Analyst Upgrades

• Netflix (NFLX) and Zions Bancorp (ZION) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Akamai (AKAM) to buy from neutral at Merriman.
• CSX (CSX) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Nordstrom (JWN) to buy from neutral, WellCare (WCG) to conviction buy from buy and Humana (HUM) to neutral from sell at Goldman.
• E-Commerce China Dangdang (DANG) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray.
• VMware (VMW) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Celanese (CE) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ADM, AKAM, ALL, CP, CSX, HRL, HUM, JWN, NFLX, NSRGY ...

Analyst Calls: ADM, AKAM, ALL, CP, CSX, HRL, HUM, JWN, NFLX, NSRGY ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Barnes & Noble, the Gap, RadioShack, and Sears -- that may sound like the lineup at the local mall, but in fact they are just a few of the retailers scheduled to step into the earnings spotlight this week. Following last week's disappointing January retail sales numbers from the Commerce Department but strong fourth-quarter reports from Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) and Nordstrom (JWN), the coming week will offer plenty more data on the sector for investors to mull over.

Walmart

Bentonville-based Walmart (WMT) offered free holiday shipping, closed its Moscow office and named a chief merchandising officer during its fourth quarter. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters forecast earnings for that period to come to $1.31 per share, up from $1.17 in the same quarter of last year. The world's largest retailer also is expected to post revenues of $117.7 billion for the three months that ended in January. That's 3.5% more than a year earlier.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Walmart, Home Depot and More Retail Earnings

Week in Preview: Walmart, Home Depot and More Retail Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Nordstrom (JWN) has the kind of chart that makes you look twice. At first, you see its choppiness and wonder where the heck the stock is going. Then you move in a little closer and notice how the equity might be clearing some resistance levels. Is the retailer getting ready to move higher?

If you go by the reaction to the company's latest earnings report during yesterday's extended-hours session, you'd probably think not. At the time of writing, the stock was down over 2%.

Continue reading Nordstrom: A Buy After the Latest Report?

Nordstrom: A Buy After the Latest Report? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We're well into the quarter now and the earnings reports continue to roll out.

This week, Dell (DELL) highlights a handful of results from tech companies. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are looking for fourth-quarter earnings of 37 cents per share from the one of the world's top PC purveyors. That's up from 28 cents per share during the same period a year ago. Dell also is expected to report its revenue grew 5.5% year over year to $15.7 billion, for the three months that ended in January.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Mid-Quarter Earnings (DELL, SJM, MAR, JWN)

Week in Preview: Mid-Quarter Earnings (DELL, SJM, MAR, JWN) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Diamond Offshore (DO) to conviction buy from sell and Baker Hughes (BHI) to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Frontier Communications (FTR) to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• Syntel (SYNT) to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo, to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank and to buy from neutral at Janney Capital.
• Kulicke & Soffa (KLIC) and Fiserv (FISV) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• 3M (MMM) to neutral from underweight and Tyco (TYC) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Collective Brands (PSS) and Nordstrom (JWN) to overweight from equal weight, as well as Foot Locker (FL) to equal weight from underweight, at Morgan Stanley.
• Amazon.com (AMZN) to buy from hold at Lazard Capital.
• Yamana Gold (AUY) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: APC, AMZN, CME, DO, GPS, H, JCP, JWN, KSS, PM SYNT ...

Analyst Calls: APC, AMZN, CME, DO, GPS, H, JCP, JWN, KSS, PM SYNT ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As outlined in September, retailer Nordstrom Inc. (JWN), first discussed in this space on May 21, 2010, at a price of $38.12, looked a tad low at $28 in late summer, and if you took advantage of the nadir to scoop-up shares, you made the correct move.

Nordstrom uptrended in big way this autumn, is currently traded at/near $43 and the large move makes it perfectly acceptable for those who bought below $30 to take some profits at this stage. All others with a dollar-cost-average above $35, including those who bought in May 2010, have realized a much smaller gain, but remain patient: there's more upside ahead for Nordstrom in 2011.

Continue reading Is Nordstrom Headed to $50 and Beyond?

Is Nordstrom Headed to $50 and Beyond? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Nordstrom Under Pressure After Third-Quarter Release

Nordstrom Under Pressure After Third-Quarter Release originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Shareholders of Nordstrom Inc. (JWN), which I first discussed on May 21, 2010, at a price of $38.12, have endured a trying summer, to say the least.

After bursting through $46 in the spring, the shares fell in bear-hug fashion to about $28.35 -- a nearly 40% swoon.

What triggered the nosedive? A below-consensus 55-cent per share earnings total in the first quarter, and an in-line 66-cent per share earnings tally in the second quarter, combined with a likely, weaker U.S. economic recovery, which probably won't register GDP growth above 2.5% in the third and fourth quarters.

Continue reading Has Nordstrom Put in a Bottom at $28?

Has Nordstrom Put in a Bottom at $28? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Nordstrom August Sales Beat Estimates

Nordstrom August Sales Beat Estimates originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As the earnings season begins to wind down, retail earnings move into the spotlight. Already, JCPenney (JCP), Kohl's (KSS) and Macy's (M) have posted earnings that topped consensus estimates, though the former two also offered disappointing guidance, and Nordstrom (JWN) met earnings expectations.

Many more retailers are scheduled to post their second-quarter results this week, including Walmart (WMT), Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF), and Dollar Tree Stores (DLTR), whose earnings expectations we'll take a closer look at here.

Continue reading The Week in Preview: Earnings from Walmart, Abercrombie and Other Retailers

The Week in Preview: Earnings from Walmart, Abercrombie and Other Retailers originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Bears Barely Win on Friday the 13th (ADSK, LLY, JWN, NVDA, RMBS, PDLI, UNCA, IBM)

Closing Bell: Bears Barely Win on Friday the 13th (ADSK, LLY, JWN, NVDA, RMBS, PDLI, UNCA, IBM) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

High end retailer Nordstrom Inc. (JWN) is trading sharply lower this afternoon after the company maintained its guidance for the full year 2010.

Nordstrom reported second quarter earnings of $0.66 per share, or $146 million, in line with analyst estimates for the quarter.

Continue reading Nordstrom Shares Sink on Full-Year Guidance

Nordstrom Shares Sink on Full-Year Guidance originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) meets again on Tuesday. Though the August meeting of the FOMC is generally uneventful, this time there is speculation about whether the FOMC will resort again to some quantitative easing -- a way of pumping additional money into the financial system.

Fed chairman Ben Bernanke has already hinted at such a move, given that economic growth has clearly slowed. Last week's disappointing employment numbers are the latest confirmation of that. The question is whether the Fed's decision to take action will happen at this week's meeting, perhaps aggravating deflation fears, or it may wait until the September meeting, at which point it risks impacting the upcoming mid-term elections.

Continue reading The Week in Preview: FOMC Meeting, Consumer Sentiment, Retail Earnings

The Week in Preview: FOMC Meeting, Consumer Sentiment, Retail Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 08 Aug 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Below are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage on BloggingStocks. Click through to the original posts for more details.

• Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) shares sold off after it posted a narrower Q1 net loss, but same-store sales rose.
• Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT) swung from a year-ago loss to a Q2 profit that was better than expected.
• Deere & Co. (DE) reported better-than-expected Q2 earnings and improved sales, and raised its full-year outlook.
• Dell Inc. (DELL) posted better-than-expected Q1 earnings, but the gross margin was disappointing, and shares fell.
• GameStop Corp. (GME) higher Q1 earnings beat consensus estimates but same-store sales declined.
• Gap Inc. (GPS) said its higher Q1 earnings beat expectations while revenue fell in line with estimates.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: Dell, Gap, GM, Home Depot, HP, Sears, Target, Walmart ...

Earnings Highlights: Dell, Gap, GM, Home Depot, HP, Sears, Target, Walmart ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 22 May 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Nordstrom: A Star in Upscale Retail

Nordstrom: A Star in Upscale Retail originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 21 May 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Nordstrom, Inc. (JWN) is down in afternoon trading. A quote of $39.58 just went by my screen, which represents a decline of $1.71, or over 4%. Volume is high. The market as a whole is pretty bad, so some of the stock's bleeding has to be related to the negative sentiment hitting the major indexes, but the retailer, whose colleagues include The Gap, Inc. (GPS) and J.C. Penney Company, Inc. (JCP), did issue a first-quarter earnings report yesterday after the bell, so we'll have to check that out to see if anything fundamental might be up.

I'll tell you, I thought the press release contained some impressive numbers. Earnings per share increased 40% to 52 cents. Same-store sales rocked with a double-digit jump of 12%. How can the traders be down on that data?

Continue reading Nordstrom Down on Q1 News

Nordstrom Down on Q1 News originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 14 May 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Last week's retail sales numbers were encouraging. And some shopping mall favorites take their turns in the earnings spotlight this week: JCPenney (JCP), Nordstrom (JWN), Urban Outfitters (URBN), Kohl's Corp. (KSS) and Macy's (M). Overall, analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect to see earnings growth from these retailers for the first quarter.

Texas-based department store operator JCPenney declared a quarterly dividend and tendered a debt offering in its first quarter. Earnings for that period are expected to have more than doubled from a year ago to $0.24 per share. Revenue for the three months that ended in April, however, is expected to have inched up 1.4% in the past year to $3.9 billion. And analysts expect to see year-over-year earnings and revenue growth in the second quarter. JCPenney's per-share earnings have come in within pennies of consensus estimates in the past five quarters, beating by two cents in the fourth quarter.

Continue reading The Week in Preview: Eye on Retail -- JCPenney, Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters, Kohl's, Macy's

The Week in Preview: Eye on Retail -- JCPenney, Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters, Kohl's, Macy's originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 09 May 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• American Public Education Inc. (APEI) received an analyst upgrade following the Q4 report and guidance.
• Autodesk Inc. (ADSK) traded higher after it reported swinging to a profit in Q4, but revenue declined year over year.
• Blackstone Group (BX) reported adjusted Q4 earnings, compared to a year-ago loss, and postive renvenue too.
• Campbell Soup Co. (CPB) higher Q2 earnings beat estimates, but shares fell on so-so revenue results.
• DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (DWA) lower Q4 earnings beat expectations but net income for the full year rose.
• Garmin Ltd. (GRMN) topped analysts' Q4 earnings expectations but shares fell after it warned of lower margins.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: Campbell, Dreamworks, Home Depot, Safeway, Target ...

Earnings Highlights: Campbell, Dreamworks, Home Depot, Safeway, Target ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Let's see now. Consumers are more pessimistic this month than last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average loses 100 points on the news. Unemployment is better in one month, worse in another. The DJIA goes up on the good news, down on the bad. Home Depot has a good quarter, raises its dividend, and forecasts a better year for 2010. The stock goes up 50 cents on a day when the market is down 100 points. Other stocks are light on revenues. They go down 10% or more.

The market always sends mixed messages. There has never been a time when all the news is good. That's impossible. If all the news is all good, it means the economy is really thriving. Then investors worry about things being too strong, afraid that inflation will come back, so they sell stocks. When things seem totally awful (see 2008 and 2009 as examples), some investors see nothing but upside potential (see Warren Buffett and General Electric (GE) purchases), and they buy stocks. Most of the time, however, the news is good and bad. There is never a straight upward or downward line for the DJIA or for any stock for a long period of time unless the stock goes out of business, then the line is flat.

Continue reading Comfort Zone Investing: Keeping Cool with the Market's Mixed Messages

Comfort Zone Investing: Keeping Cool with the Market's Mixed Messages originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you own shares of Nordstrom, Inc. (JWN), I assume you were pretty pleased with the Q4 report. The retailer, whose mall cohorts include The Gap Inc. (GPS) and JCPenney Company, Inc. (JCP), grew the top line by over 10%. Per-share profit increased over 150% to 77 cents. Gross margin expanded, as there was a reduction in the need for markdowns. And, perhaps most awesome of all, same-store sales roared higher by 6.9%.

All of that is great, but here's the thing that is probably inhibiting a big buying response for the stock. According to our earnings preview, Wall Street was expecting a little more on the bottom line. Two pennies more, in fact. Even with all those great stats, management missed projections.

Continue reading Great Quarter for Nordstrom, but Wall Street Isn't Satisfied

Great Quarter for Nordstrom, but Wall Street Isn't Satisfied originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.