Analyst Upgrades

• BB&T (BBT) and Aflac (AFL) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Kodiak Oil & Gas (KOG) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Zhongpin (HOGS) to neutral from reduce at Global Hunter.
• Marathon Oil (MRO), Noble Energy (NBL) and Manulife Financial (MFC) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Carrizo Oil & Gas (CRZO) to buy from hold at Canaccord.
• Comerica (CMA) to buy from neutral at Rochdale.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AAPL, AFL, BBT, CMA, ENER, HERO, IBM, LVS, MRO, NE ...

Analyst Calls: AAPL, AFL, BBT, CMA, ENER, HERO, IBM, LVS, MRO, NE ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The market was remarkably bored about most of what the Fed had to say about the results of the FOMC. A close reading of the minutes shows nothing new. The economy is very modestly better. The turn for the better will be slow and painful. Housing may be getting a tiny bit better. Rates will stay near zero. The only statement which may not have been expected by almost everyone is that the agency will continue buying mortgage-backed and federal debt into the first quarter of next year.

The lack of enthusiasm showed as the major indices traded fairly flat. Today's unofficial numbers:

Dow 9,749.31 -80.56 (-0.82%)
S&P 500 1,060.90 -10.76 (-1.00%)
Nasdaq 2,131.42 -14.88 (-0.69%)

Continue reading Closing bell: no one cares about the Fed

Closing bell: no one cares about the Fed originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Goldman downgraded the Managed Care sector to Neutral from Attractive following WellPoint's (NYSE: WLP) reduced 2008 outlook. The firm said WellPoint's issues reflect a company specific underwriting error but also industry-wide pricing pressures which increase the risk of a cyclical slowdown in managed care. WellPoint was also downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at JP Morgan.
  
• Banc of America cut Keryx Biopharma (NASDAQ: KERX) to Neutral from Buy and lowered their target to $1.00 after Sulonex failed to meet its primary endpoint.
  
• Jefferies downgraded shares of Citrix Systems (NASDAQ: CTXS) to Hold from Buy, as they believe the first half of 2008 will be a tough year for software and are increasingly worried about the macro environment.

• Level 3 Comm (NASDAQ: LVLT) was downgraded to Underweight from Market Weight at Thomas Weisel.
  
• Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) was lowered to Neutral from Buy at Piper Jaffray.
  
• Credit Suisse removed Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG) from its U.S. Focus List.

Analyst downgrades: LVLT, TXN, BG, WLP, KERX and CTXS originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• DJIA 11,740.15 (-153.54; -1.29%)
• S&P500 1,273.37 (-20.00; -1.55%)
• NASDAQ 2,169.34 (-43.15; -1.95%)
• 10-YR T-Bond 3.438%; -0.1030 (bonds still trading)

Continue reading Closing Bell: Market tank not even helped by Spitzer implosion

Closing Bell: Market tank not even helped by Spitzer implosion originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Jefferies downgraded shares of Thornburg Mortgage (NYSE: TMA) to Underperform from Hold after the company said it is unable to meet margin calls despite asset sales and will restate 2007 earnings.
  
• Keryx Biopharma (NASDAQ: KERX) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Merrill, to Neutral from Overweight at JP Morgan, to Underperform from Market Perform at Rodman & Renshaw, to Hold from Buy at Jefferies and to Underperform from Outperform at Bear Stearns after the company announced the Sulonex SUN-MICRO Phase 3 trial failed to meet the primary endpoint.
  
• Citigroup lowered Aeropostale (NYSE: ARO) to Sell from Hold as they believe inventory levels are building and that there is downside risk to Q1 estimates.

• Deutsche Bank cut Lincare Holdings (NASDAQ: LNCR) to Sell from Hold.
  
• RBC Capital lowered J2 Global (NASDAQ: JCOM) to Sector Perform from Outperform.
  
• Goldman removed Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) from its Conviction Buy List.

Analyst downgrades: TMA, KERX, ARO and WMT originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: The Small Cap BioTech sector top today's small list of initiations.

• The Bank of America initiated five companies within the Small Cap BioTech sector:
• Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYGN), Array BioPharma, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARRY), Nuvelo, Inc. (NASDAQ:NUVO) and Keryx BioPharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:KERX) with Buy ratings
• and Dendreon Corp (NASDAQ:DNDN) with a Neutral rating.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ:FISV) was resumed with a Market Perform at Wachovia on valuation
• and Century Casinos, Inc. (NASDAQ:CNTY) was initiated with a Hold at Morgan Joseph on valuation.

Analyst summaries provided by TheFlyOnTheWall.com (subscription required).

Analyst initiations 11-2-06: Small Cap BioTech sector initiated originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 02 Nov 2006 12:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.