disappointed the Street with its motorcycle sales.

Let's start with the good news. Harley-Davidson reported third-quarter net income of 38 cents per share ($88.8 million) or 40 cents per continuing share, far better than last year's same-quarter earnings of 11 cents per share. What's more, these results topped the consensus estimate of 35 cents per share. The company was even able to overcome poor quarterly sales because of it financial services division and cost-cutting efforts.

Continue reading Harley-Davidson Sales Forecast Disappoints the Street

Harley-Davidson Sales Forecast Disappoints the Street originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The earnings crunch is back on this week. Third quarter reports are due from tech, financial and pharmaceutical companies, from airlines and from many others. Here's a day-by-day rundown of the coming week's earnings highlights, with a closer look at Apple (AAPL), Harley-Davidson (HOG), Boeing (BA) and Southwest Airlines (LUV).

Getting things started on Monday, analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect Citigroup (C), Halliburton (HAL) and IBM (IBM) to post year-over-year earnings growth. But Monday's highlight no doubt will be Apple's (AAPL) quarterly results.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Return of the Earnings Crunch (AAPL, BA, HOG, LUV)

Week in Preview: Return of the Earnings Crunch (AAPL, BA, HOG, LUV) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 17 Oct 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Options Update: Safeway Volatility Elevated into EPS, Harley Rallies originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Easing to the Rescue (CLDX, GYMB, WFR, TLB, WAG, SKS, HOG)

Closing Bell: Easing to the Rescue (CLDX, GYMB, WFR, TLB, WAG, SKS, HOG) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

You had to love the excitement surrounding Harley-Davidson (HOG) Tuesday. I'm sure shareholders were jumping for joy at the incredible rise experienced by the stock: it closed on Tuesday at a price of $26.83, up well over 13%. Volume supported the conviction of the move.

Back in April, BloggingStocks' Tom Taulli covered the company's first-quarter numbers. He called the stock risky at the time. He was correct to do so because the shares retreated not long after his piece was published, as the following chart clearly shows. Now that the second-quarter stats are here, should investors be interested in the motorcycle maker?

Continue reading Harley-Davidson Reports a Great Quarter: Buy or Sell?

Harley-Davidson Reports a Great Quarter: Buy or Sell? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• JMP Securities upgraded Boston Properties (BXP) to outperform from market perform and has an $89 price target on the stock. The firm upgraded shares based on near-term catalysts that include, the potential start of 1msf of development in Midtown, investments, and selection as 1 World Trade Center project manager.
• Baird upgraded Bucyrus (BUCY) to outperform from neutral, citing valuation and an a more favorable view of the Terex Mining acquisition. The firm has an $83 price target on the stock.
• Jefferies upgraded Warner Chilcott (WCRX) to buy from hold and has a $30 price target on the stock. The firm upgraded shares based on valuation and conservative guidance.
• AmeriCredit (ACF) was upgraded to market perform from underperform at Keefe Bruyette.
• Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Rio Tinto (RTP) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Bernstein.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BUCY, BXP, HOG, RDS.A, RTP, SY, TIVO, WCRX, WPRT ...

Analyst Calls: BUCY, BXP, HOG, RDS.A, RTP, SY, TIVO, WCRX, WPRT ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 17 May 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Scotia Capital upgraded Apple (AAPL) to outperform from sector perform, citing valuation, potential increased iPhone distribution and iPad upside. The firm's two-year price target is $325.
• UBS upgraded Parker-Hannifin (PH) to neutral from sell following the company's better-than-expected Q3 report.
• Piper Jaffray upgraded Arkansas Best (ABFS) to neutral from underweight after the Teamsters union announced a tentative agreement with the company. The firm has a $33 price target for shares.
• Harley-Davidson (HOG) was upgraded to market perform from underperform at Raymond James.
• Allegheny Tech (ATI) was upgraded to buy from hold at KeyBanc.
• Manhattan Associates (MANH) was upgraded to buy from hold at Benchmark.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AAPL, ABFS, BIIB, EXC, HOG, PH, RIG, UTH, VITC ...

Analyst Calls: AAPL, ABFS, BIIB, EXC, HOG, PH, RIG, UTH, VITC ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Human Genome (HGSI) closed at $29.70 after announcing 76-week SLE responder data missed statistical significance vs. 52 weeks. HGSI overall option implied volatility of 52 is near its 22-week average, according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

Harley-Davidson (HOG) closed at $35.17 after rallying 7% on the announcement of Q1 EPS of 29 cents. HOG overall option implied volatility of 35 is below its 26-week average of 41, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Options Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Options Update: Human Genome Volatility Flat After Shares Sell Off on Efficacy Data originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Time to Take a Ride on Harley-Davidson?

Time to Take a Ride on Harley-Davidson? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Oppenheimer upgraded ConocoPhillips (COP) to outperform from perform after the company sold its stake in Syncrude. The firm has a $70 price target for shares.
• Leerink upgraded UnitedHealth (UNH) to outperform from market perform. The firm sees upside to the company's 2010 guidance and finds shares attractively valued at currently levels.
• Citigroup upgraded both Mirant (MIR) and RRI Energy (RRI) to hold from sell after the two companies agreed to merge.
• Cooper Companies (COO) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• Expedia (EXPE) was upgraded to conviction buy from neutral at Goldman.
• A123 Systems (AONE) was upgraded to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AA, COP, GWW, HAS, HOG, NATL, PCLN, UNH, UTX ...

Analyst Calls: AA, COP, GWW, HAS, HOG, NATL, PCLN, UNH, UTX ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

To many of us the price of hogs and cattle is boring stuff. However, it won't be boring in a few weeks when higher prices reach your local super market.

June hog futures rose 1.675 cents to 85.05 cents a pound on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. This is the highest price since 1997 for an active contract month.

Continue reading Hog Prices Rise Most in 13 Years; Cattle Gains on Increased Demand

Hog Prices Rise Most in 13 Years; Cattle Gains on Increased Demand originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Harley-Davidson (HOG) closed yesterday much higher than where it opened. The stock rose over 10%, finally settling at $31.37. During the intraday session, the shares hit a new 52-week high of $31.66. According to TheFly, RBC Capital increased its price target for the motorcycle company, believing it may eventually hit $36.

You know what? My gut tells me $36 is easy at this point (however, I do have some reservations and warnings, which I'll get to). There was a lot of volume backing the bid on Monday, and as I look through different time periods for the stock in terms of price gain (one-month return, three-month return, etc.), I come to the conclusion that this is one strong equity.

Continue reading Harley-Davidson Is a Hot Stock: Is it Overbought?

Harley-Davidson Is a Hot Stock: Is it Overbought? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Harley-Davidson (HOG) shot up recently on takeover rumors, but in my opinion, they're just that -- rumors.

Who needs a high-end motorcycle during the Great Recession? Or its aftermath? And who needs the stock of a company with more than $4 billion in long-term debt, huge unpaid pension obligations, lousy cash flow to service its debt, and that is still in search of a partner to take customer loans off its hands.

Continue reading Deadbeat Stock #1: Harley-Davidson (HOG)

Deadbeat Stock #1: Harley-Davidson (HOG) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Spring is finally here, which means it's time to break out the broom and dustpan for some spring cleaning.

But your home isn't the only thing that requires constant maintenance -- your portfolio does too.

And what better time than spring to get a fresh start by cleaning out the stocks that are sitting around collecting dust rather than making you money?

Continue reading Six Deadbeat Stocks to Clean Out of Your Portfolio

Six Deadbeat Stocks to Clean Out of Your Portfolio originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Harley Davidson Accelerates on Takeover Talk

Harley Davidson Accelerates on Takeover Talk originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

How's this for a kick in the pants: Flying in the face of it's first quarterly loss in 16 years, a seriously questionable compensation package has just been awarded to the new, short-time CEO of Harley-Davidson Inc. (HOG).

Keith E. Wandell, the new Harley-Davidson CEO, and former COO of Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI), has been awarded a compensation package totaling approximately $6.4 million for his participation in Harley-Davidson operations from May 2009 through the end of that year. When given the company's downward slide through 2009, and in consideration of tough times ahead for those who survive on high-end discretionary spending, might there be cause to wonder if Mr. Wandell's compensation package is just a tad excessive?

Continue reading CEO Takes Harley-Davidson for a Ride

CEO Takes Harley-Davidson for a Ride originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This is a cornerstone of the Fed, a true shibboleth (Google that one). But one of the first set of bonds the Fed bought under the TALF program were bonds backed by motorcycle loans made by Harley-Davidson (HOG) to its customers.

The Fed program was designed to provide loans and capital to businesses that were shut out of frozen credit markets, which is a good thing. But loans to Harley made to boost the sale of motorcycles to people who could not get loans elsewhere?

Continue reading Lie #8: The Fed Only Buys AAA-Rated Bonds and Securities

Lie #8: The Fed Only Buys AAA-Rated Bonds and Securities originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• JPMorgan upgraded Mohawk (MHK) to overweight from neutral. The firm finds shares attractive following their recent underperformance and has a positive outlook for the building products space in 2010. JPMorgan has a $53.50 price target on the stock.
• Stephens upgraded Alexander & Baldwin (ALEX) to overweight from equal weight to reflect improving volume trends and the upcoming move of the company's Transport division from Japan to Guam, which it believes will serve as a positive catalyst. Stephens raised its target price on shares to $41 from $26.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded Unum Group (UNM) to buy from hold as it believes an acceleration of growth and potential buybacks could serve as positive catalysts. The firm raised its target on shares to $26 from $25.
• News Corp. (NWS) was raised to neutral from sell at Pali Capital.
• CA Inc. (CA) was upgraded to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Pactiv (PTV) was upgraded to buy from hold at KeyBanc.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: ADP, BAC, HOG, MHK, NWS, T, UNM ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: ADP, BAC, HOG, MHK, NWS, T, UNM ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) higher Q3 earnings topped expectations but revenue was in line.
• Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NYSE: AMD) posted better-than-expected Q3 results, but shares sold off.
• Allegheny Technologies Inc. (NYSE: ATI) was downgraded on concerns about its Q4 guidance.
• Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) shares fell after it posted a deeper-than-expected quarterly loss.
• Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) fell victim to profit taking despite reporting better-than-expected earnings.
• CSX Corp. (NYSE: CSX) better-than-expected Q3 earnings sent shares higher, despite a decline in revenue.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: C, GE, GOOG, HOG, INTC, IBM, JNJ, JPM, MAT, NOK ...

Earnings highlights: C, GE, GOOG, HOG, INTC, IBM, JNJ, JPM, MAT, NOK ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.